For anyone who’s unfamiliar, a style guide is a set of rules and guidelines that detail how to design materials for a particular brand. It tends to be an overlooked and underestimated asset.
Style guides are an invaluable resource for your company. It doesn’t matter how small your graphics department may be, or how familiar you are with the company’s designs, if you don’t have one, you need to make one now. Skip to the walkthrough if you are ready to get started.
Tell me why.
There are numerous ways in which a style guide can benefit your business:
- It sets a specific standard for every design project, defining a clear direction and goal.
- Allows for better control over projects.
- Puts everyone on the same page, leaving less room for errors and little to no questions.
- It’s available for newcomers, allowing them to quickly adapt to the job.
- Makes ordering or off site printing of marketing materials easier.
A style guide also adds a level of professionalism to your business. It gives you something to show to potential clients and displays your abilities and know-how. Plus, in the long run, it saves time and money, and who couldn’t use more of that?
If you’re still not convinced, consider that Facebook, Twitter, Adobe, Apple, Firefox, Skype, and countless other successful, multimillion dollar companies utilize a style guide. Is your business worth a billion dollars? No? Okay then.
Okay, I need a style guide. But how do I make one?
Style guides differ from business to business. What you include will depend on who you’re designing for and the complexity of the brand. However, there are some general aspects that every style guide should feature:
Logos
Easily the most important aspect of the entire design process. You’ll want to include every variation of the logo, along with its maximum and minimum sizes. Be sure to detail the colors and placement, along with where and when each variation of your logo should be used.
Colors
This includes your brand’s primary and secondary colors defined by their specific pantone numbers. If your brand features different pantones, be sure to explain the different situations in which the colors are to be used.
Fonts
Layout
This is more specific to the website, but it can transfer to other mediums, such as brochures. Setting a layout standard ensures quality and brand consistency.
Other Images & Icons
Outside of the logo, you’ll want to include any other images that are frequently used. This might include photos, website icons, marketing graphics, or buttons. Be sure to detail their color and size, as well as situational and placement specifications.
Tone of Copy
Include words and phrases that convey the essence of your brand. How do you want people to feel when they see your design? The copywriter will use this to ensure that the tone of the written copy is consistent with the design.
Along with all the dos, you’ll need to include a list of don’ts for contrast. Also, make sure you are as specific as possible. A designer should be able to pick up your guide and go to town based off of the content alone. Most importantly, every entry should include a detailed visual example.
What About Formatting?
For starters, we suggest keeping your style guide digital (pdf) but available to print, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Be sure to include a cover page, table of contents, and contact information.
Other than that, it’s really up to you, so long as you keep it neat, consistent, and detailed for optimum clarity. For some great examples, you can check out some of the best style guides here.
If you already use a style guide, we’d love to see it. Share the link in the comments. Or, shoot us an email at social@widenetconsulting.com
