How to use keywords to develop your brand aesthetic
You have your word of the year. But do you have any for your brand?
If you’re trying to determine your brand’s visual aesthetic a great place to start can be choosing a handful of words that evoke the look, feel, and experience you want your brand to convey.
In the early years of my business, I found myself soaking up all the resources I could, reading all the books, learning all the things. And when Pinterest became a thing, I was pinning away, grabbing at each shiny object that came through my feed. I was dreaming about my lifestyle, my clothing, my home, and I found plenty for my business too.
why pinterest shouldn’t be the first step to collecting inspiration for your brand
Though your first instinct might be to head to Pinterest and look up logos and branding and see what your favorite companies are doing, you need to become your own source of inspiration first. That way, when you do start a brand pinterest board, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for.
The biggest source of inspiration for your brand is you.
To start, you need to get clear on your mission, vision, values, and the core of what you do so you can fully embrace and embody it.
But if you need a little help distilling that down, choosing brand keywords can help set a clear direction for your visuals—that starts with your own unique vision instead of someone else’s.
Start by freely responding to these questions:
What first impression do you want people to have when they encounter your brand?
How do people feel (or how do you want them to feel) after working with you or buying the thing you made?
What’s your unique approach to doing business or creating? What do you bring to your business?
If you hosted an event to celebrate your business, what would the mood be? What would the decor be like? What’s the vibe?
narrow down your word list
Look back on what you wrote and circle anything that stands out to you. Are there common themes, words that repeat, something that excites you or keys into your vision? List those out, and then see how specific you can get.
For example: My clients often tell me they want their branding to look professional. But that can mean many things to many people. Assume professional is the baseline. What does professional look like or mean for you and your business? Is it polished, crisp, and clean to convey the clarity your clients get from working with you? Is your brand distinctive? How?
Keep prodding your word choices and pushing until you have a few specific words that are zinging with energy. Challenge yourself to define more abstract words for yourself.
use brand keywords to search for and filter your inspiration
Is your brand aesthetic easier to picture now? Use your final handful of words as a starting point for collecting visual inspiration.
Do the words you chose call anything immediately to mind?
What colors do you associate with your words?
If you were to pair your word with a texture would it be soft and velvety or cool and metallic?
What kinds of places, decor, or even fashion fit the vibe of the words you’ve chosen?
If you use what your words evoke to guide your search, you may end up discovering something tactile and evocative you’d never have found if you just searched for logo inspiration.
Does this mean you can’t be inspired by other brands?
Of course, we’re all inspired by the things we see and admire. But if you view inspiration through your own unique brand filters, you can better identify what it is about something you’re drawn to, and then evaluate if there’s something you can take inspiration from for your brand. So instead of thinking, “I like this logo,” you might notice the way the unique lettering adds personality, or how crisp lines feel clean and modern.
And when you focus your inspiration like that, you’re not just trying to mimic something, but looking at just one aspect of a thing that could spark an idea for you. Starting from these filters unique to you will help you source visuals that will inspire your vision without directly influencing the design itself.
Ask Why
With everything you admire, look harder and ask why—this will help you connect back to your own intentions. Be careful to collect inspiration that expands on your own vision, rather than borrows from someone else’s.
When you start with your own unique brand words, you won’t be creating or seeking out visuals that look like everyone else, but instead the accessories that make your brand uniquely yours.
