🎨 Researching Brand Guideline Templates

Graphic Design
#1

Hey fellow designers! :wave:

I’ve been diving deep into the world of Brand Guideline Templates lately, and I thought it would be great to share some insights — and hear your thoughts too.

:brain: Why Brand Guidelines Matter More Than Ever

In today’s world where branding is everything, consistency is king. Whether it’s a startup or a global company, brand guidelines serve as the visual Bible — ensuring that logos, colors, typography, and tone are always aligned.

But here’s the thing: not all brand guideline templates are created equal.

:bar_chart: My Research Journey

I’ve been analyzing over 50 templates from different platforms — ranging from minimal one-pagers to comprehensive brand books. Here’s what stood out:

Modular Structure Wins**: The best templates are flexible — they allow teams to customize based on needs (visuals, voice, digital assets, etc.).
Design with Usability in Mind**: Clean layout, accessible typography, and editable formats (Figma, Canva, InDesign) make a big difference.
Not Just Visuals**: More modern templates include sections on brand voice, tone, social media guidelines, and even motion branding.
Templates = Time-Savers: For freelancers and small agencies, ready-made templates can help deliver high-quality brand books without starting from scratch every time.

:mag_right: Curious to Know…

Do you use brand guideline templates in your workflow?
Which tools or platforms do you prefer (Figma, Adobe, Canva, etc.)?
What must-have sections do you include in a brand guideline?

I’m currently building a resource list of the Brand Guidelines Template! — if anyone wants to collaborate or share their favorites, I’d love to include them!

Let’s make branding smarter, not harder. :bulb:

Looking forward to hearing your insights!

#2

I suspect you posted here to advertise your brand templates, which violates forum rules (I’m a moderator here). However, you’re also asking for feedback, so let’s see what people have to say.

I didn’t spend much time analyzing the templates, but they look nice. Whether they’re a good starting point for customization, I don’t know. Whenever I create client branding guidelines, I start from scratch. Each client’s needs are very different, requiring a unique approach.

I’m also a little confused about who these templates are for. Initially, I thought they were for designers who create client brand guidebooks. However, your descriptions mention how these templates can help “your” branding rather than “your client’s” branding. I suppose an in-house art director might develop internal brand guidelines, but I think the intended use for what you’re offering is broader than “your” branding.

You offer some of the templates in Figma. Why? Do people use Figma for this kind of thing? Figma is a web prototyping and design tool. You don’t, however, offer your templates in Affinity Publisher or Designer, which is the choice of some designers. Some clients also request guidelines in Microsoft Publisher or Word. I hate it when that happens, but I have run into it.

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#3

No. Brand books need to match the client’s brand. A business would have to be fairly large to need one… so all the designers they work with are on the same page. They’ll tend to want something bespoke.

Adobe

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