If you’re tired of seeing off-brand presentations, mismatched infographics, or marketing materials that look like everyone just did their own thing—this is for you. Making your company’s visuals look sharp and consistent shouldn’t be a full-time job, but it does take a bit of setup. This guide will walk you through customizing Venngage templates so your team actually sticks to the brand basics—without you chasing them down every week.
1. Know What "Brand Consistency" Actually Means
Before you click anything, get clear about what you’re actually trying to keep consistent. Most companies overcomplicate this or, worse, don’t define it at all. Here’s what usually matters:
- Logo: The right logo, not just “close enough.”
- Brand colors: The actual hex codes, not just “blue-ish.”
- Fonts: The approved ones, not whatever came with the template.
- Imagery style: Stock photos? Icons? Illustrations? Pick and stick to it.
- Tone/voice: Not directly a template thing, but keep an eye out.
Write these down somewhere. If you don’t have a brand guide, make a cheat sheet. It’ll save you later when you’re updating templates and suddenly can’t remember which orange is “the orange.”
2. Get Set Up in Venngage
Venngage is a popular online design tool because it’s simple enough for beginners but has enough features for teams. The templates are the starting point, but they’re not plug-and-play for every company.
Create an Account
- Sign up for a business account (if you want brand kit features and collaboration).
- If you’re solo or just testing, the free plan works, but you’ll hit limits fast.
Gather Your Brand Assets
Have these ready before you start poking around:
- Logo files (preferably PNG or SVG with transparent background)
- Brand colors (hex codes)
- Brand fonts (TTF/OTF files if you want to upload them)
- Any sample images, icons, or graphics you want to reuse
Pro tip: Make a folder on your desktop so you’re not hunting for files later.
3. Build Your Brand Kit in Venngage
The “Brand Kit” is where you load up your colors, logos, and fonts so you don’t have to redo it every time. This is where most people cut corners and regret it later.
Set Up Your Brand Kit
- Go to your dashboard and look for “Brand Kit.”
- Upload your logo (more than one if you have variations).
- Enter your brand colors by hex code—not just eyeballing it.
- Upload your fonts, or select the closest available in Venngage if uploading isn’t an option.
What Works Well
- Once set, you can apply your brand kit to any template with one click.
- You’ll save a ton of time not having to manually change each color or font.
What Doesn’t
- Some brand fonts may not be available or uploadable, depending on your plan.
- The brand kit doesn’t always update every element in a template, especially if the template uses custom graphics.
Pro tip: If your font isn’t available, pick something visually close. Most audiences won’t notice minor differences, but they will notice if you mix fonts.
4. Choose the Right Template (Don’t Overthink It)
Venngage has a ton of templates: infographics, reports, social posts, you name it. Here’s the honest take—don’t waste an hour hunting for the “perfect” one. Pick something that matches your content type and general vibe, and get moving.
How to Pick
- Filter by category (reports, timelines, proposals, etc.).
- Look for layouts that match your usual structure.
- Ignore the colors and fonts—they’ll change soon.
What to Ignore
- Don’t get hung up on stock images or icons in the template. You can—and should—swap these out.
5. Apply Your Brand Kit to the Template
This is where the magic (or, sometimes, the frustration) happens.
How To
- Open your chosen template.
- Click “Apply Brand Kit” or similar (Venngage sometimes moves this button, but it’s usually in the top menu).
- Watch as most colors, fonts, and logos shift to your settings.
What Works
- Most text, backgrounds, and charts will update instantly.
- Logo placement is usually easy to adjust or swap.
What Doesn’t
- Some graphics (like icons or illustrations) may keep their original colors.
- Occasionally, text boxes or shapes don’t update—especially in older templates.
Pro tip: Do a quick scan for weird leftovers (random colors, default text, off-brand icons) and swap them out manually.
6. Customize Everything That Matters (and Ignore the Rest)
Here’s where people get stuck trying to make everything pixel-perfect. Don’t. Focus on the details that actually impact your brand.
Change Out Stock Images and Icons
- Swap in images or icons that fit your brand’s look. If your brand avoids cartoony icons, don’t use them—no matter how “fun” the template looks.
- Use Venngage’s icon/image library or upload your own.
Edit Text Styles and Layouts
- Make sure headlines, subheads, and body text use your brand fonts and styles.
- Adjust spacing and alignment if things look off. It’s worth the minute it takes.
Update Charts, Graphs, and Data
- Input your actual data.
- Change chart colors to your brand palette (sometimes this doesn’t update automatically).
What to Ignore
- Don’t sweat over tiny things like button corner radius or the exact drop shadow. No one will notice, and it’s not worth your time.
Pro tip: If you find yourself fiddling endlessly, set a timer. Done beats perfect.
7. Lock Down the Essentials for Team Use
If you’re part of a team or want others to actually use your nicely branded templates, make it foolproof.
Create Branded “Master” Templates
- Save your finished design as a custom template.
- Name it clearly (“2024 Sales Report – Branded”) so there’s no confusion.
Set Editing Permissions
- If you’re on a business plan, restrict editing on certain elements (like the logo or color blocks).
- Remind your team not to “just change the red to green because it looks cool.” You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.
Share Instructions
- Add a quick guide or notes in the template. (“Don’t change font. Logo goes here.”)
- Better to be a little annoying now than cleaning up off-brand slides later.
8. Export and Use Your Designs (Without Screwing Up the Quality)
When you’re done, you want your design to look good everywhere—presentations, social, print. Here’s what to watch out for:
Export Settings
- For web: PNG or JPG is fine.
- For print: Use PDF and check the resolution.
- Avoid low-res exports if you want things to look sharp.
What to Watch
- Sometimes, colors look different on screen versus print. Do a test print if it matters.
- Check file sizes—Venngage sometimes exports huge files.
9. Update and Iterate (Don’t Let Things Get Stale)
Branding isn’t “set and forget.” Review your templates every quarter or so:
- Fix anything that looks dated.
- Swap in updated logos or colors if your brand evolves.
- Ask your team what’s working and what’s causing confusion.
Pro tip: The best way to keep things consistent is to make the right way the easiest way. If your templates are clean and easy to use, people will actually use them.
Keep It Simple—and Actually Use It
Brand consistency is about habits, not heroics. Set up your templates once, check them now and then, and don’t waste time perfecting every pixel. With a little upfront work in Venngage, you’ll spend less time policing off-brand designs and more time actually getting stuff done. Start small, keep it simple, and tweak as you go. That’s how real teams build a brand people actually recognize.