How to make a brand book for free: what goes inside and why a business needs one
Five shades of “our blue” and three fonts in one year – that is what happens without written rules. What a brand book contains and how to build a basic one for free.
A brand book is a document with the rules for using your logo, colours and fonts. You need it the moment someone other than you starts working with the brand: a social media manager, a print shop, a sign maker, a web developer. Without it every contractor does things “their way” – and a year later the brand has five different shades and three fonts.
Large companies commission hundred-page brand books. A small business can start with eight pages: what matters is that the rules are written down and live in one file.
- The minimum for a brand book: logo versions, clear space, colours with codes, fonts, and examples of what not to do.
- A basic brand book can be built for free from a finished logo – the tool detects the colours and the font itself.
- A brand book records what already exists. If there is no brand identity yet, it has to be designed first.
ContentsWhat goes into a brand book
| Section | What is in it | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Logo versions | Primary, on a dark background, one-colour | Every contractor |
| Clear space | The minimum margin around the logo | Designers, print shops |
| Minimum size | Below which the logo is unreadable | Print shops, developers |
| Colours | HEX, RGB, CMYK, Pantone where needed | Everyone |
| Fonts | For headlines and body text, where to download | Social media, developers, designers |
| Incorrect use | Stretching, changing colours, shadows | Social media, print shops |
| Examples of use | Business card, social media, packaging | Everyone |
How-toHow to make a brand book online: 3 steps
- Upload the logoOpen the Mini brand book in PDF tool. It detects the colours and the font itself.
- Refine the detailsEnter the brand name and, if needed, change the colours and fonts.
- Download the PDFEight A4 pages you can send to a contractor or a print shop.
The tool is free, with no sign-up and no watermarks. The logo is processed in your browser and is not sent anywhere.
TermsBrand book, logo guide, guidelines: the difference
A logo guide covers the logo only: versions, margins, colours, restrictions. This is what small businesses usually mean by “brand book”.
Brand guidelines cover how things are designed: what posts, business cards, a sign, packaging and documents look like.
A brand book in the full sense also includes the idea of the brand: mission, values, character, tone of voice.
Start with the logo guide. It answers nine out of ten everyday questions: “which blue is ours?”, “what font do we write in?”, “can the logo go on a photo?”.
ColoursHow to record colours properly
The same colour is written differently for screen and for print. A brand book should list every version.
| Notation | Used for | Who asks |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | Website, social media, Canva | Social media manager, developer |
| RGB | Presentations, video | Designer, video editor |
| CMYK | Business cards, flyers, catalogues | Print shop |
| Pantone | Packaging, signs, clothing | Manufacturer |
You can find the closest Pantone number for your colour in the Pantone from image tool.
MistakesCommon brand book mistakes
The brand book exists, but nobody has seen it. The document must be where it is easy to find and send: in a shared folder, pinned in the work chat.
No logo files. Rules without files do not work. The logos themselves, in vector and PNG, should sit next to the brand book.
Too many rules. Nobody reads a hundred pages. Eight pages that are actually used are better.
The rules contradict reality. One font in the brand book, another on the website. Update the document when the style changes.
Next stepWhen you need a full brand identity
A mini brand book fixes the logo. But a brand is recognised by more than its logo: by the colour of a post in the feed, the shape of a sticker, the style of the photos.
When posts, business cards, packaging and the sign look like one whole, a customer recognises you before reading the name. That is a job for a designer: brand graphics, patterns, social media templates, rules for print and signage.
HonestlyThe tool makes a very simplified version. A full brand book is what we design
It is important to understand the limits. The free tool builds a very simplified brand book: it takes a finished logo, detects the colours and the font automatically and lays them out on eight pages. It invents nothing and does not judge whether those colours and fonts are right for your business.
Such a document lacks what a studio brand book is commissioned for: brand graphics and patterns, rules for social media, print and signage, post and document templates, examples on real items, the brand’s tone of voice.
A mini brand book is a quick fix for today, so that a contractor does not mix up a colour. A full brand book and brand identity are what we design for your business: the cost is calculated individually for the task. Write to us – we will tell you what you actually need.
Send the brand book to a new contractor together with the first task. It saves three rounds of corrections.
FAQFAQ
Can I make a brand book for free?
Yes. The tool builds a basic brand book with logo versions, colours and fonts from your logo for free.
What is logo clear space?
The minimum empty area around the logo where no text or other elements may be placed.
How many pages should a brand book have?
For a small business 8–15 pages are enough. What matters is that they are used.
What format should a brand book be kept in?
PDF: it opens on any device and looks the same everywhere.
Do I need a brand book if I work alone?
Yes, as soon as you first order printing, a sign or advertising. A contractor needs exact colours and fonts.
How is a brand book different from a brand identity?
A brand identity is how the brand looks. A brand book is the document that describes that look.
Every file format and visualisations on real items as a gift.
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