Brand Guidelines • Template
Brand Guidelines Table of Contents (Copy/Paste Outline)
Most guidelines fail because they’re too big to maintain. This TOC is designed for small businesses: short, practical, and easy to follow.
Copy/paste TOC
Table of contents
BRAND GUIDELINES (V1) — TABLE OF CONTENTS 0) One-page summary - What we do + who we serve (1–2 sentences) - Brand “3 words” (personality) - Primary CTA + primary channel focus 1) Brand foundation (short) - Purpose / mission (1 sentence) - Values (3–5) - Positioning statement (1 paragraph) 2) Logo - Primary logo + variations (full color, one-color, reverse) - Minimum size + clear space - Do / Don’t examples - File formats (SVG, PNG, PDF) + where to use them 3) Color palette - Primary + accent + neutrals - Button color + link color (web) - Backgrounds + borders - Contrast notes (readability rules) 4) Typography - Heading font + body font - Sizes (H1/H2/H3 + body) and weights - Line-height basics 5) Imagery - “Feel” (3 words) - Photo style rules (lighting, tone, composition) - Do / Don’t examples 6) Icons + UI components (optional but helpful) - Icon style rules (outline/filled, stroke weight, corners, sizing) - Button styles (primary/secondary) - Form field style 7) Voice + tone (short) - Brand voice (3 adjectives) - Tone by channel (website, social, support) - Words to use / avoid 8) Templates (link library) - Social post templates - Slide/deck template - Email signature 9) Governance (how consistency stays real) - Who approves what (RACI) - Where files live - Monthly QA checklist
What to skip (in v1)
Long “brand manifesto” pages
If nobody reads it, it doesn’t help consistency. Keep the foundation short and usable.
Too many colors/fonts
Most small businesses can’t maintain it. Simpler systems stay consistent.
Overly complex brand architecture
Useful later—usually overkill in v1.
3 “v1” rules that keep this usable
Rules
- Aim for a usable v1 in one sitting (60–90 minutes). Improve later.
- Document what you actually use (not what you wish you used).
- If a rule is hard to follow, simplify the rule—not the team.
Want to skip the blank page?
Use the interactive Brand Guidelines Template to fill this in quickly and download your v1 guidelines.