Updated: Apr 28, 2025
Author: Tony Waldegrave
The web is a unique medium. Users are either looking for information or are actively in the buying cycle. And because of the nature of the web, they expect quick answers! This means a website needs to communicate a business' brand and USP literally in seconds, or the visitor will simply click away.
Here at Adhesion, we always apply The 3 Second Rule - does the web page I'm looking at clearly tell me what this business does, and why I should consider them in 3 seconds or less? Try it. Open your website's home page and see if it does the job. What about the other pages on your site, do they pass the 3 second test? Check out the example above - very quickly you know who they are, what they do, and what you can expect.
If you're planning to build a new website, or refresh your existing one, start with your brand. Define your brand values first, then answer these questions: what colours communicate our values the best? Does our logo say who we are and what we do? Is our brand modern or conservative? Perhaps we need a tagline to make it clearer? What would our target audience respond to?
Most businesses simply transfer their offline branding to their websites, but what works on the printed page rarely works at 72dpi. The web has quite different requirements and your brand should be where your website design journey begins.
Start by clarifying what your business stands for. Are you innovative, reliable, sustainable, or premium? Your core values drive every visual and messaging decision.
Do your colours, fonts, and imagery align with your values and appeal to your target market?
Does your logo communicate your sector and personality?
Is your branding clear at small screen sizes and web resolutions?
Branding that works in print often needs adjustment for digital. Ensure strong contrast, scalable graphics, and clarity at a glance—especially on mobile.
A punchy tagline can quickly clarify your offer or point of difference. Consider if this might help you pass the 3 second test.
Consider your target customers’ needs, problems, and what will motivate them to choose you.
Many businesses simply upload print logos and colour palettes, but what works in print doesn’t always translate online. Attention spans are shorter, screens are smaller, and user expectations are higher.
Build your website design on a foundation of strong, user-focused branding to create instant impact and lasting trust.
Ready to make your brand shine online? Contact Adhesion for expert website branding and design services.
"We have been working with Ricki-lee from Adhesion with our online marketing for a while now and I can tell you she is full of great ideas for getting people interested and contacting our business. In fact, Ricki-lee is now a very important part of our team, and I can't recommend her, and the team behind her, highly enough."
★★★★★ Kevin Downing June 2025
"I've really enjoyed working with Jen and Ryan from Adhesion! They've been very responsive and knowledgeable and have gone out of their way to help when I've needed campaigns setup in short notice. Highly recommend the team at Adhesion!!!"
★★★★★ Karthik Hariharan May 2025
"Very efficient in getting a result."
★★★★★ Oksana Fediuk May 2025
"We've been with Adhesion for a couple of years now, and they've consistently provided prompt and reliable support. Thanks a lot team for your expert advice and exceptional service throughout this time. Our Google Ads have been performing much better in recent months, thanks to your hard work and dedication. Our recent experiences with Ricki-Lee and Jennifer have been fantastic—it’s such a relief to know that we can be in contact anytime we need. It truly feels personal. Thanks again, ladies! 😊"
★★★★★ Sandeep Nagpal May 2025
"I have been with Adhesion for a couple of years and I am very confident that they are working in my best interest. Peter Volkov communicates well with me and picks up concepts about my business quickly. I am doing well in my business as a result of Adhesion's commitment to their client. I previously had an unfortunate experience of working with a large company who promised the world, charged the earth and delivered nothing of value. The difference now is outstanding."
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"Peter has done a great job running my google ads - highly recommended."
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"Working with Adhesion I have found them to not only be very helpful but also reasonable and fair on pricing"
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"After years of watching clients get burned by faceless agencies and one-person marketers who vanish overnight, finding Phillippa at Adhesion felt like a revelation."
★★★★★ Alex Mann April 2025
"Ricki-Lee was an amazing account manager. Always pro-active and looking for improvements to my campaign. Would highly recommend!"
★★★★★ Chris April 2025
"A huge thank you to Adhesion, and especially to Ricki-lee, for being an absolute rockstar with my ad campaigns! From the very start, she’s been incredibly responsive—always quick to answer any questions and on top of everything to make sure my ads are running smoothly. I love how creative she is, the way she puts the ads together is just perfect! She continuously monitors and optimizes them, making sure they perform at their best. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about your success and delivers amazing results, Ricki-lee is the one!"
★★★★★ Picnique Queenstown February 2025
"I've had the pleasure of working with the Adhesion team for years, and they have consistently provided professional and valuable services. The entire team is fantastic to work with, and Courteney, in particular, stands out for her attentiveness and responsiveness. Her keen attention to detail and dedication to delivering top-quality service have greatly benefited our projects. I highly recommend Adhesion for their expertise, reliability, and outstanding customer support."
★★★★★ Frank Krieger January 2025
"Adhesion, Jen & Court have taken our online marketing strategy from strength to strength over the many years we have been using them for Gordon Harris. Courteney is an absolute star! Their knowledge is deep and broad, keeping us up to date with the latest opportunities to make our campaigns work better. Highly recommend."
★★★★★ Laura Budd January 2025
"I worked with Reuben @ Adhesion through a previous business which was sold and a new start up business of mine. Very prompt at setting up new campaigns, sorting issues and implementing changes. Nothing was ever an issue and all campaigns delivered acceptable results. Would recommend to any small business owner looking for a more personal agency."
★★★★★ Kyle Simpson December 2024
"We love working with the team at Adhesion, they did an outstanding job with our website—The Lodge at 58 North. Not only did they understand our unique needs as small business owners, but they also perfectly blended creativity and functionality, crafting a site that captures the spirit of our lodge while providing an intuitive, user-friendly experience for our guests. The team's attention to detail and expertise brought our vision to life, showcasing our lodge's unique charm and commitment to authentic experiences.The whole team is professional, highly responsive, and genuinely invested in our success—making us feel supported every step of the way. The result is a beautiful, functional website that reflects our lodge and makes it easy for visitors to explore, book, and get excited about their stay.We highly recommend the Adhesion Team—it's a joy to work with them!"
★★★★★ Administrative Assistant October 2024
"I would like to say that Reuben Nel from Adhesion has been of excellent assistance with our google words campaign. He has excellent knowledge and insight and could communicate that in an easy and understandable way. I would certainly recommend Reuben to you"
★★★★★ Leave Calendar October 2024
"We've been working with Courteney from Adhesion for a year now and it's one of the best business decisions we've made. The growth in online sales, as well as in-store referrals, is testament to Courteney’s expertise. Her communication is superb, she offers practical advice, and nothing is a problem. Highly recommend!"
★★★★★ Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store September 2024
"I have been using adhesion for about 2 months now and my ads and revenue has increased significantly, not too mention there customer service is 5 star. I will carry on working with this company and Rueben Thank you for great work. I highly recommend after using many different agency’s over the last 2 years in NZ and AU. Thanks Again James Roberts SPORTZONE"
★★★★★ James August 2024
