The thing that I hear the most from viewers and clients is that my blog and social media are very aesthetically pleasing and cohesive. To anyone that has said that, thank you so much! Like everyone else, I tend to stare at those things too much and begin to wonder if it is all just a hot mess.
If you are anything like me, then you tend to get frustrated keeping everything within your business cohesive and aesthetically pleasing. Do you wish your photos were brighter and more consistent? Do you look at other brands or blogs and wonder how they look so put together? If this is you, don’t worry, I have got you covered.
In this post, I am going to give you several tools to boost your blog or business.
Where Should I start?
The absolute first thing to do is to put together a brand board that will give you a good visual for your brand as a whole. You will want a strong logo, a secondary logo or watermark, a color scheme, good photos, etc. These elements are a big part of your business’ aesthetic and will ruin it if done wrong. I know it sounds overwhelming and expensive but trust me, it isn’t as hard as it sounds. Let’s take it one step at a time …
Your Logo
To get a good logo, first think of what your blog or business is offering its readers or customers. Who is your target audience? If you sell knitting supplies, then you want that to come across in your branding. If you don’t have a specific niche then pick something that represents your business’ style well. For example, I do a lot with home decor and I tend to use nature or foliage a lot. My brand is very fresh and white and clean. That is why I chose a little doodle leaf to be in my logo. It also ties in my artistic elements.
You can search through tons of pre-made logos and custom logos at affordable costs on Etsy and Creative Market.
When you purchase the logo, be sure to get the information on which fonts they used. You will want to incorporate them in your graphics and on your blog or site later.
Your Color Scheme
Some of the most cohesive and successful brands have very strong color schemes. This part is my personal favorite. Go on to Pinterest and search for color scheme. You can start pinning every set that resonates with you and your brand. Then look at the board as a whole and see which colors show up again and again in the different schemes you pinned. You will want to pick one that has most of those colors. This is because, as you make aesthetic decisions for your brand, you will tend to be drawn toward these colors.
Once you have a palette of colors, put it somewhere that you see often like your desk or phone background. As you decide what products to sell, colors for those products, filters for your photos (will be covered below), and so on, hold them next to your color palette and make sure they don’t clash or that they do blend in nicely.
Your Graphics
Graphics are SO important for any blogger, business, influencer, etc. They are often what makes the first impression for your brand as a whole. Back in the day, it used to be business cards, but now it is your social media feeds, your website homepage, your email templates, etc. For those of you that need graphics for advertisements like words on a solid background announcing an event or sale, you can create this in Canva or you can purchase them on Etsy. Either way, make sure they use your fonts and colors.
Your Photography
If you are taking photos for your business, you also need to consider your colors and theme.
- Take pictures in locations that reflect your vibe. If you have a bright and airy theme, then take pictures in bright open places with white walls and sky behind you or in front of a building that is light. If it is a flat lay, take it on a white furry rug. This will be the base of your photos.
- Editing your photos with consistent filters. This is so easy now that there are apps like VSCO and Lightroom Mobile. Purchase a filter that fits your theme and put that on all of your photos. Be sure not to filter your photos so much that you lose sight of the product or point. Try to stick to simple filters that just add what they need to. For example, my photos are usually brightened, the yellows and oranges are decreased, and the contrast is accentuated.
In Conclusion
I hope that this post has given you some inspiration or guidance for your business in 2020! There are a lot more blogs and websites coming out each day. Make yours stand apart. Please feel free to message me with any questions you might have.
Thanks for reading,
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