Why Your Company Needs a Brand Style Guide (and How It’ll Change Your Life)

Want to make sure that your brand doesn’t look like it’s having an identity crisis every week? Then you’ve landed in the right place! We are about to dive into brand style guides and why your business needs one. Stick around to the end and you’ll also learn about our mini brand guides here at Limelight Marketing Systems. 

What Is a Brand Style Guide?

Simply put, a brand style guide is a collection of rules or regulations on how a business presents itself to the public. This arrangement of standards typically includes a logo, color palette, typography, and even imagery. Maintaining the specific brand style will unify the identity of your business and allow you to highlight the mission of your company as well as brand values. In other words, it’s like the personality of your business. Here are a few basics that every brand style guide should have:

• Logo – Your customized logo should be able to be placed in different formats, sizes, and backgrounds without distortion. 
• Color Palette – Your personalized color palette should showcase the specific colors used in any brand design. The RGB and CMYK color codes should be included for efficient design processes. 
• Typography – Choosing a specific font for your brand is just the beginning. Font sizes and families should be listed as well as a hierarchy of when/where they are used. 
• Imagery – Photos, graphics, and icons should be consistent as well. 

Consistency is Key (And Keeps You From Looking Like a Hot Mess)

So, why exactly do you need a brand style guide? Think of it this way: the style guide is like a wardrobe consultant for your brand. It ensures that your business looks sharp every single day. From font size to specific hues, having a consistent style builds trust with your audience and enables them to know when they are looking at your content. 

Saves Time (And Sanity)

How many times have you initiated a scavenger hunt trying to find the hex code for a certain color? It’s time-consuming and annoying! By having a brand style guide at your fingertips, you won’t have to waste time searching. It’s like a treasure map that leads you straight to the chest of gold and jewels. From crafting the perfect social media content to reprinting business cards, having these go-to references saves you a lot of time. 

Amplifies Recognition (Be the Beyoncé of Your Industry)

There are certain brands that people all around the world recognize immediately. Coca-Cola, Nike, Disney, and even Beyoncé all have carefully curated imagery that just about everyone knows when they see it. Having a well-crafted visual identity helps people remember your business. After a while, they will recognize your signature logo or colors, and they will be thinking about your company. 

Makes Collaboration Simple (No More Miscommunication)

Have you been weary of outsourcing certain tasks because you were afraid the contractor wouldn’t capture your brand correctly? A brand style guide ensures that everyone is on the same page and serves as a cheat sheet for content creation. From professional graphic designers and digital marketers to your tech-savvy friend who tries to help you out with your website, everyone will have a clear direction on what to do. That means there will be fewer back-and-forth emails and miscommunications.  

We’ve Got You Covered: Limelight’s Mini Brand Guides

Is all of this feeling somewhat overwhelming? Don’t fret! Our team of digital marketing gurus at Limelight Marketing Systems is here to help. We offer mini brand guides that are packed with all of the essentials for crafting a complete brand style guide. Consider us your personal stylist. Our job is to ensure that your brand stands out. So what are you waiting for? Say goodbye to chaos and hello to harmony! Get in touch with our experts today to learn more about our services.