I a big advocate for brand consistency & brand strategy; which makes me the perfect sucker for a good template. I will go online and drop hundreds on templates….ya know just so I can have options! However, as a template fanatic, I have realized they don’t solve everything and that it’s still difficult to create branded content across all your socials. How does one take an Instagram aesthetic and match it to their website and Pinterest, oh and don’t forget the podcast!  Well, say less, because I’m here to lay it all out for you & to remind you that sometimes, templates are NOT the answer–check out my latest reel to see why this is true.

As a brand strategist, I work with clients to make sure that their branding is clear, concise, and consistent across all platforms. After doing this work for years, you learn the in’s and out’s of how to achieve that standard effortlessly.

Here are my favorite tips for keeping it consistent WITHOUT templates on Pinterest (or any other graphics based platform, for that matter):

Tip #1: Choose three colors.

Take a look at your brand palette and choose three complimentary colors. Pick something you know you won’t get tired of! I recommend a dark shade for the font color, a light shade for the background color, and an accent color. Your accent color doesn’t have to “pop,” it just needs to provide your graphics with some much needed contrast. A third color will also give you more options in designing future “on brand” graphics!

Tip #2: Choose three elements.

Instead of changing the layout for every post–most themes will come with several different options–stick to just 3 different types. I recommend a simple layout for quotes so that the words stand out, a layout for lists & how to’s so that your content and knowledge can shine through, and a layout for pictures–to make photo posts that are on brand, add a border or text on top of the photo in brand colors!

Tip #3: Choose 2-3 fonts.

Having 2-3 fonts is ideal because it allows you to create a solid sense of hierarchy. A general rule of design is to have one font for your headers, one font for your subheads, and another font for your body copy! However, if you won’t be working with a lot of text, you can settle for 1-2 fonts. In this case, I recommend a fun display or script font that will show your brand’s personality paired with a simple serif or sans serif font that will be easy to read!

There you go! My three favorite tips for staying on brand when creating graphics for social media platforms. Hopefully these tips will help you stay away from paid templates & keep your graphics on brand.

Want more help with your brand strategy? Get in touch!