Why a Start-Up Business Needs a Brand Style Guide and How to Create One
Think about all the big brands you know of, do they change up their colours, logos, fonts and images throughout their brand? No. They stick to a style and people remember them because of that. In fact, most of the large brands haven’t changed their style in years!
This is because they are well-known with their current brand and changing it up would only confuse people and lose customers! McDonald’s wouldn’t be iconic if they changed the size, shape and colour of the ‘m’ logo throughout the stores and adverts. Consistency leads to being recognisable!
In this blog post we’re going to explain why your startup business needs a brand style guide and how you can create one to maintain a consistent and recognisable brand identity.
What is a brand style guide?
A brand style guide, otherwise known as brand guidelines, is a document or digital guide that you create for your business as a reference guide to help you keep a cohesive brand style throughout your website, content, collateral and social media. This usually consists of a few logo variations, a colour palette, font choices, patterns, graphic elements and a moodboard.
Why do you need a brand style guide?
Creating a style guide for your business helps you to create a recognisable brand identity, which helps you maintain a professional and put-together look throughout your online presence. This is a vital part of building a brand image, as it helps your audience know and remember who you are and what you look like.
For example, someone might stumble upon one of your blog posts on Pinterest, read your blog and enjoy it, but then leave and go elsewhere. If you have a consistent style to your brand, every time they see a graphic, blog article, Instagram post etc. in the same colours, font and style again, they will begin to recognise your content, making them more likely to become a regular reader or customer.
Having set brand guidelines also takes the guesswork out of deciding on your colours and fonts every time you publish content, which saves you a lot of time! Explore our Brand Guidelines Template for a ready-to-use resource that will guide you through crafting detailed guidelines, covering everything from logo usage and color codes to typography and other design elements.
What your style guide should include:
A style guide is personal to your brand, so what’s included is likely to be different for everyone, but below is a guideline of what you may wish to include in your own brand guide.
Main Logo:
The primary logo that represents your brand. This is the logo that would be featured at the top of your website, on your business cards, or used as your social media profile photo. This version of your logo will usually have your business name written out in full, often accompanied by a tag line which explains what you do.
Alternative Logos:
These are smaller or simplified variations of your main logo, often used for email signatures, stamps, watermarks or a favicon. If you chose to have alternative logos, ensure they aren’t completely different styles, and don’t stray too far from your original logo, as this would be confusing to customers. They should still be recognisable as the same company.
Colour Palette:
A colour palette usually consists of around 4-6 colours that will represent your brand. You should stick to these colours for anything you create, including content, social media posts, products etc. This is an important factor in keeping your brand looking cohesive. Remember to write down the hex codes for all your colours (looks something like this #565689), along with the RGB values (web colours) and CMYK values (print colours). This way you can always make sure you have the exact same colours throughout your brand.
brand guidelines color palette
Fonts & Typography:
Usually your brand typography will consist of between 2-4 fonts. I would avoid using any more than this, otherwise things will start to look a bit inconsistent and distracting. Make sure the fonts you chose are clean, easy to read, and work well together. I personally like to choose 3 fonts when creating a brand identity, one for headings or subheadings, one for the main body text, and a fun font which is used sparingly to draw attention to different things you might want to highlight. In your style guide, you might find it helpful to write out the name of all your fonts, plus the sizing, spacing, and any other character styles you want to keep consistent.
Patterns, Illustrations or Other Graphic Elements:
If you have any patterns, textures, illustrations or other effects that you use throughout your branding, it’s good to include these on your style guide. This way you can see how all the different elements of your brand come together.
Brand Tone & Personality:
How do you prefer the copy throughout your business to be written? Do you have a very professional and factual voice, or an informal and friendly tone? You might find it helpful to write a few sentences summarising your tone of voice, and brand personality. This could be particularly helpful if you have a team of people, so you’re all on the same page with the content you put out.
Related post: Creating a Memorable Brand Voice: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Your Messaging Strategy
Image Guidelines:
Do you use stock images, have a professional photographer, or take all your photos yourself? Either way it might be helpful to write out some basic image guidelines so all the imagery you use throughout your brand fits within the same style.
Social Media Graphics:
You might have a template you use so that all of your Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest graphics are styled the same. You could also include a few examples of these in your style guide as a good reference.
Website Mockup:
A website mockup or a few screenshots from different pages of your website might help to pull everything together so your style guide is a complete overview of your brand identity and online presence.
By creating a brand style guide, you're not just saving time; you're creating a visual story that your audience can connect with. It's the first step towards becoming a memorable brand, and it's a game-changer for your business. So, whether you're a startup or an established business, take the leap and craft your brand style guide. Your audience will thank you for the consistency, and you'll thank yourself for the time saved!
Check out our Brand Guidelines Template for a comprehensive guide that will streamline the process and elevate your brand consistency.
Related Posts:
How to Prepare for a Successful Brand Photoshoot: Tips from a Pro Photographer
What You Need To Know About Branding When Starting A Product Business
How to Find the Perfect Brand Designer for Your Company
Creating a Memorable Brand Voice: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Your Messaging Strategy
Ready to make your brand stand out from the crowd?
I'm here to help you every step of the way. Let's get started on crafting a unique brand identity that sets you apart, speaks to your audience, and ensures your brand shines!
Meet the Designer
Hey there, I'm Joanna! A Freelance Brand Identity Designer, based in Devon, England. With 10+ years in design and marketing, I've worn many hats – from corporate marketing to helping startups thrive. Now, as the driving force behind JK Creative Co. my heart is set on brand identity design. I absolutely love collaborating with like-minded entrepreneurs who aim to make a positive mark on the world. Think female-led businesses, and forward-thinking brands with an ethical and sustainable mission. Learn more about my approach →