{"id":4528,"date":"2022-09-21T10:53:32","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T17:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webcentsmagazine.com\/?p=4528"},"modified":"2022-10-03T06:50:35","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T13:50:35","slug":"how-to-build-your-brand-guidelines-and-style-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webcentsmagazine.com\/?p=4528","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Your Brand Guidelines and Style Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brand Guidelines and Style Guides sound like something only a big corporation would need. Not so. Every business – of any size must consider the presentation they make to potential customers. These “impressions” include your logo, every color you choose, every font you use, the tone of voice in your marketing copy, the style of your images and so much more. Your brand guidelines and style guide can save you valuable time – and keep your business image consistent – as you create pages, posts, and product listings, write marketing copy and share on your social channels.<\/p>\n

In the following article from Shopify – you’ll find great ideas and examples to consider when creating guidelines and a style guide for your brand.<\/p>\n

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Written by Kiera Abbamonte, Shopify.com<\/em><\/p>\n

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Many small business owners feel\u00a0branding<\/a>\u00a0is something they don\u2019t need to worry about. But ensuring the consistency of a brand and its message is just as applicable to smaller operations as it is for more established companies.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s customers expect businesses to be everywhere they are. That means your brand needs to shine and leave a strong impression in every place customers\u2014and would-be customers\u2014come across it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What are brand guidelines?<\/h3>\n

Brand guidelines<\/strong>\u00a0are the\u00a0standards a business sets for the attributes of their public communication such as colors, fonts, voice, and design. Focusing on uniformity in your brand attributes and identity means everything customers see and hear from you evokes the same kind of feeling.<\/p>\n

Creating a marketing message that is unmistakably, undeniably\u00a0you\u00a0<\/em>requires consistency.\u00a0That feeling is\u00a0what sets your brand apart from your competitors<\/a>. It\u2019s what connects with customers and brings them back time and again.<\/p>\n

Your own brand guidelines don\u2019t have to be as complex and involved as those of massive global brands. After all, brand guidelines only yield a positive ROI if you spend the time upholding them. That\u2019s why smaller businesses can benefit from \u201cminimum viable brand guidelines.\u201d Even a simple style guide can be enough to get you started.<\/p>\n

Learning how to write a pared-down style guide will help ensure all of your marketing is consistent and on brand without going overboard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What does a brand style guide look like?<\/h3>\n

Most business owners don\u2019t have a full picture of what a style guide actually looks like, even if they\u2019ve heard the term before. A brand style guide is a collection of rules for\u00a0how your brand looks<\/a>\u00a0and sounds. It acts as a compass, ensuring all of your business\u2019s design and writing point due north\u2014wherever that means for you.<\/p>\n

If you aren\u2019t sure what to include in your brand style guide, here are a few of the most important things to cover:<\/p>\n