What is a brand style guide?
A brand style guide (also called a brand guide or brand book) is a single—easy‑to‑share handbook that lays out how to present your brand in any form. It covers things like how to use your logo, your colors, fonts, imagery, and how you write (“voice and tone”). It’s basically your brand’s recipe for looking and sounding consistent across social media, websites, print, and more—even when different people are creating content.
Why does a brand style guide matter for your social media presence?
A strong brand style guide keeps your messaging and visuals uniform and recognizable—no matter who’s posting. That consistency:
- Helps your audience know it’s you right away
- Builds trust over time
- Makes content creation faster and more on‑brand
- Reduces errors or mixed messages when someone new is involved
Think of it as your branded filter—so content from everyone sounds like it’s coming from the same person.
What should you include in a brand style guide?
Your guide should be concise yet cover these key components:
- Logo & placement rules – where and how to use your logo, and what not to do (wrong colors, stretching, etc.).
- Color palette & typography – approved brand colors and fonts for headlines, body copy, buttons, etc.
- Voice and tone – the personality of your writing (e.g. friendly, confident), word choice, punctuation preferences, and grammar rules.
- Imagery and visuals – style of photos or illustrations, filters, icon style, image framing.
- Social media‑specific format – how you handle hashtags, emojis, tagging, post structures, character limits per platform.
Optionally, you may also include:
- Mission statement and brand personality
- Target audience or buyer personas
- Approval process or workflows for posting.
How often should you update your brand style guide?
Your guide isn’t set in stone—it should evolve. Best practice:
- Quarterly or annual reviews to stay aligned with platform changes (e.g. new post formats), evolving audience expectations, or updated voice and branding strategies.
- Gather feedback from teammates who use the guide—update sections that cause confusion or recurring mistakes.
How do you use it day‑to‑day?
- Share it with everyone involved in content creation—internal teams, agencies, freelancers, partners.
- Bootcamp new hires by walking them through it once.
- Reference specific sections during content reviews or social media planning sessions.
- Use it alongside your content calendar and publishing tools for easier alignment.
What’s the difference between a brand guide and a style guide?
- Brand guide (or brand guidelines) usually includes the core brand strategy: mission, vision, values, audience, and personality.
- Style guide tends to focus on the technical execution: voice, logos, fonts, visuals, formatting rules.
Most brands combine both under one document, often calling it a “brand style guide” to capture both the strategy and the rules.
Tips & Best Practices
- Keep it short and scannable: Use visual examples and “dos and don’ts” to illustrate rules visually.
- Include real‑world social media post examples: Show right vs. wrong versions.
- Make it accessible: Store it in a place everyone can easily find.
- Train regularly: Run short refreshers when you make changes.
- Be flexible within limits: Let creativity flow—but always within the guidelines.
Why it matters to you:
When you have a clear, user‑friendly brand style guide in place, your social media feels like one consistent, polished voice. Posts are faster to create, errors go down, and your audience recognizes and trusts your brand no matter where they see it. It’s a small upfront investment that pays off in brand clarity and time saved.