When creating a style guide for your business it’s important to remember that it extends to your website too.
As well as projecting a professional image for your brand, the guidelines you establish for your website will make it easy to maintain and help you keep a consistent look and feel.
8 Things to Include in your Website Style Guide
1. Logo
Provide logo variations and clarify minimum sizes for use on your website. Also specify unacceptable usage such as distortion or modification of your logo. Set clear guidelines especially when it comes to setting an exclusion zone around your logo.
2. Typography
Define which typefaces can be used on your web pages including line height, colours, headlines, body font, spacing before and after etc. It is important to include web alternatives for any non-web fonts.
3. Colour palette
Specify a set of colours for your website (that fit with your brand) and what the colours should be used for. Include in your style guide formats for both web and print: RGB (or HEX), CMYK or Pantones (if available).
4. Tone
Clearly define the tone you want for your site so that everyone produces the same tone when writing copy. Tone applies to all site content so make sure you define the tone in relation to images displayed on your site too.
5. Layout
Make sure you set up some standard templates as well as guidelines for grids. This will prevent anyone straying from your site layout and ensure consistency at all times.
6. Navigation
Ease of navigation is crucial to success when it comes to keeping visitors on your website. They need to be able to find their way around your site so it’s important to specify what to do with new navigation items when new pages need to be added.
7. Icons, buttons and links
Identify when and where to use icons on your site as well as the size and spacing. Also create a page that illustrates what all the buttons and links do on your website, when and how often to use them and include examples of appropriate usage.
8. Basic coding guidelines
To minimise any glitches or damage to your site, break down every element of coding in your web style guide to ensure that everyone follows the same set of rules.
For more information, speak to the web and digital experts at your local Kwik Kopy today.
