A style guide is a set of standards for written and visual communication that establishes a style for a brand. It’s a key document which helps your company create consistent communication with your target audience.
Creating a good style guide takes time, but it’s time well invested if you’re looking for a long-term strategy. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Brand promise – tell the world who you are, what you do and what it is that makes people buy your service or product.
Logo options and usage – if you want to avoid or at least minimize the risk of having your logo misused by a third party, state it in the style guide. Don’t forget to include an icon for social media, if it’s different that the original logo.
Color palette – choose your colors wisely and stick to them. Think about how the colors will interact with each other and how they will be used across different media. Including a bright and a dark color is a good way of making sure different color combinations have enough contrast.
Typography – type can make or break a design so make sure your type choices are suitable for your brand’s tone and used consistently.
Set your brand voice – the visual identity is much more than colors and typefaces. You might want to include the type of photography, illustration or patterns your brand will use. All of those choices need to be a representation of how your brand communicates with the world whether you want to be perceived as professional and serious or fun and approachable.
