Brand Guideline: Creating Brand Style Guide 

Creating a brand guideline  is an important step in having a strong and unified brand identity. It can help to communicate the values and mission of your business to customers, partners, and employees. A well-crafted brand guide can also help you develop marketing campaigns that align with your company’s unique selling proposition (USP). 

 

Your brand is one of the most important pieces of your business. It’s what separates you from your competitors and gives your customers a reason to choose you over the others. 

Though Brand guideline creation can be a daunting task. No one wants their brand to come across as corny or amateurish. The process of creating a style guide can help to ensure that your brand retains its professionalism and appeal. 

To ensure that your brand remains top-of-mind, it’s essential to create a brand guide. This article will help you define and articulate your brand, as well as list key elements and values that are essential to its success. 

So how do you create a brand style guide? We’ll show you how in five steps! By following these tips, you can create a guide that is both visually appealing and informative. 

 

How To Create A Brand Style Guide 

Collect Brand Guide Inspiration 

When designing a brand guideline, it is important to look for inspiration. This can be done by looking at other brands that have a similar feel to the one you are trying to create, as well as by looking at design trends. 

One great way to find inspiration for your brand guideline is to look at existing brand guidelines. This can give you an idea of what type of information to include in your own guide, as well as how to format it. 

Another great source of inspiration is design trends. Keeping up with current trends will help ensure that your brand guideline looks modern and professional.

By looking at other brands and following current design trends, you can create a brand guideline that is both informative and visually appealing. 

Another great way to find inspiration is by browsing through brand guidelines themselves. This can be a great way to see how different brands have tackled specific design challenges. 

For example, if you’re looking for new ideas for your website’s layout, you could browse through the brand guidelines of companies that have similar websites. 

 

Define The 6 Essential Brand Guide Elements 

There are six essential brand guide elements that help to create a successful, cohesive and recognizable brand.how a company wants its brand to be perceived by the public. The document should include 6 essential elements: 

1st Element: Brand Story 

What is a brand story? A brand story is the narrative that defines a company and its products. It is the tale of how a business came to be, and what drives it forward. A strong brand story can help connect customers with a product or service, and create loyalty among consumers. 

A good brand story should be consistent with a company’s overall branding guidelines. This means that it should be communicated in a clear and concise way across all marketing materials. The story should be easy for customers to understand, and make them feel like they are part of something larger. 

When crafting a brand story, it’s important to consider who your target audience is. The story should appeal to them, and make them want to buy your product or service. It should also be authentic, and reflect the values of the company.

Second Element: Logo 

Logo is one of the most important aspects of a company’s branding. It is the first thing that people see and it leaves an impression on them. That is why it is important to have a well-designed logo that accurately represents the company. 

A logo should be simple and concise, yet memorable. It should also be versatile enough to be used in different contexts, both online and offline. In addition, a good logo should follow certain design guidelines so that it looks good across all platforms and mediums. 

If you are looking for a new logo or want to revamp your old one, there are several things to keep in mind. First, make sure you understand your company’s brand and what you want the logo to represent. Then, do some research and find inspiration from other logos that you like.

3rd Element: The Tagline 

A well-crafted and consistent tagline can help unify a brand and make it more memorable. But while a tagline can be a powerful tool, it’s important to remember that it should never overshadow the brand itself. In order to create an effective tagline, businesses should follow a few key guidelines. 

First, the tagline should be concise. It should be easy to remember and communicate the essence of the brand in just a few words. Second, the tagline should be consistent with the overall branding strategy. 

It should reflect the tone and messaging of the company, as well as its target audience. And finally, the tagline should be relevant to the product or service being offered. It should capture the unique selling proposition of the business and set it apart from its competitors. 

The Fourth Element: The Color Palette 

When creating a brand guideline, it is important to consider all aspects of the brand, including the color palette. The colors you choose can have a big impact on how your brand is perceived by consumers. 

Your color palette should be consistent with your branding and reflect your company’s values and mission. It’s also important to choose colors that will be easy to use in a variety of applications, from print materials to web pages. 

If you’re not sure which colors to choose, there are a few things you can do to find the right palette for your brand. 

You can use online tools like Adobe Color or Colors, or you can experiment with different color combinations until you find something that feels right. 

Once you’ve chosen your colors, make sure to use them consistently across all of your branding materials. 

The Fifth Element: Typography 

In order to maintain a cohesive and unified brand, it is important for businesses to create and adhere to brand guidelines. A key part of any brand guideline document is the use of typography. 

Typography can be used to create hierarchy within text, establish a mood or tone, and convey the overall feeling of a brand.

When choosing typefaces for your brand, it is important to consider the audience you are targeting as well as the overall tone you want to set. 

By creating and following clear typography guidelines, businesses can create a strong and visually consistent brand that will resonate with their target audience. 

The Sixth Element: Messaging 

The purpose of a brand guideline is to ensure that all aspects of the company’s messaging are aligned and consistent. This includes the tone, visuals, and overall feel of the brand. When creating a brand guideline, it’s important to keep the target audience in mind. The guidelines should be easy to follow and tailored to the company’s specific needs. 

A good brand guideline will help to create a unified message for customers. It can also help to build trust and credibility for the company. In order to be effective, a brand guideline should be updated regularly as the company evolves. 

 

Make A List Of Other Brand Collateral Your Guide Should Cover 

When creating or updating brand collateral, be sure to consider all potential touchpoints a customer might have with your brand. 

Your brand guideline should cover everything from the logo and colors to how you communicate with customers on social media. 

But don’t stop there! Think about other types of collateral that could help support your branding efforts. Here are a few examples: 

• Printed materials such as business cards, stationery, and sales collateral. 
• Marketing materials like ads, website 

graphics, and email templates. 

• Product packaging and labels. 
• Merchandise like t-shirts, hats, and tote bags. 
• Signage for your physical location or event booth. 
• Online assets like your website and social media profiles. 

 

Make An Outline For Your Guide

When developing a brand guideline, it’s important to start with a plan. An outline can help you stay on track and make sure you cover all the necessary information. Here are some tips for creating an effective outline: 

1. Start with your mission statement or vision statement. This should be at the top of your outline, as it will provide the framework for your entire guide. 
2. Outline the key elements of your brand. This includes everything from your logo and color palette to your marketing messaging and taglines. 
3. Detail how you want your brand to be portrayed across different channels, from print materials to digital platforms. 
4. Establish rules for using your brand assets, such as fonts, colors, and logos. 
5. Make sure to include a section on branding standards, such as approved typefaces and image sizes. 
6. Include contact information for any questions or clarification. 
7. Make sure everything is easy to follow by formatting it correctly and using clear language. 
8. Review and revise as needed.

 

Plan For The Evolution Of Your Brand 

When starting a business, it’s important to have a plan for the future. This applies to your brand as well. You need to think about how you want your brand to evolve and what guidelines you’ll need to follow to make sure that happens. 

One key element of branding is consistency. As your business grows and changes, your brand should stay consistent across all channels. This means developing a guideline document that outlines how your brand should be represented in marketing materials, online, and in person. 

Your brand guideline document doesn’t need to be long or complicated – just a few pages will do. But it should include all the basics, like fonts, colors, and logo usage. It’s also important to outline any specific messaging or tone you want associated with your brand. 

As your business evolves, you may find that you need to update your guideline document.

 

Types Of Brand Style Guides 

Brand style guides are important for any company looking to create a consistent and unified brand appearance. 

There are three main types of brand style guides: visual, editorial, and web. Each type has its own specific purpose in establishing and maintaining a company’s branding 

Visisual Brand Style Guide 

A visual style guide (VSG) is a set of standards for the look and feel of your brand. It can be used to create a style sheet for your website, design marketing materials, and ensure that all branding elements are consistent. A VSG should include: 

• Guidelines for typography – This includes typefaces, font sizes, line spacing, and other typographic elements. 
• Color guideline – This should include the colors that are used in your branding, as well as recommended color combinations. 
• Layout and composition guideline – This should include specific instructions on how to layout different types of content (e.g., headings, paragraphs, images, etc.). 
• Logo usage guidelines – This should include specifics on how to use your logo correctly (e.g., size, placement, color palette). 

Editorial Style Guide 

A company’s editorial style guide is a living document that outlines the tone and approach of all written communications. 

This document is especially important for companies with multiple authors, as it can help maintain a consistent voice across all content. 

The editorial style guide should also be used to maintain brand consistency, ensuring that all marketing and communication materials reflect the same look, feel, and messaging. 

The editorial style guide should be tailored to the company’s target audience and industry. For example, a financial institution may want to use more formal language than a technology company.

However, there are some general guidelines that all companies should follow when creating an editorial style guide. 

Some key considerations when creating an editorial style guide include: 

• Tone: Is your company authoritative or fun and playful? 
• Voice: Should all communications sound like they are coming from the same person or department? 
• It includes instructions on how to write headlines, use adjectives, capitalize words, and other stylistic considerations.. 

Web Style Guide 

A web style guide is an important document for any company that has a website. It helps to ensure that all webpages look and feel like they belong to the same site, and that the branding is consistent.A web style guide establishes standards for website design and layout. 

This brand style guide should include everything from how to format text to what colors and fonts can be used. 

It’s important to create a web style guide early on in the development of a website, so that everyone who contributes content can reference it. If you’re starting from scratch, there are a few things to keep in mind: 

• -The tone of your website: What kind of tone do you want your website to have? Friendly and approachable? 
• Serious and professional? Fun and whimsical? Once you’ve settled on a tone, make sure all your content reflects that. 
• The overall design of your website: How do you want your pages to look? The Benefits Of Creating A Brand Guideline 

 

Benefit of Creating a Brand Style Guide

Branding is one of the most important aspects of any company here are some of the benefits of why should create a brand style guide 

1. A well-designed and consistent brand guidelines help a company to attract new customers and keep old ones. In order to create a strong brand, it is important to have a set of guidelines that all employees can follow.
2. A brand guideline document should include information on the company’s logo, colors, fonts, and taglines 
3. It should also specify how the brand should be used in marketing materials, advertising, and social media. Having a clear set of guidelines will help to ensure that the brand is consistent across all channels. 
4. A well-defined brand guideline can also help to protect the company’s trademarks and copyrights. By having a set of rules that employees must follow, companies can avoid any potential legal issues down the road. 
5. A brand style guide helps to ensure that all branding elements are consistent across all channels and communications.  
6. Brand guideline creation is an important part of any company’s branding strategy. By creating a style guide, a company can ensure that all brand materials are consistent and look professional. 
7. By following a style guide, a company can create a unified brand image that will be more appealing to consumers and help to build customer loyalty. 
8. Additionally, having a set of rules for how the brand should be represented protects the branding from being copied or used without permission by competitors. 
9. Lastly, following a brand guideline makes it easier for employees to correctly represent the company online and offline. 

 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, following a brand style guide is important for creating a consistent and professional image for your company. 

By taking the time to create and follow a guide, you can ensure that all of your marketing materials are on-brand and look polished. 

A well-designed style guide can also be a valuable resource for your team members, who can use it to ensure that all communications reflect your company’s unique identity. 

So, if you’re looking to create or improve your branding strategy, make sure to develop and follow brand guidelines.