Streamline Your Brand Assets for Mid-Year Success
It’s already nearly halfway through the year and the perfect time to step back, get organised, and make sure your brand assets are working as hard as you are. Streamlining your brand assets – from logos and templates to social media graphics and email headers – doesn’t just keep you efficient. It also ensures consistency across every customer touchpoint, making your brand look polished, professional, and ready to grow.
Here’s how to organise and optimise your brand assets for the rest of the year, without the headache.
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1. Take Stock of What You’ve Got (Conduct a Brand Asset Audit)
You can’t organise what you don’t know you have. Start by gathering all your current brand assets and giving them a quick audit. What’s up-to-date, what’s out-of-date, and what’s missing?
How To
Create an Inventory: Make a simple list of all your assets – logos, brand colours, fonts, social media templates, product photos, email banners, etc. Don’t forget the smaller things, like icons and colour codes.
Sort by Category: Organise assets by type or use (e.g., social media, packaging, website), so you can see where things might need updating or reorganising.
2. Update Your Core Assets (Because Nothing Says “Professional” Like Consistency)
Brands evolve, so there’s a good chance some assets could use a refresh. Updating these core assets – your logo, colour palette, fonts, and templates – can help you maintain a polished, consistent look across all platforms.
How To
Review Your Visual Identity: Make sure your logo, fonts, and colours reflect your current brand personality. If you’ve undergone any recent changes or brand shifts, update these assets so everything feels cohesive - we can help with this, just send us a message!
Refine Templates: Whether it’s social media graphics, email layouts, or presentation slides, update your templates to be more efficient and on-brand. This will make it easy to create consistent content without reinventing the wheel each time.
Tip: Simplify wherever possible. A streamlined, clean look often resonates more than a cluttered one, so consider cutting down on any overly complex designs.
3. Find a Place for Everything (Centralise Your Assets in a Digital Hub)
Ever spent way too long searching for the latest logo file? A centralised storage solution means that your assets are easy to find and share, whether it’s just you or an entire team.
How To
Choose Your Platform: Use cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, or a dedicated brand management tool like Canva’s Brand Kit or Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries.
Organise by Usage: Create folders for different categories, such as “Logos,” “Fonts,” “Social Media Graphics,” and “Marketing Collateral.” Make sure everything is labelled clearly so you’re not guessing which file is the right one.
Rename your files: By creating an renaming a naming convention (a simple formula of naming files) for easy searching e.g. “BrandName-FileType-Size-Colour-Version”.
Tip: If you have a team, give everyone access to the hub and create a simple guide on how to navigate it. This makes collaboration easier and prevents anyone from going rogue with the wrong version of a logo.
4. Refresh and Retire (Say Goodbye to Outdated Content)
Outdated assets can hold your brand back and create inconsistencies. By identifying what’s no longer useful, you can keep your brand looking modern and fresh.
HowTo
Archive Old Assets: Store outdated files in an “Archive” folder. This way, you don’t lose anything, but it’s kept out of your primary asset folders.
Remove Redundant Content: If you have multiple versions of the same graphic or several unused icons, get rid of the duplicates. A streamlined library makes it easier to find what you actually need.
Tip: If you’re feeling sentimental about some old designs, remember that decluttering makes room for new creativity and keeps your brand looking sharp and current.
5. Standardise Your Asset Usage (Consistency, Consistency, Consistency!)
Having all your assets organised is great, but using them consistently is even better. A set of guidelines for your brand assets helps everyone, from designers to social media managers, keep your brand recognisable and cohesive.
How-To
Create Usage Guidelines: Write a simple guide on how each asset should be used. Include rules for logo placement, colour use, font hierarchy, and photo styling - we call these ‘brand guidelines’ and offer a package service to get this done for you!
Share the Guidelines: Distribute the guide to your team, or keep it accessible in your centralised asset hub. Encourage everyone to refer to it whenever they’re creating something new for the brand.
Tip: If you’re a solo entrepreneur, consider these guidelines as reminders to keep your branding consistent – it’s easy to veer off course, especially when you’re juggling multiple roles.
6. Make Mid-Year Tweaks to Fit Your Current Goals
Your brand assets should reflect your goals for the rest of the year. Whether it’s launching a new product or expanding your social media presence, make sure your assets align with where you’re heading.
How-To
Adapt Visuals to Fit New Goals: If you’re focusing on a certain campaign or product launch, create a few dedicated graphics or templates that make it easier to promote consistently.
Audit Campaign Assets: Look at any visuals tied to promotions, seasonal themes, or new initiatives. Make sure they’re cohesive with your main brand assets, even if they’re slightly tailored for specific goals.
Tip: Use a quarterly review to make small updates if needed. These minor tweaks help keep your branding dynamic and in sync with your goals.
Streamlining your brand assets isn’t just about staying organised – it’s about keeping your brand fresh, cohesive, and ready to impress. By taking the time to do a mid-year refresh, you’re setting your brand up to shine in everything it does, from marketing campaigns to customer touchpoints.
And remember, if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed by the process or want a second opinion, we’re here to help make sure your brand assets are working as hard as you are. Here’s to a smooth, successful second half of the year – let’s make it your best one yet!
