Why guidelines matter on social
Feeds are scanned at speed. Recognition happens on colour, type and layout before the caption is read. A consistent visual system means a follower recognises your post without seeing the name, which is the entire point of branding. It also removes daily decisions: the template exists, the colours are fixed, the post gets made.
What to include
- 01Logo rules: which version for avatars, watermarks and story stickers; minimum size; clear space.
- 02Colour: the brand palette with hex codes, which colour is for backgrounds and which for accents, and the rule for text contrast.
- 03Typography: the one or two fonts, sizes for headline and body in posts, and what to do when the platform forces a system font.
- 04Templates: post, carousel, story and cover templates for each platform, at current sizes, in Canva or Figma so non-designers can use them.
- 05Photography and illustration: the style, the treatment (filters, overlays), what to avoid (generic stock), and where to find approved images.
- 06Tone of voice: how captions sound, emoji policy, hashtag rules.
- 07Examples: five posts that are right and three that are wrong, with a sentence on why.
The benefits
- Consistency across platforms and across everyone who posts.
- Speed: a templated post takes minutes, not a design ticket.
- Recognition: the feed becomes identifiable, which compounds into trust.
- Onboarding: a new marketer or agency is productive on day one.
- Fewer arguments: the guide decides, not whoever has the loudest opinion.
Common questions
- What sizes should social media templates use?
- Square 1080 by 1080 and portrait 1080 by 1350 for feed posts, 1080 by 1920 for stories and reels, and platform-specific cover sizes. Sizes change; keep the guide's dimensions dated and check yearly.
- Should templates be in Canva or Figma?
- Canva if non-designers will post daily; Figma if a designer produces the content. Many teams keep the master in Figma and export a Canva brand kit for the day-to-day.
- How often should social media guidelines be updated?
- Review once a year and whenever the brand changes. Platform sizes and features change more often than brand rules do.
