Secret Design Tools Behind Every Great Website

Designing a dynamic and user-friendly website is a complex process. Getting the balance right between design and function is crucial. Not only do you want to be able to create a stunning website that is completely on-brand and keeps users engaged, but it also needs to work well.

When it comes to executing a website design project perfectly, working with the right tools is key. The same goes for any content marketing you do! Having the best design tools to hand can not only make the project flow easily but also allow you to achieve incredible results too.

In this blog article, we’re going to give you a sneak peek into how we work, our process, and why we use the tools we do. Whether you’re just curious or you’re a marketer looking to expand your skillset into design, here’s a list of resources we recommend.

Best Design Tools for Websites & Content Marketing

For the Basics of Design

First up, we want to dive into the basics – because you can’t start a design project without the essentials.

Notebooks or Pen & Paper

It’s always handy to have a notebook or a pen and paper nearby. When ideas strike or you want to make notes on a call with a client, being able to just jot them down rather than dig out a new file is a lifesaver. You even have the freedom to doodle or sketch ideas there and then to inspire you straight away.

Large HD Monitor

Being able to get your designs right is key. To do that, you need a high-quality screen. Ideally, it will be a large-sized HD monitor. Then you have the perfect canvas to work from.

A high-quality screen, ideally a large-sized HD monitor, is the perfect canvas to work from. With heightened colours and the ability to see every pixel clearly means every design is accurate and in-line, not only with your client’s brand but with the layout too.

Tablet & Stylus

Being able to sketch things out, create a design from scratch, or even just annotate, a tablet and stylus are essential. Your tablet is also easy to carry around, and the stylus allows you to draw or write freehand and provides a digital file for you to continue working from.

Software & Online Tools

Once your initial ideas and sketches are ready, it’s time to choose your chosen design software. If you’re anything like us, you might rely on different tools to do different things. It’s handy to know how to use a few different reliable options, so you have a full set of skills to complete your design work.

Adobe Creative Cloud

If you’re ready to go all-in on your designs, Adobe Creative Cloud might just be for you. This premium subscription gives you access to over 20 Adobe products, both for desktop and in app format, as well as cloud storage.

Some Adobe Favourites like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro are included along with fonts and stock photos and, as AI advances, you can also make use of Adobe Firefly, Adobe’s generative AI platform, to help with your work.

But if you want to focus on specific design products, here are some to consider.

Photoshop

Adobe’s Photoshop is the original software when it comes to graphic design. It’s great for editing images to a professional standard, designing graphics, and creating digital art. It’s likely to be what you’ll use for photo retouching, as well as creating imagery.

Illustrator

Then we have Adobe’s Illustrator; this product is geared more towards your vector graphics. So here, you’ll be using it for things like creating logos and icons, as well as illustrations. This software programme is all about precision, helping you to design and scale without losing quality.

InDesign

Adobe’s InDesign is a desktop publishing tool that’s great for creating page layouts. This is likely to be your go-to if you need to create things like websites, books, magazines, brochures, and other print and digital media formats. It’s precise and gives you a lot of control with things like typography and layout.

Figma

Figma is a web-based tool perfect for creating user interfaces (UI) and building out demo sites and apps when they are in the design phase. The handy feature of dev mode allows you to get your website design right while balancing the development side of things.

Canva

Lastly, we have Canva; the multi-use software programme that enables you to create everything from social media posts to logos to brochures. It’s great for newbies, thanks to its user-friendliness. So, if you’re not trained in graphic design, this could be the perfect option for you.

Font & Image Libraries

When it comes to any design project you’re working on, you will often need fonts and imagery to bring it all to life. Here are some of our favourites:

Google Fonts

Up first, there’s Google Fonts. Google Fonts are free to download, giving you the option to choose from a wide range of designs to use in your work. This can be great for both websites and graphic design products.

Adobe Fonts

Likewise, you could also turn to Adobe Fonts to find your perfect script or serif. If you have Creative Cloud, you’ll get this as standard as part of your package.

Shutterstock & Adobe Stock

If you like to provide your clients with complete projects that come with all imagery included, having a stock site to turn to is a game-changer. Two of our personal favourites are both Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. Both provide you with high-quality photography, graphics, vectors, videos, templates and more to help you elevate your design work.

Royalty-free Images

Alongside stock libraries, there are also alternative royalty-free image sites you can use. These are great if you don’t want to subscribe or pay per image. The likes of Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay are all free to use and allow you to download the images you need without cost.

Just make sure that you’re aware of the licensing terms. This goes for both paid and free imagery. You need to ensure that you’re sticking to them and not infringing copyright.

Tips for Choosing the Right Tools for Your Projects

As you can see, there’s a wide range of software packages, apps, and design tools you can use on a project. But how do you know which ones to choose or when to pick a certain one for what you want to do?

The best place to start is always by focusing on the project at hand and the design scope you’re working with. But at the same time, it’s also key for you to be aware of your design style, your capabilities, the functionality of each tool, and your budget. That way, you can be sure to choose the right package or tool that will work best for you and that you can get the most out of.

It might even be the case that you want to try a free trial of a range of different tools to give them a full work through and see which you enjoy using the most. For any of the Adobe products, it’s wise to follow an accreditation path to help you learn how to use each piece of kit properly and boost your skillset.

The Future of Design Tools

With the introduction of AI into pretty much everything we do in business and life, it’s safe to say that the future of design will change too. But with that in mind, there are some key staples that are always going to stand the test of time.

For example, Adobe products are seen as the bread and butter of design. So, not only will they be around for the long haul, but they are likely to lead the way. The same goes for the likes of Google and Shutterstock.

At Logic, we like to think we know a thing or two about what it means to create an incredible design. We have built up a solid portfolio of projects over time and have a tonne of experience in designing and creating websites that our clients love.

Every single time we work on a brand-new campaign or web project, we always rely on the same collection of tools to do what we do. It doesn’t matter if we’re creating engaging visuals to fit specific brand guidelines or we’re able to play around with a range of artistic concepts, our go-tos remain the same.

Want to find out what we can do for you? Take a look through our case studies or contact us today by calling 01473 934050, emailing [email protected], or leaving us a message on our contact page.

Written by Amy Barfield Web & Graphic Designer

Amy Barfield is one of our Website Designers, with over a decade of graphic design experience. One of her passions is creating branding for clients, making their visions a reality, as well as working on a range of different mediums. When she’s not getting creative at work, Amy is still getting creative outside of work with her love of interior design and gardening.

All Articles by Amy Barfield