Authenticity First: How Liz Ellery Designs Brands and Websites That Stand Out
Location: The Cotswolds, United Kingdom
Started using Squarespace: 2016
Title: Branding & Website Designer
Branding expert and web designer Liz Ellery doesn’t just talk about authenticity—she leads with it. The Circle Platinum Partner and Community Leader is known for her vibrant personality and intuitive approach to client projects. Central to her success is a process built on real, in-depth conversations with clients, which help her understand their vision and resulting in beautiful designs with few, if any, revisions.
Beyond her web design and branding services, Liz is the host of the annual Website Designer Summit. The virtual event brings together top minds in the industry to discuss design best practices and insights on earning money and managing a web design business.
Read on to learn how Liz attracts web design clients and her advice for other designers looking to lead with authenticity and find their own target audience.
What originally drew you to web design, and how did you get your start in the industry?
It came in two stages.
For 10 years, I worked in London as a fashion designer. Halfway through my fashion career, the company I worked for appeared on a national TV show. That evening, our website crashed and the next day, I found myself as our new website designer, cobbling something together in Photoshop and getting our developers to create in WordPress—all whilst still designing the clothing collections as my main job.
My last year in my fashion career, I realised I wanted to do something totally different, and I started looking for a business coach, but I didn’t emotionally connect with any of their websites. That’s when I had my lightbulb moment that I could help these coaches create emotionally connecting beautiful websites in Squarespace. The rest is history!
How did you discover Squarespace? Why do you continue to use it to build websites for your clients?
I first discovered Squarespace in 2016, when I was searching for a new job and I thought it would look really cool to showcase my portfolio via a website. I’d seen some other designer friends doing the same, and it literally blew my mind how easy it was to use. I was able to achieve the most beautiful website on my own, without knowing any code, or being remotely techy. I continue to use Squarespace for this exact reason because my clients are just like I was—not techy and they need to be able to update their websites without me and a computer science degree.
What core web design principles consistently guide your work, no matter the project?
Intuition. Always! I’m a creative and connector at heart. I love helping my clients create virtual vision boards so they get to really know what they love. This helps me design their websites and never have feedback or redesigns at the end of any project.
I think the real reason I never have clients asking me to do revisions is because I’ve really gotten to know them. My zone of genius is by using my intuition and having real conversations with them at the start of our projects. I get to know what motivates them, what their passions are, their personalities. This truly guides my design process.
Your voice and personality shine on your website and in your newsletter. How does your personal brand help you connect with clients who are the right fit?
I believe personal branding is so important right now. With AI here to stay, people want (and need) more human connection in their lives. Your website and newsletter are such great ways to communicate exactly who you are and make your personality shine online.
One of the most common pieces of feedback I always get from clients is that I’m exactly as I am on my website and newsletters. They find that comforting; we’ve built that trust and connection already.
When clients get on calls with me, they feel that I’m already a fit for them because of how my personal brand has made them feel—that’s the power of a strong personal brand. Also, because they can see how well I’ve done this on my own site, I’ve shown them that’s exactly what I’ll help them achieve.
What steps can other designers take to build a personal brand that resonates with their ideal clients?
Just be you. Get your tone of voice into your copy and imagery. For example, I’ll add the odd dad joke here and there because that’s my jam.
My tone is very warm and friendly, whereas yours might be straight to the point, logical, no chit-chat. If that’s the case, your website should reflect that—your copy simple and to the point, concise. And your ideal client will love that. I mean, I use words like alchemy and intuition on mine, so the cerebral person may not be attracted to that. I want my dream clients to connect with me, not the wrong ones.
Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Someone who is super corporate probably wouldn’t vibe with my website, and that’s exactly how I want it.
Where do you find inspiration?
A lot of the time, I'll play around and have fun in the Photoshop mood board I've created. I'll find the perfect graphics that align with the mood board and see how I can add that into Squarespace in a fun and exciting way. As always, I use my intuition to make sure the vibe feels right.
I also look to other designers for inspiration. I love seeing how they are utilising Squarespace—how someone added round corners to shape blocks, larger bold text, a testimonial in a new and exciting way. I hope I'm an inspiration to other designers and they look at my work and use the odd thing that matches their personal style.
What is your favorite part about being a Circle partner?
Hands down the community. Squarespace has the wildest community I’ve ever been a part of—as in, ‘How is everyone so nice and sharing?’ I’ve never ever felt competitiveness from anyone in the Circle community, only, ‘How can I help you?’ That’s rare, and I am here for it!
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I am hosting my annual Website Designer Summit at the start of March 2026. This has been one of the highlights of my business career, with over 2,000 attendees over two years joining!
I created this summit as a deep dive into things I nosily wanted to find out from other Squarespace designers: How did they design their websites? How were they making money in their business? How to get clients? The last one is actually a request from 2025's summit, so we’ll be talking about that more in 2026.
The summit is a live, online, one-day event that’s interactive and a whole load of fun. The feedback I get is amazing. (I hope to see you there if you’re reading this, my lovely Circle partner). Join my newsletter in my website footer, where I’ll share info about the summit: elizabethellery.com.
I also have a course I’ve recently created. It's about helping people who are struggling with the income rollercoaster and getting more consistent clients. It’s not teaching hardcore marketing paths, but more of a simple, intuitive business strategy mixed in with a lot of mindset and energy work. You can check it out at elizabethellery.com/lifeyoulove.
Key takeaways
Here are the top takeaways from Liz’s interview:
Before designing your client’s website, co-create a virtual vision board to fully grasp their aesthetic and vision
Whether you’re a solopreneur or running an agency, ensure your website accurately reflects your personality so clients know what to expect from working with you
Let your unique voice and personality shine through by prioritizing human connection in all content, including site copy, blog posts, newsletters, images, and videos
If you’re looking for a source of inspiration, look no further than fellow web designers in the Circle community
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional designers and web design agencies. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
