Branding Essentials: What To Include In Your Brand Guidelines

Brand guidelines, also known as a brand manual or brand style guide, is a document that outlines how your brand looks, sounds, and interacts with the rest of the world. Effective brand guidelines serve as a roadmap for your brand and ensure consistency across all channels and mediums. But figuring out what to include in your brand guidelines can feel overwhelming. To simplify things, I’ve distilled the essential elements your brand guidelines should cover below.

Why Are Brand Guidelines Important?

Brand guidelines are vital to establishing and reinforcing your brand’s identity. They are the foundation upon which all your marketing efforts are built, and concrete brand guidelines help you with the following:

• Consistency: Consistency is critical to building brand recognition and trust. Brand guidelines ensure that every touchpoint of your brand reflects a cohesive brand identity.
• Differentiation: In a crowded marketplace, standing out is crucial. Brand guidelines define your distinctive brand identity, helping you differentiate yourself from competitors.
• Efficiency: With a clear set of guidelines for things like colors, design elements, and fonts, you save valuable time and effort when creating content for your brand. When all aspects of your brand identity are defined in writing, it becomes easier to maintain consistency, even as your business grows.

What to Include in Your Brand Guidelines

There are no set rules regarding “must-haves” in brand guidelines. In fact, the level of detail can vary significantly based on the size of your brand. Brand guidelines can range from a single-page mood board to a 100-page presentation. 

For small businesses and entrepreneurs, your brand guidelines don’t need to be excessive to be effective. However, there are several crucial points that your brand guidelines need to cover if you’re trying to build a comprehensive brand identity. I’ve distilled these elements into three categories: Brand Foundations, Brand Messaging, and Brand Visuals. 

Brand Foundations

The strategic backbone of your brand.

Your brand foundations are exactly what they sound like. The foundation of your brand. These elements define who you are and why your brand exists. Many of these may already live in your business strategy, but they deserve a dedicated place in your brand guide.

• Mission: Why your brand exists and the purpose behind your work.
• Vision: Where you’re headed and what you’re building toward long-term.
• Core Values: 3–5 guiding principles that shape your decisions, boundaries, and brand culture.
• Ideal Customer: Who you serve, including key demographics, needs, and motivations.
• Core Offerings: Your primary services or products and the value each provides.
• Unique Value Proposition: A clear articulation of what makes your brand distinct—and why clients should choose you.

Brand Messaging

How your brand uses words to tell its story.

Brand messaging ensures your voice stays consistent across your website, emails, social media, and beyond. Key elements to include:

• Tagline: A short, memorable phrase that captures the essence of your brand.
• Brand Backstory: The origin of your business, what inspired it, and the story behind what you do.
• Brand Personality & Voice: Guidelines for tone, language, and writing style so your brand sounds like you everywhere it shows up.

Brand Visuals

How your brand looks and is recognized.

When most people think of branding, they think of brand visuals. This covers all things like logos, colors, fonts, and design. Developing and applying clear guidelines for your visual identity is critical to achieving brand recognition. Your brand guidelines should clearly outline:

• Logos: A logo suite with primary, secondary, and submark variations, plus basic usage rules.
• Color Palette: Primary, secondary, neutral, and accent colors, including color codes and usage guidance.
• Typography: Primary and secondary fonts, with examples of when and how to use each.
• Visual Elements: Icons, patterns, textures, and imagery style guidelines that support brand cohesion.

How Detailed Should Your Brand Guidelines Be?

More pages don’t equal better branding.

The best brand guidelines are the ones you’ll actually use. For many solopreneurs, that means a concise, well-organized guide that provides clarity without overwhelm. You can always expand your guidelines as your brand evolves, your team grows, or your needs change.

Final Thoughts

Developing brand guidelines can feel like a lot—but it’s one of the most impactful investments you can make in your business. When your brand foundations, messaging, and visuals are clearly defined, everything else gets easier. 

Want help creating brand guidelines that actually work?

If you’re ready for a brand guide that supports your growth I’d love to help. Schedule a Brand Discovery Call →