Why You Should Have Brand Guidelines for Your Company
November 25, 2022
Branding Design and Production Digital Marketing
Have you ever been in a position where you struggle on making your posts look and feel like they’re from one company? That no matter how you try, there’s always that little difference that just feels different?
Some don’t only have a problem of making things look similar, but also have trouble creating posts altogether.
This is where brand guidelines come into play.
Why You Should Have Brand Guidelines for Your Company
In today’s digital world, your brand is more important than ever. Not only does it represent your company to potential customers, but it can also help you attract and retain the best talent. Your brand should be an extension of your company’s values and culture, and it should be reflected in everything you do—from the way you answer the phone to the design of your website. That’s why it’s so important to have brand guidelines in place for your company.
Brand guidelines help to ensure that your brand is consistent across all channels and touchpoints. They are also a valuable tool for onboarding new employees and contractors, so that everyone is on the same page from day one. If you’re not sure where to start with creating brand guidelines, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we will explore why brand guidelines are so important and provide a step-by-step guide for creating them.
What It’s Like to Work Without Brand Guides
Working without brand guidelines can really be a nightmare, even if you’re only working on one brand. Imagine not having a consistent font to go by, having different shades of colors, and having different tonalities per post. Or the worst part (and the most common case), starting from scratch each time you create something new for a client. This will lead to frustration and wasted time.
The Pros of Having Brand Guidelines for Your Company
Now imagine having this (image above) to go by. Brand guidelines help to ensure that your brand is consistently represented across all channels and touchpoints. They can also help to protect your brand from being used in ways that are not in line with your company’s values or messaging.
Creating Content with Brand Guidelines
Creating content is a key part of any marketing strategy, but it can be difficult to know how to create content that accurately represents your brand. This is where brand guidelines come in. Brand guidelines are a set of standards that outline how your company should be represented in all forms of communication, from website copy to social media posts.
Having brand guidelines in place will ensure that all of your content is on-brand and consistent with your company’s values and messaging. It will also make it easier for you to create new content, as you’ll have a clear framework to follow. Not sure where to start with your brand guidelines? Here are a few tips:
- Define your brand voice
Your brand voice is the tone and style that you use when communicating with your audience. It should be consistent across all platforms and touchpoints. When defining your brand voice, consider what kind of personality you want your brand to have. Are you friendly and approachable or more formal and professional? Once you’ve defined your brand voice, make sure all of your content reflects it.
- Outline visual standards
Visual standards refer to the way your branding elements are used in visuals, such as logos, colors, typography, etc. If you have specific branding elements that need to be used in a certain way, make sure to include those details in your guidelines. For example, if you have strict logo usage guidelines, make sure to include them.
Conclusion
Brand guidelines can help to create a more cohesive and professional overall look for your company. They can also help to save time and money by providing clear direction on how your brand should be used. By having brand guidelines in place, you can avoid costly rebranding efforts down the road.
Overall, brand guidelines can be a valuable asset for any company. They can help to create a strong and consistent brand identity, while also protecting your brand from misuse. If you don’t have brand guidelines in place, now is the time to develop them!
