What to consider when developing brand guidelines

There are a number of aspects to consider when establishing your brand. Arguably some of the most important being the story behind the business. It is important to set the scene, why was this business established? What are you passionate about? The vision, What is the company’s vision, the mission, what does the business want to achieve in future?. Lastly, what values are important to the business, these core principles could relate to environmental responsibility, commitment to customers or the overall integrity of the company.

Another vital aspect to consider is the verbal identity of the company, this means the voice, tone and personality that the brand wants to portray. Once these aspects have been considered then you can go ahead and identify how best to represent and market the business by developing the visual identity of the brand. These visual elements include the logo, colour scheme, typography design, photography and iconography.

Building your brand

Develop a logo- A logo is a visible brand signature, logos often incorporate aspects of your brand including iconography associated with your brand, initials etc. The logo should be something unique and recognisable that customers can relate to.

Select your colour palette- what are your brand colours, select two or three colours to associate with your brand.

Typography – What font do you want to associate with your brand? What capitalistions will you use and where are they to be used?

Iconography and imagery- what iconography and imagery best represents your brand? Choose iconography and imagery that reflects what products or services the business is marketing.

All of these elements should be incorporated into your Web Design.

Your website should reflect your brand

These guidelines are now the clearly defined rules and standards that communicate your brand to the world. They outline where and when different elements of your brand are to be used and incorporated into your overall marketing strategy. When marketing your company online it is important that you work within and stay true to your brand guidelines. As any deviation from these identifiable features will be damaging to your brand.

Your website is arguably the greatest representation of your brand. In a time where online retail is reaching an all time high, the visual elements of your website are just as important as the functionality. The brand guidelines should form a digital style guide that is incorporated in your Web Design, this should be comprehensive, on-brand, practical, delivering your message but not overwhelming to your target market and most importantly it should be accessible to everyone.

It is important that the elements outlined in the brand guidelines are accurately represented on the website. The Web Design should stay true to the brand and accurately utilise the colours, typography, logo and iconography that reflects your business. The content should embody the voice, tone and personality that best reflects your brand.
The website should feature a tagline or key message that is important to the company.

Here at 2Cubed we are a full service, results driven digital web agency, our experienced design team can help you develop your brand identity and create a Web Design that incorporates your logo, typography and colour palette. Our skilled web development department will then ensure that your bespoke website is fully functional and provides a positive customer experience. Your project will then reach our marketing team who will make sure that the content of your site reflects the voice, tone and personality of your brand. Contact us today and begin your online journey!