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Brand Guidelines

Brand Style Guide

Brand Identity

Brand Consistency

Brand Management

ARTICLE #89

Table of contents

Importance of brand guidelines

Components of a brand style guide

Choosing the right format for your brand style guide

Deciding your guide structure

FAQ

Brand Guidelines: Creating a brand style guide for your business

Brand Guidelines

Brand Style Guide

Brand Identity

Brand Consistency

Brand Management

Brand Guidelines

Brand Style Guide

Brand Identity

Brand Consistency

Brand Management

Written by:

3 min read

Updated on: August 19, 2024

Toni Hukkanen

Head of Design

Creative Direction, Brand Direction

Toni Hukkanen

Head of Design

Creative Direction, Brand Direction

That awkward moment when you look at a brand’s Instagram and it totally clashes with their website—like wearing mismatched socks to an important pitch. That disjointed vibe can undermine trust, and it’s more damaging than you might think. Consistent branding can raise revenue by up to 33%, which isn't a small change. The remedy? A brand style guide that pins down your colours, logos, fonts, and voice, and develops a strong brand positioning so everyone in your organisation stays in sync.

Below, you’ll see why these guidelines are so crucial, how they help your business shine and the core elements you’ll want to include.

Importance of brand guidelines

Brand guidelines—or brand style guides—outline exactly how you present your business to your audience and competitors. Let’s break down the big reasons they matter.

Ensures consistency

Without a style guide, your team could head in a dozen different directions. One department might use bright reds while another sticks to blues. One channel could be chatty, and another might sound formal. This lack of alignment chips away at brand recognition. A proper guideline eliminates confusion and ensures everyone’s on the same wavelength, with research showing consistent branding can enhance consumers' trust and potentially raise revenue by 23%.

Increases recognition

Once people recognise your colours, voice, and message, they’re more likely to remember you. A uniform look and feel can boost brand recognition by up to 80%. That’s a big deal for anyone wanting to stand out in a cluttered market.

Allows smooth collaboration

A detailed style guide makes life simpler when you’re working with partners, suppliers, or new hires. Hand them your guide, and they have everything they need to keep your brand identity in check.

Maintains your brand integrity

It only takes one gaffe to derail your online reputation. Having clear guidelines in place reduces the chance of blunders and helps you control the story people see. If you want a user-friendly tool to keep your brand references up to date, services like Frontify can lend a hand.

Brand guidelines—or brand style guides—outline exactly how you present your business to your audience and competitors. Let’s break down the big reasons they matter.

Ensures consistency

Increases recognition

Allows smooth collaboration

A detailed style guide makes life simpler when you’re working with partners, suppliers, or new hires. Hand them your guide, and they have everything they need to keep your brand identity in check.

Maintains your brand integrity

Components of a brand style guide

A well-detailed style guide ensures every aspect of your brand—visual or verbal—feels unified. Below are the essentials you’d typically include.

Brand story

Your brand story sets out your mission, vision, values, and USP. It explains why you exist and what you bring to the table. A strong story can form an emotional link with your customers, steering everything from your marketing to your internal culture.

Visual identity

Visual identity covers:

Logos (primary and secondary)
Colour palette (primary and secondary colours with hex and Pantone codes)
Typography and iconography (fonts, font sizes, line spacing, and custom icons)

Research shows around 55% of first impressions come from visuals, so keeping these elements consistent is a major win.

Imagery standards

Imagery standards shape how photos, illustrations, and graphics are used. They define lighting, composition, and any editing tweaks. A cohesive approach helps you maintain a signature look that people link directly to your brand.

Tone of voice

The tone of voice clarifies how your brand speaks in both written and spoken messages. That might range from friendly and casual to professional and serious. Consistency in tone builds trust and encourages readers to stick around.

Use examples to demonstrate brand guidelines

Practical examples of your logo usage or social media posts help your team quickly see what’s acceptable. Real-life illustrations are often more powerful than a lengthy set of do’s and don’ts.

A well-detailed style guide ensures every aspect of your brand—visual or verbal—feels unified. Below are the essentials you’d typically include.

Brand story

Visual identity

Visual identity covers:

Logos (primary and secondary)
Colour palette (primary and secondary colours with hex and Pantone codes)
Typography and iconography (fonts, font sizes, line spacing, and custom icons)

Research shows around 55% of first impressions come from visuals, so keeping these elements consistent is a major win.

Imagery standards

Tone of voice

Use examples to demonstrate brand guidelines

Practical examples of your logo usage or social media posts help your team quickly see what’s acceptable. Real-life illustrations are often more powerful than a lengthy set of do’s and don’ts.

Choosing the right format for your brand style guide

Selecting the right format makes a difference in accessibility and how quickly it can be updated.

PDF

A PDF is straightforward to share, download, or password-protect. It’s also less expensive since there’s no need to print. However, frequent updates can mean multiple versions floating around.

Websites

Online guides are more flexible because you can edit them in real-time. It’s also easy to embed interactive elements. The downside is that poor internet connections can be a stumbling block, and you’ll need someone to keep the site current.

Printed booklet

A physical booklet has its charms. It can be handed out in training sessions or placed in common areas. The challenge is it’s not easily updated, and printing can be costly if you revise the guide often.

Selecting the right format makes a difference in accessibility and how quickly it can be updated.

PDF

A PDF is straightforward to share, download, or password-protect. It’s also less expensive since there’s no need to print. However, frequent updates can mean multiple versions floating around.

Websites

Printed booklet

Deciding your guide structure

A well-structured style guide should be simple to navigate and digest. Below are four elements that help with clarity.

A table of contents lists all sections and subsections, letting readers jump straight to what they need.

Section dividers

Clear headings (H1, H2, H3) split up the content, so it’s easy to scan and zero in on relevant details.

Visual illustration of guidelines

Images, infographics, or screenshots make the guidelines come alive, showing your team the right (and wrong) ways to apply your visual identity.

Cross-referencing

Links, footnotes, or sidebars connecting related topics save people the hassle of flipping through the entire guide. It keeps everything user-friendly and cohesive and strengthens your brand identity and reputation.

A well-structured style guide should be simple to navigate and digest. Below are four elements that help with clarity.

A table of contents lists all sections and subsections, letting readers jump straight to what they need.

Section dividers

Clear headings (H1, H2, H3) split up the content, so it’s easy to scan and zero in on relevant details.

Visual illustration of guidelines

Images, infographics, or screenshots make the guidelines come alive, showing your team the right (and wrong) ways to apply your visual identity.

Cross-referencing

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should a basic brand guideline document include?

A simple version typically covers your brand mission, logo usage, colour palette, typography, overall imagery style, and tone of voice.

How often do I have to review and update the brand guidelines?

Every three to five years, or whenever your strategy or visual identity changes in a big way. That ensures your branding continues to reflect who you are and what you want to say.

Is the brand style guide the same as brand guidelines?

They are generally similar. Brand guidelines often cover the broader identity, while a style guide can be more detailed in editorial rules and visual parameters. In everyday usage, many treat them interchangeably.

Conclusion

Brand guidelines aren’t just a dull manual. They are like a solid foundation that keeps your entire brand stable, whether you’re engaging new customers or refining your visual style. By documenting your key elements—colours, voice, logos—you set the stage for consistent messaging that’s easier for your audience to recognise. Plus, a guide that’s regularly refreshed can adapt to new trends without throwing off your established identity. If you want to turn heads (in a good way) and keep everyone from your in-house team to your external partners on the same page, putting time into your brand style guide might be one of the smartest moves you can make.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a basic brand guideline document include?

A simple version typically covers your brand mission, logo usage, colour palette, typography, overall imagery style, and tone of voice.

How often do I have to review and update the brand guidelines?

Every three to five years, or whenever your strategy or visual identity changes in a big way. That ensures your branding continues to reflect who you are and what you want to say.

Is the brand style guide the same as brand guidelines?