A website redesign is a big undertaking. Not only are you considering the visual design and user experience for the new site, but it also includes your overall business brand and how it is represented online.
What is digital branding?
A digital branding guide is a summary of styles, looks, colors, and tone associated with a particular business. The purpose of the guide is to ensure the business is uniformed across all digital channels and print communications, from your website to your social media accounts.
Why is a digital branding guide important?
a. Beginning of a Business or Rebrand
When starting or rebranding a business, helps ensure all communications are consistent, on-brand, and reflect the company’s mission, values, and voice. A well-crafted digital branding guide includes detailed instructions on how to use the company’s logo, colors, fonts, and other visual elements across various digital channels. Without a digital branding guide, businesses run the risk of their online communications looking unprofessional or incohesive.
b. Beyond Logo and Colors
A digital branding guide provides a clear and concise way to maintain a consistent brand identity online. Your digital branding should go beyond your logo and colors and encompass everything from your website design to your social media presence. A strong digital brand will help you build trust with your customers and establish yourself as a credible source in your industry.
What is Included in a Digital Branding Guide?
- Logo
A logo is focal point of a company’s branding and is the symbol that customers use to recognize your business. Customers should be able to instantly connect with you at the site of your logo, including a reminder of what your company does and how it makes them feel.
- Typography
Typography is the art of arranging letters and text in such a sway that makes the wording legible, clear, and visually appealing to your target audience. Not only does it communicate words, but it evokes associations and emotions in the reader’s mind. Essentially, typography is an extension of your brand’s personality and brings the words to life. The digital branding guide includes standard practices for which fonts to use and how to use them.
- Color Palette
The best way to explain having a proper color scheme is by describing the mood or feeling your customers desire when relating to your business. Emotions play a vital role in a person’s decision making, and the color palette for your business needs to evoke the right feelings. Not only do colors strength brand recognition, but they are also a foundational part to the design and look of your business.
- Imagery
When it comes to digital branding, imagery plays a vital role. The right imagery can help a brand to communicate its message effectively through design elements and photos. The process of choosing the right photos begins with the feeling or emotion you want your customers to experience when interacting with your business. This is where a digital branding guide can come in handy. A digital branding guide should include information on how to choose the right imagery for your brand (and when to use it!).
How does a Digital Branding Guide Help with a Website Redesign
a. Setting a foundation
When it comes to redesigning a website, many factors need to be considered in order to create a successful end result. A digital branding guide will act as the foundation and compass for building the website theme, style, and settings while outlining how to best incorporate your branding feeling into the overall design.
b. Cohesive consistency
A digital branding guide is a document that outlines the elements to be used throughout the website. This includes your logo, color palette, typography, and imagery. It also includes guidelines for how to use these elements in various online platforms such as your website, social media, and email marketing. Having a digital branding guide helps to ensure that your online presence is consistent and cohesive, which will build brand awareness and help grow your business.
With every website redesign or new business start-up, we begin the process of building a digital branding guide to ensure the project is set up for success. If you are interested in learning more or want to get started, contact us today.
