Interested in building your personal brand?

There’s a lot to a brand. You can learn about the foundations of a personal brand in this post, watch a webinar on the topic here, or read up on 10 rules for personal branding right here.

Successful branding is more than just pretty logos and scripted letters. It’s about presenting an authentic version of yourself in a way that resonates with consumers and potential partners. When you’re ready to build out the visual and other sensory aspects of your brand, consult the checklist below. In it, you’ll find everything you need to craft a well-thought-out brand.

Your Branding and Website Design Checklist

• Primary logo & variations
  • Craft a logo that captures your essence — what makes you, you. Ensure that it renders well at small sizes.
• Color palette
  • Less is more, so don’t go overboard. Start with a primary color, choose a few complementary colors, and a couple of accent colors to use for CTAs and to capture people’s attention. Make sure to research color theory sooner rather than later.
• Typography & fonts
  • Abide by the law of threes: One primary typeface, a secondary to back it up, and a tertiary for good measure. Keep it legible no matter where it’s printed or posted. It should work well with your logo as they’ll often be displayed together.
• Web Design
  • Create the best user experience that you can while implementing the other elements of your brand design and identity.
    • Content structure
      • Guide your site visitors through your content easily and efficiently. Create guidelines for how your headers, subheaders, body copy, images, CTAs, buttons, and more should appear.
    • White space
      • Sometimes, it isn’t about what you add, but what you leave. Make use of the white space on your site and in your creative assets. Don’t crowd your content. L e t t h i n g s b r e a t h e.

• Photography
  • Create a consistent, cohesive style to carry throughout your site, socials, and other content. Make sure it’s high-quality and truly representative of you. Inclusivity is a plus.
• Icons
  • Choose icons that support your overall style and image. Keep them clean and simple as they’re often depicted in smaller sizes and need to render well.
• Illustration
  • While not at the forefront of most people’s brands, illustration can be used to add an additional dimension to the visual aspects of your branding. Choose a single style so as not to confuse or overwhelm, and make sure it’s harmonious with the rest of your visual elements.
• Video
  • Select an animation style that supports the other elements of your visual brand. Think about how text may appear in a video and create guidelines to follow for anyone who works on these assets.
• Voice & tone
  • This informs every piece of writing you create and defines your messaging style. Is your voice first person or third? Your tone can be human, professional, sarcastic, etc. It may also differ slightly between more formal and informal platforms and situations.
• Diction
  • What words do you use to express yourself and your reality? Words are powerful. The ones you use will affect your site visitors and social media followers even in only subconsciously. Mind yourself and use words well.