Artificial intelligence tools are making more room for each business's context. In October, Google announced new Gemini features for small businesses, including the ability to work with visual identity references. The news raises a practical question: how prepared is your brand to explain how it wants to communicate?
Having a logo and a color palette is useful, but not enough. A team or tool also needs to understand who it is speaking to, what it offers, and what claims it must not make. Preparing this information means you don't have to review every piece of content asif it were the first.
Describe the person who needs your content
Define the need you're trying to address and where they are in the decision-making process. Speaking to someone comparing options is not the same as speaking to someone who has already signed up and needs to get started. If the guide only says the audience is businesses, it leaves too muchroom for interpretation.
Add examples of real questions, without personal information. An agency can distinguish between explaining a service, showing its process, and starting a pricing conversation. Each goal calls for a different message, even if the visualidentity stays the same.
Explain your voice with concrete examples
Words like professional, approachable, or innovative can mean different things to different people. Pair them with one phrase you'd use and another you'd change, and explain why. This makes it possible to evaluate a result using observable criteria,not just personal preference.
Include preferred terms, expressions you want to avoid, and how to address the reader. If the business operates in multiple languages, clarify which names stay the same and which are adapted. Don't turn the guide into a rigid list that prevents you from respondingnaturally to each context.
Separate visual identity from the accuracy of your offering
A piece of content can look right and still communicate something false. Keep an up-to-date reference of services, terms, and scope. Don't expect a tool to infer which features are available now, which are being tested, and which belongto a different plan.
For images, gather references for framing, lighting, and atmosphere. Specify whether you prefer real-life scenes, illustrations, or product images. Avoid relying on old screenshots if the interface has changed, and don't present a conceptual image as evidence of a real feature.
Use a quick review before publishing
Check four things: the piece meets its objective, uses up-to-date information, reflects the brand identity, and offers an appropriate next step. Also check mobile readability and consistency across the cover, title, and content. An attractive image can't make up for a promise the text doesn't support.
When you reject a result, record what went wrong. Saying it doesn't feel like the brand offers little to learn; explaining that it exaggerates benefits, uses an overly technical tone, or depicts a scene unrelated to the customer helps improve the nextattempt.
Make your guide a resource you can maintain
Assign an owner and a review date. Keep a current version somewhere accessible to everyone who creates content. Remove outdated references from working materials so the team doesn't use themaccidentally.
In editorial work with Onix Board, that guide can inform content instructions and reviews. The platform doesn't replace brand judgment: it helps to clarify decisions before requesting a generation and before accepting theresult.
Start with a page of criteria and three good examples. A short guide people actually use is worth more than a long document nobody consults. Learn more about Onix Board at https://onixboard.com.
Current reference: Google, “New Gemini tools for small business owners,” October 20, 2026: https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/products/gemini-app/new-tools-small-business-owners/