By Hannah M.

In the digital era, it’s important to your business to have a brand that stands apart. In order to do so, create a brand style guide that will accurately represent your business. Whether you are new to online business or an expert, creating a guide for your brand design can help you gain the visibility your business needs.
Brand Design Guide
What exactly is a brand design guide? Your personalized brand guide is extremely important to your online business. It is what defines your business and allows you to lay the groundwork for what your online presence will provide. A design guide is essentially the framework for your online presence.
How To Create a Guide
In order to create your brand design guide, you need to first have a strong identity to market. You want your design guide to accurately represent your business goals, values, and presentation. Include all important aspects of your brand, such as colors, fonts, layout, and overall style.
Why A Brand Design Guide Is Necessary
Creating a design guide for your online business is important for creating a unique look. Consumers want consistency; creating your brand appearance from a guide can help maintain uniformity. Brand design guides are especially useful if you have other people helping design your site and online appearance. Having a guide to hand over to the designers saves time and avoids confusion by having your needs clearly outlined.
What To Include In Your Personalized Guide
Be sure to include all key elements of your brand, such as your color schemes, visuals, mission statement, and contact information. You will want your business contact information in a clear, easy to spot place for clients.
Here is a basic outline to follow when considering what to add to your brand design guide:
Mission Statement
Keep your mission statement short, sweet, and to the point. Give a quick summary of your business beginnings and make your values clear! Do you prioritize customer satisfaction? Does your business focus on simplicity? Your mission statement is where you get to tell future clients what your business is all about.
Business Logo
Your business logo is a key factor when it comes to brand recognition. Because of this, you will want to ensure your logo aligns with your chosen fonts and colors.
Brand Color Scheme
Choosing a color scheme for your business is important to creating a memorable brand. Select 3 to 4 colors maximum to unique look while keeping it simple and recognizable.
Use Uniform Font
Sample a few different fonts to see which fits your brand image best; you will want to use the same fonts throughout your site to maintain clarity and style.
Visuals
The visuals you choose for your brand are a key element to your overall appearance. Imagery is what draws in clients and sets your business apart from the rest.
Brand Character
Lastly, ensure your overall voice accurately shows your character. Keep a consistent tone throughout all elements of your site that is reflective of your business.