A SharePoint Branding Primer

Developing branding for SharePoint involves customizing the platform’s look and feel to align with an organization’s visual identity and brand guidelines. Here are four steps to guide the process:

1. Define the Branding Strategy: Start by defining the branding strategy, which includes understanding the organization’s brand identity, color schemes, typography, and visual elements. Consider the brand personality and values that need to be reflected in the SharePoint site. This step helps establish a clear vision for the desired branding and sets the foundation for the customization process.
2. Customize the Site Theme: SharePoint provides customization options through its “Site Theme” feature. Begin by creating a custom theme that incorporates the organization’s branding elements. This involves selecting appropriate colors, fonts, and layout options that match the brand identity. SharePoint allows for the application of custom themes to modify the site’s appearance, including headers, footers, navigation menus, and page layouts.
3. Create Custom Master Pages: Master pages define the overall layout and structure of SharePoint sites. Customizing master pages allows organizations to achieve a consistent look and feel across all pages. Consider incorporating brand-specific elements such as logos, headers, and footers into the master page design. SharePoint Designer or other development tools can be used to create and modify master pages to align with the branding strategy.
4. Add Custom CSS and Graphics: To further enhance the branding, apply custom Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to override default SharePoint styles and add specific branding elements. This customization enables the fine-tuning of fonts, spacing, and other visual aspects. Additionally, upload custom graphics, such as background images or icons, to complement the branding and create a visually appealing user interface.

It’s crucial to ensure that the branding customization does not compromise the functionality or usability of SharePoint. Regular testing and validation of the customized branding elements across different devices and browsers can help identify any issues and ensure a consistent experience for users.