Whether you’re launching a startup, rebranding your business, or just trying to bring consistency to your team’s creative output, a brand guidelines template is your shortcut to a unified, professional brand identity.

In this post, we’ll break down the quickest and easiest way to build your own brand guidelines template—without needing a degree in design or hours of spare time.

Why You Need Brand Guidelines (Yes, Even Now)

Think of brand guidelines as your brand’s instruction manual. They tell everyone—designers, marketers, freelancers, developers—how to present your brand consistently across every channel.

Without guidelines:

• Your logo might appear stretched or pixelated.
   

• Your colors may look “off” across platforms.
   

• Your messaging tone might swing from corporate to casual in the same email thread.
   

With a template:

• Everyone stays on-brand.
   

• Your content looks cohesive.
   

• You build trust and recognition with your audience.
   

What to Include in a Brand Guidelines Template

Here’s a quick checklist of what your template should cover:

1. Logo Usage
   Include all versions (full-color, black-and-white, icon-only) with spacing and background rules.
    

2. Color Palette
   List primary and secondary colors with HEX, RGB, and CMYK codes.
    

3. Typography
   Define fonts for headings, body text, and captions—plus guidelines on spacing and sizing.
    

4. Imagery Style
   Describe the tone of photos or illustrations (e.g., bright, candid, minimal, editorial).
    

5. Voice and Tone
   Clarify how your brand sounds: friendly, formal, witty, inspiring?
    

6. Do's and Don'ts
   Show examples of correct and incorrect uses of your brand assets.
    

7. Templates
   Optional but useful—email signatures, social media post templates, or pitch deck slides.
    

The Easiest Tools to Use Here are some beginner-friendly platforms to get you started quickly:

• Canva – Tons of pre-designed brand guideline templates you can customize in minutes.

• Figma – Great for collaboration and advanced customization.

• Notion – For non-designers who want a content-focused, web-friendly version.

• Google Slides or PowerPoint – Ideal for internal teams who prefer classic formats.

• Adobe Express – Quick and professional if you're in the Adobe ecosystem.

• GraphyPix – brand style guide, is a detailed document

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Final Thoughts

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The quickest and easiest way to a brand guidelines template is to start with a proven structure, customize it with your brand’s essentials, and keep it simple.