Tired of seeing an incorrect logo, off-brand creative or messaging that doesn’t line up with your company values?  If so, then it’s time to reconsider the way you share and manage your brand.

Brand guidelines displayed in PDF format, then distributed via email or the company shared drive is a thing of the past.  The problem is that brand owners still have little control over the multiple PDF versions that may exist. Plus, it’s an uphill task making sure that the right people (who need the guidelines) have access to the most up-to-date version.  Even when the correct PDF is shared – more often than not – the user typically chooses to grab an outdated logo from the web rather than opening up the guide and requesting the correct one.

Online brand guidelines that are a part of an online brand portal remove these roadblocks and make it easier for internal designers, agencies, or other stakeholders to understand, access and use your brand correctly.

Here are five ways you can bring your brand to life online:

1. Make your brand accessible: 
   Anywhere, anytime, users can either log into your online brand portal or access publicly available brand pages straight from your website.  This ease of access reduces the administration required for the distribution of assets and allows you to get work done faster.
2. Display the most up to date version of your brand guidelines:  This is important for any brand that has ever undergone a brand refresh.  Online brand guidelines are easy to update, plus you no longer need to worry about having multiple versions flying around the world wide web. You can edit the guidelines easily, as well as making brand assets available to users 24/7. Any new updates will replace the existing versions.  Therefore your users will always have the latest branding standards and assets at their fingertips.
3. Show examples of brand best practices:
   Showcasing the best way for your brand guidelines is an integral part of communicating and educating your brand users.  Examples give context to your guidelines, reduces mistakes and remove the ‘back and forth’ with marketing.
4. Provide a point of access to brand assets:
   When combined with your Digital Asset Management (DAM) system, your brand guidelines and assets work hand in hand.  Brand guidelines direct users on which asset to use and how to use it, then they are prompted to download the correct file directly from that page.  This is not only a great experience for the user, but it provides valuable data on how your brand is being used and by whom.
5. Reduce admin by having a dedicated ‘ask marketing’:
   While online brand guidelines do a great job of showcasing your brand and providing assets needed, there will inevitably be questions for your marketing team.  Simple ‘ask marketing’ forms can be included within your brand pages. For those who have more complex requirements, conditional logic questions can be used to answer your most common requests.

IntelligenceBank online brand guidelines sit within our BrandHub solution and can be adapted to suit all users.  For those looking for a simple and easy to update solution, IntelligenceBank can provide a series of templated options.  Also, custom brand pages can be developed using HTML to look and feel exactly like your very own website, catering to your brand’s identity.

Contact us today to learn more about online brand guidelines and the different options available.