The importance of brand guidelines (and what to include)

1 – Brand at a Glance

It’s super important to start off by giving readers a solid understanding of your brand. This can be written or visual; we included an image gallery that tells our story, alongside a little history to the brand. You’ll probably want to include a mission statement to explain this, and describe your brand personality. This personality will be key later on, as it informs a brand’s tone of voice heavily.

Core values are also essential for a brand guide in our books; making sure everyone knows exactly what underpins your brand and how you go about your business. These values are super important to communicate, and they can inform a surprising amount of your output, from social media posts to the way you communicate via email or over the phone.

2 – Logo Usage

Perhaps the most obvious part – how your logo should appear across all usage. Obviously you’ll need to include the main logo, but don’t forget about alternate versions such as stacked, horizontal, icon, and different colour versions.

It’s especially important to show what colours your logo can be used with if there’s any colours involved, particularly an all-white and all-black version as these will need to be used at times. Minimum sizes and clear space guides should be clearly displayed, to make sure text and imagery is legible at all times and isn’t touching other logos, graphic elements, or images.

And, don’t forget to include examples of both correct and (possibly more importantly) incorrect usage. This should clearly show how the logo can be used, such as changing the colour or using the logo over imagery, and also common mistakes to avoid when using your logo. Good examples of mistakes to show include stretching, using the wrong colours, or distorting the logo in any way.

3 – Typography

This section should be much more detailed than simply listing what fonts you use with branded applications. It can be helpful to include a size and spacing hierarchy which shows headline, body copy, and accented typefaces with their appropriate size ratios.

If any typeface is only meant to be used at 18pt or 36pt or above, then include that information here. Similarly, if all body copy is to be in a specific brand colour where possible, then add that in too.

4 – Brand colours

Many companies have primary and secondary colour palettes. It is key to include both of these if you have them, including CMYK, RGB, HEX and Pantone (if applicable) colour codes to make sure there is no room for error.

If you do have a secondary colour palette, make sure to clearly state when they can and can’t be used, for example if only the primary colour palette can be used for the logo, or if secondary colours are linked to certain parts of the business (such as specific industries or services).

5 – Imagery Guide

The way your brand appears through photography is super important yet is often looked over. It can inform a large part of the look and feel of a brand. Do you use candid and natural imagery? Shoot imagery outdoors in bustling cities? Put in examples of imagery to give the reader an idea of how to photograph your product, or what types of stock imagery to source.

Speaking of, include examples of what subject matter is appropriate when marketing your brand. Do you only use imagery or the sea, or pictures on pink backgrounds? These are all important things to consider when building your brand identity.

Feel free to include examples of imagery you don’t want to use. Sometimes seeing what not to do is the best way to inform what you can do.

6 – Other Graphic Elements

If your brand has any graphic assets such as patterns, icons or illustrations, include these here. If the backgrounds have to be set to 20% opacity at all times, now’s the time to mention that.

But what if you don’t have these? You’ll most likely have to use some kind of illustrations or icons at some point, so include details about what style to use, such as 3D, abstract, linear or textured.

7 – Tone of Voice

It’s crucial to make this clear to anyone who may be talking as your brand – whether it’s a sales team or a social media marketer. Include 3-5 key words that describe your tone of voice. Are you conversational, professional, youthful, authoritative or fun? Include whether you write in short, informal sentences with some colloquialisms, or if you stick perfectly to grammatically correct, longer sentences.

This can be shown easier than described, so include some examples of on-brand vs off-brand messaging. It can also be helpful to include a sort of ‘brand glossary’, listing words you use frequently and words you avoid.

8 – Examples of the Brand In Use

This is where you can have a bit of fun. Include mock-ups or real life examples of the branding across print and digital applications. 

Include approved layouts and styling or business cards and documents such as letterheads and envelopes, and a pre-formatted email signature template if required to ensure all employees appear consistent to clients.

From mugs in the office, to staff uniforms, lanyards, signage and anything else you can think of, this is the place to show off how good your branding looks when used correctly.

9 – Social Media Guide

Having a consistent social media presence ensures that anyone can view all touchpoints of your brand from web to Instagram, printed media and communications sees a coherent look and feel that resonates with your identity.

If you use email marketing, include links or examples of templates which specify type, calls to action and word counts.

Include approved social media templates or specifications such as logo usage, tone of voice (as this can sometimes be slightly less formal than your standard tone of voice), story shares, and anything else you think you may need. This will keep your branding consistent even if you hand the design of the posts off to an agency.

10 – Contact Details

And lastly, don’t forget to include details of who to contact if the reader has any queries about the brand guidelines or needs access to brand assets.

This whole process may feel overwhelming at first, but remember this is just a guide. Feel free to pick and choose whatever you think will be most beneficial, and remember that digital guidelines can be updated at any time so don’t be afraid to add things as time goes on.