Why You Need Branded Graphics + 4 Tips To Get Started Now

At the end of the day, even after you’ve hired a designer to create your brand package, you’re still going to need graphics for your business.

You might create them, or hire someone to create them, but the need for visuals won’t ever end if you’re in business and continuing to create any sort of content for your brand.

This is why you need to brand your graphics!

You aren’t just going to slap your logo on things and call it good (or at least, I hope you don’t!). You’re going to quickly realize the need for other graphics, those “supporting elements”, and graphic templates, to help you quickly and efficiently create images that are on-brand.

Maybe you’re wondering what branded graphics are, or why they matter, what you need them for, or even how to create them. We’re going to go over all of that, plus I’m giving you my best tips to create branded graphics along with which ones I think you need first.

Hopefully after reading this, you’ll feel like you know what you’re doing when it comes to branded graphics, how to use them to your advantage, and how to implement them across your brand.

>>>Watch me build a brand style guide and show you how, too! Click here for your video tutorial!<<<

What are branded graphics?

Branded graphics are those that are consistent with your brand. They look like they are a part of your brand identity. They use your fonts, your colors, and your visual style. Branded graphics, just like your logo, are unique to your brand, and can be a way in which you are recognized without your logo.

For instance, do you recognize these images (credited below):

How did you do? Did you recognize all of them, or at least a few? Why do you think you know these brands, even though there isn’t a logo present?

Here’s why:

Whether you realize it or not, you associate the fonts, the colors, and the style with the brand, making it easy for your brain to form the connection and recall without ever seeing a logo or brand name.

That’s what branded graphics can do for your brand, too… even without a logo, you can still build a brand.

(1: Target; 2: Panera; 3: Doritos)

Why do you need branded graphics?

To Ensure Consistency

Don’t get me wrong, a logo is a very important and necessary part of your brand identity, too. But branded graphics are a piece of the puzzle that can give it even more life, more personality, and tie things together in a cohesive and consistent way.

The reason for branded graphics is partly for efficiency, but mostly for consistency.

Brand consistency ensures everything that walks out your door is always on-brand (correct fonts, colors, style, etc. are used), and having branded graphics helps to further ensure this.

Brand consistency is actually one of the areas I often see ignored. It’s what smaller brands don’t know they need to work on, or don’t think it deserves their time.

But, when it comes to branding, in my opinion, it’s one of the most important things to plan for and implement.

I talk more about the reasons and ways your brand needs consistency over here.

To Creative Cohesiveness

When you have branded graphics, this means you’re more than likely (hopefully) following a style guide. This helps the things you’re creating look similar in style, with the idea being that they’re traceable back to you without your logo present. 

Cohesive branded graphics fit well together, even though they might be made for different applications or instances.

For example, a YouTube thumbnail image and a Pinterest Pin image are different in size and orientation, but when created according to your brand, they can be different, yet cohesive. They can each serve their individual purpose, yet use the same style, fonts and colors to represent your brand well.

To Refine Your Brand Voice

Branded graphics can help you form a strong voice, an amazing style, or dazzling charm – if you so choose. You can use them to talk to your ideal audience in a way that gives you personality through visuals.

The words you choose to use matter, of course, but the way the graphics look are also telling as to what kind of brand you are, who you want to attract, and can ultimately help you talk directly to your ideal client or customer.

For instance, when you see a flower pattern, what kind of vibe does it give off? When you come across a watercolor design, how does it make you feel? What about stripes or circles? Geometric or abstract?

If you’re hearing this for the first time, it might sound kind of frivolous, but the graphics you use really do have an impact on your brand as a whole and can help you convey what you want to say.

This is why branded graphics are so important.

To Make Templating Easier

Branded graphics will make creating templates easier, because you’ll have some options to choose from when filling out the templates. It won’t just be your logo, fonts and colors, but you’ll be able to add those fun elements like patterns and shapes that represent your brand.

Along with your style guide, templates keep you on brand and give you parameters to go off of so you’re not in the wild, wild west… They give yourself or your team guidelines and a framework to follow. They also make your life a tad bit easier and more efficient.

For instance, a template without branded graphics might look something like this (note the use of logo, brand fonts and colors, but no other elements):

Whereas a template that includes branded graphics would look like this (note the use of logo, fonts and colors, along with the squiggly lines):

The addition of the squiggly lines and even the background color in the above image give it more of a place, more of a branded feeling and look. The elements can be, but certainly don’t need to be, elaborate or complicated. Sometimes the “simplest” of designs can have the most impact and the best shot at a lasting impression.

Types Of Branded Graphics

There are *a lot* of branded graphics you could possibly use to represent your brand, but the bottom line or ultimate goal is that they are unique to you. They are visual elements that are descriptive of your brand and can stand alone (without your name/logo), but people know they are yours.

For the sake of keeping it simple, here are 3 types of graphics you could have created (using your style guide) to enhance your visual brand:

• Patterns
• Shapes
• Icons

Uses For Branded Graphics

The ways you can use your branded graphics are pretty much endless. Here are some ideas, including those you could create on-the-ready templates for:

Digital

1. Social
2. Email
3. Video
4. Podcast
5. Website
6. Ads
7. Portfolios

Print

1. Documents (invoices, contracts, etc.)
2. Marketing Materials (brochures, catalogs, fliers, etc.)

Tips To Get Started With Branded Graphics

All of this might seem like a lot, so if I were just starting out, here is what I’d do:

1. Get my brand identity created: Shameless plug here, but you can get on my wait list if you’d like to work with me!
2. Make and follow my style guide: Sometimes this is included along with your brand package, but other times it’s not, it just depends on the designer/package. If you need to make it yourself just to get it checked off the list, here’s how (even without a logo).
3. Produce my branded graphics: A few of these might come with your brand package, like a pattern or icons, which is really great. However, I’ve also found that you’ll want to have even more of these extra elements made, so get with your designer on this one to create some that are unique to your brand (you don’t want to look like anyone else when it comes to these!) Usually a pattern, some icons for your website/social media, and some shapes or other unique elements are a great place to start.
4. Get my templates going: Grab your style guide and branded graphics, and use those to create at least 3 templates for each type of content you put out there on a consistent basis. For instance, if you’re on insta, make 3 social post templates and 3 stories templates. If you use Pinterest for biz, make 3 pin image templates. Do you create videos? Make 3 video thumbnail templates… and so on.

So here’s the deal: You don’t need branded graphics to get started. Heck, you don’t even need a logo to get started. You just need to start with something. I’m a huge proponent of getting a brand identity created that is unique to you in order to build your company.

But no one ever starts that big.

If you need to throw something together now, do it.

Side note, I feel like I work for Nike right now… But they definitely got it right in my opinion: When you’re wondering whether to or to not… Just Do It. (said in Michael’s voice from The Office)

You’ll get to where you can have the brand of your dreams created soon enough. But don’t let that stop you or hold you back now.

So, whether that’s pulling together your style guide in a word doc or creating some templates in Canva or having your branded graphics made, just start. I’m cheering you on.

Want to learn even more? The B.Y.B. Toolkit covers how to develop your brand identity using tips and tricks I’ve learned in my 12 years as a designer – and continue to use with my clients today.

Want more tips on branding or starting out without a logo? Head here! Want to learn more about brand consistency? Got that for you too. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading this – if you’ve made it this far, you’re the best. Let me know if this helped, or what other branding things you’re struggling with – drop be an email or comment on insta, @designwithclarissa.

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