What Style guide means
A style guide keeps everyone who touches your brand consistent, from designers to outside vendors. It is often the starting point for a fuller design system. Consistency builds recognition and trust.
Why it matters for your website
A style guide keeps your website, social posts and print materials looking and sounding like the same company, which builds recognition and trust. It also saves time and money when new designers, writers or agencies join a project.
Example
A hypothetical HVAC company's style guide lists its two brand colors, approved logo versions and a friendly, plain-spoken tone, so every new landing page matches the main site.
Tips
- Include exact color codes, font names and logo files in one shared place.
- Add do and don't examples for tone of voice, not just visuals.
- Review and update the guide when your brand or website changes.
Common mistakes
- Making a guide so long and rigid that nobody reads it.
- Creating a guide and never sharing it with vendors or new staff.
Questions about Style guide
What is Style guide?
A document setting out a brand's visual and written rules, such as logo use, colors, fonts and tone.
What should a brand style guide include?
Most include logo rules, color palette, fonts, image style and tone of voice. Web-focused guides often add button styles, spacing and accessibility notes.
What is the difference between a style guide and a design system?
A style guide sets the brand rules. A design system goes further with reusable components and code that put those rules into practice.
