When it comes to having a strong social media presence, proper branding is everything. That’s why it’s crucial to create and continually reference a brand kit that clearly outlines the image you have curated for your brand. Where do you start? What all should be included in a social media brand kit? Let’s get into it!
What is a social media brand kit?
Put simply, a brand kit provides templates, guidelines and a variety of visual assets for maintaining a consistent brand identity for a company. Brand kits are utilized as tools to dictate style rules for color palettes, typography, logo designs and other brand elements. The elements within a brand kit will determine the design and execution of content including social media posts, emails, business cards, website pages, and other traditional and digital marketing assets.
Graphic designers, social media managers, marketing experts, new hires and more rely on these kits to familiarize themselves with a brand and properly represent them in the digital landscape. This is important for brand recognition in the real world, but some would argue (myself included) it’s even more essential for a recognizable online or social media presence. Why? Consistent branding is a tried-and-true way to increase consumer engagement.
Building a social media brand kit
Now that we understand the importance of an established brand identity, let’s dive into the specific elements that should be included in a social media brand kit. Keep in mind, these elements may differ depending on need and the company being represented.
Primary and secondary colors
One of the easiest ways to consistently represent any company or initiative is through a brand-specific color palette. Identifying at least 1-2 primary and secondary colors, including their hex codes, and outlining when and how each color should be used is key for designers.
Logos
The most recognizable part of a brand is typically its logo. With that being said, there are often a handful of versions of a company logo that can and should be utilized in various ways. This includes the coloring of the logo, its background, orientation and other formatting preferences. Outside of the logo itself, it’s also important to clearly define the background requirements for each logo option. That’s why a brand kit should include all versions of the logo and a brief description of how each of them is utilized.
Typefaces
Similarly to brand colors, sticking with 1-2 fonts for headlines and body text is an effective way to build a consistent brand image. This typically includes the font used in the company logo for headlines/headers, in addition to a secondary and complimentary font for long-form messaging. Also included in this section of the brand kit should be any text spacing preferences (referred to as kerning and leading).
Templates
This one is huge for the social media space. Templates provide visual consistency while also making the life of a graphic designer much easier (thank you very much). Utilizing templates for any recurring content shared on social media is a plug-and-chug way of creating a consistent and well-branded feed. A few content ideas using branded templates include employee anniversaries, new hires, promotions, quotes, statistics, etc. When creating this part of your social media brand kit, be sure to include platform specifications, such as graphic sizing, as needed.
Graphic Elements
Many brands utilize graphic or animated elements within their content to create visual interest and emphasize a message. These elements can be especially useful on social media given its fast-paced nature. When you only have a few seconds to catch someone’s attention and get your message across, using a graphic element instead of words can help tremendously. Including these elements in your brand kit will make it easy for graphic designers to utilize them effectively.
Photography
Lastly, photography. You might be surprised how big of an impact the type of photos used can have on a brand’s visual identity. Defining the preferred orientation of photos, whether they should be staged or candid, the coloring, editing and backgrounds are all great ways to ensure a uniform look.
And those are the basics! By understanding the importance of a consistent brand identity and clearly defining the elements specific to your company, you will be able to maintain a uniform image that will lead to an increase in brand recognition and engagement. It really can be that simple!
If your brand could benefit from an updated social media brand kit, connect with us to learn how we can help!
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