How To Create a Beautiful Brand on a Budget
Over the course of my time on social media, and even before I started this blog, I’ve been complimented on the appearance of my Instagram feed, and then when I started my blog, I started getting complimented on the look of it as well. I’m truly honoured that so many people think so highly of the look of my brand on social media and right here on my website, but I will admit, it wasn’t by sheer luck. If you don’t already know, I’m actually a graphic designer. That’s my full time job, in fact! So it’s safe to say that I’ve had a bit of an upper hand when it comes to creating my brand, keeping it consistent and even designing my website. So today, I figured why not share with all of you some simple & affordable ways you too can create a beautiful blog & social media presence!
Tip No. 1
Choose Consistent Colours & Fonts
Honestly, nothing makes your brand feel more all-over-the-place and disjointed than using random colours & fonts. You don’t have to limit it to just two colours and one font family, in fact, I’d actually recommend about 8 colours (My preference is 4 primary colours, and 4 secondary colours, using mostly your primary colour palette) and one serif font family & one sans serif font family.
Hint: Not sure what serif or sans serif means? Check out the difference here!
Tip No. 2
Use Canva to Your Advantage
Though I will admit that I haven’t touched Canva with a 10-foot pole, lots of people I know that aren’t in the design world swear by it! You can create brand packages which store all of your fonts & colour palettes so you always have the right fonts & the right colours at hand! Even if your colour is slightly off, it’s noticeable, so use these features to your advantage, take some time to set them up & I promise it’ll make creating content so much easier.
Tip No. 3
Edit Your Photos with Presets
I feel like most people know this one at this point, but utilizing presets to edit your photos is the way to go. It may feel like a filter, but presets actually adjust the data in your photo vs. layering adjustments on top of the image, so you can make more personalized adjustments to the photo depending on what you need. It reduces the time you spend editing and creates consistency across all of your images, no matter what editing style you like. I personally use the Jilly Digital Presets* from Jillian Harris, so if you like the light & airy style of my photos, I suggest those!
* Use code EMILY20 for 20% off your presets or prints from Jilly Digital.
Tip No. 4
Choose User-Friendly Websites to Host
Believe me, I know the go-to for blogs has been Wordpress for a long time. And though I will say, Wordpress has some great functions, I find it to be overly complicated, and this is speaking from someone who learned how to code in HTML, CSS & Javascript in school. I personally find the best user-friendly options to be Squarespace (this is what I use!) or Wix. Not only is this going to help make it easier to create content, but also helps you create a beautiful website without having to code.
Tip No. 5
Determine Where To Invest & Save
It’s hard to know where it’s worth spending the money and where it’s okay to save, and honestly, I think it’s going to vary person-to-person. Of course, given that I’ve got skills in design, it’s not worth it for me to invest in a designer to create a logo for me, however, I’m happy to spend money on programs, courses & websites that make keeping my blog organized and consistent. I’m also very happy to hire my best friend & fiancé to take professional photos for me since these things are important to me & what I want my brand to reflect at this point.
Tip No. 6
Use Items You Already Have for Props
I know it’s so easy to feel like you need to buy more and more props for photoshoots, but I promise you, you have more to work with than you actually realize! Try using items around your home, since they’re probably already similar to your brand you’ve created. One thing I love to use as textured backgrounds are the blankets I already own, even my duvet cover. If you’re feeling like you’re lacking in the props department, create a list of items you want, find them at affordable places like Ikea, thrift stores or HomeSense, and keep a catalog of your items on a spreadsheet. I’m guilty of forgetting what I have, and then buying more. The only items that I frequently purchase are flowers!
There you have it! Some of my tips and tricks to create your own brand on a budget. Of course, I ultimately will always recommend investing in a designer at some point to really refine your brand and bring it to that next, professional looking level, but when you’re first starting out & if you don’t have the budget to invest in everything all at once, I hope this blog helps you to maintain a consistent, beautiful brand.
