Creating a Visual Brand

Branding is a cool mix of marketing your business and art. But there are consistent elements when you’re looking to build a visual brand for your blog/business. These are all things you’ll need to think about, decide upon, and commit to if you want your branding to be solid.

While the following list can seem overwhelming, there are a lot ways you can make it easier. Start by downloading my Branding 101 workbook.

In it, you are going to go through a series of questions that will help you determine what your brand strategy is.

What’s In A Name?

• Pick your blog/business’s name with care. In addition to reflecting on your brand, your blog’s name sets the tone for your blog and has search implications. Among the questions to consider are: Is your blog’s name related to your business or product? Will you use your personal name if you’re a solopreneur? Will you include search-friendly terms in the name?
• Give your blog/business a tagline. A tagline adds insight into your blog’s personality and content that is important to your brand. Consider your blog’s focus and keywords. 
• Choose a memorable address. It’s important to get the URL for it as well. You an also integrate your blog into your existing business website. In this case, you can use another name for it.

Important Visual Elements

• Select your blog/business’s theme. A blog theme provides the basic structure for your blog’s presentation. One of the major options a blog theme sets is the use and location of columns and how it visually displays.
• Determine your blog/business’s color palette. Color is an important element of branding. Don’t just skip this point because you’re not the graphic artist. Think about the statement you want to make about your blog. Limit your palette to two or three colors. If you’re going to use them for headlines and type make sure they’re legible. Do you want it to be forceful or delicate? Consider how your readers will react to the colors. 

• Create a set of graphics and visual cues. Think about the little things that will make your brand stand out. Small graphics and icons. For example, will your Instagram highlight covers be of chic gold clip art? Or will they be soft neutral tones that only use text.
• What kind of font are you going to use. The type of font and the size is SUPER important. You need to take into account your audience and the readability. If you have a business that’s main market is older people that need a larger font- you DO NOT want a small elaborate font. 
• What kind of photography will you use? Will you focus on specific subjects? Will you use color or black and white photography. Will you use flatlays, lots of white space, candid photos, etc. These type of choices will all help you to build your blog’s brand. [For more helpful information on photography click here.]

Why Should I Create A Visual Brand

You can, and should, use visual branding to help convey your overall message and feeling. For example, if you go to an Instagram page, and see it filled with fun, behind-the-scenes photos of an office/business, it seems to say that employee happiness is important. If you see workout photos with inspiring quotes, it evokes feelings of motivation.

Are you educational, feminine, irreverent, laid-back, fancy, silly? Nothing answers that question quicker than visual. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and visual branding is no different.

It’s helpful to determine as many of these points as possible early on. Even if this feels daunting, remember that NOT creating a brand for your business is still a form of branding, it might not be the best branding, but it is still branding. If you are looking for more information on building your brand check out Episode 31 of the Michelle Gifford podcast!

Are there any other visual branding points you would add to this list? What are they and why would you add them?

Michelle