The Best Websites for Design Inspiration
March 1, 2024

If you’re a brand owner juggling everything—from product creation to sales to marketing—you already know how overwhelming marketing can be, especially without an agency by your side. Finding the right design inspiration for your brand’s visuals and marketing materials can feel impossible when you’re doing it all yourself.

But don’t worry — the internet is full of incredible websites that can help you spark creativity, improve your brand’s look, and create marketing content that connects with your customers. Plus, there are AI-powered tools that make it easier than ever to create stunning visuals — even if you don’t have a design team.

Here’s a list of the best websites for design inspiration that will help you take your brand’s marketing to the next level, with practical tips and examples you can start using today.


1. Dribbble — Inspiration from Real Designers, Anytime

When you don’t have an agency, seeing what professional designers are doing can be like a secret weapon. Dribbble is where designers showcase everything from logos to website interfaces to social media graphics. You can search by style or industry, helping you find ideas that fit your brand’s vibe.

Example: If you run a health and wellness brand, look up “wellness branding” or “organic product packaging” to see fresh, relevant ideas you can adapt.


2. Behance — Full Project Portfolios to Learn From

Behance is perfect if you want more than just pretty pictures. Many creatives share full projects with detailed explanations. You can learn about the thought process behind the designs, which is gold when you’re doing your own marketing and need guidance.

For example, check out how brands like Patagonia or Airbnb approach storytelling through design on Behance.


3. Awwwards — See What Makes a Website Truly Stand Out

If your website needs a makeover but you don’t know where to start, Awwwards features top-notch web design examples judged by experts. Explore how companies like Stripe or Spotify combine beautiful visuals with easy navigation — a balance every brand should aim for.


4. Pinterest — Your DIY Visual Moodboard

Pinning your favorite ideas on Pinterest is a simple way to collect inspiration without a design background. Create boards for your brand’s colors, fonts, and styles. This helps when you communicate with freelancers or create content yourself.


5. Designspiration — Search by Color or Style

Sometimes you have a specific color or theme in mind, and Designspiration makes it easy to find exactly that. It’s a focused resource perfect for small brands needing to keep consistent branding.


6. Muzli by InVision — Daily Inspiration Delivered

When time is tight, Muzli’s curated feed brings you fresh design inspiration straight to your browser. It’s a quick way to keep up with trends without spending hours searching.


7. SiteInspire — Real Websites to Model

Want to see how brands in your niche are designing their sites? SiteInspire curates beautiful websites and lets you filter by industry, style, or layout. This can help you figure out what you like — even if you’re building your site yourself.


8. The Dieline — Packaging Inspiration That Sells

If your brand relies on product packaging, The Dieline shows the best packaging designs worldwide. Discover creative ideas that can make your products stand out on shelves — even on a budget.


9. AI Tools: Your New Secret Weapon for Design

You don’t need a professional agency to create eye-catching marketing materials anymore. AI tools can generate designs and help you experiment with ideas faster than ever:

  • DALL·E 2 & Midjourney: Generate unique images from simple text prompts. Great for social media graphics, ads, or blog visuals.

  • Canva’s AI Features: Canva makes design accessible with templates and AI suggestions tailored to your brand style.

  • Adobe Firefly: If you have Adobe Creative Cloud, Firefly’s AI tools can help you quickly prototype creative ideas.

  • Runway ML: AI-powered video and image editing tools for next-level content creation.

These tools save time and reduce the stress of creating your own marketing assets.

Marketing your brand without an agency can be tough, but you don’t have to do it blindly. Use these websites for design inspiration to gather ideas that feel right for your brand, and leverage AI tools to bring those ideas to life—even with limited design skills.

Start bookmarking these resources today, and watch your marketing transform from stressful to inspired.