Building digital ads as an agency is no longer just about meeting specs or delivering attractive visuals—it’s about architecting adaptable systems. For those of us handling multiple clients, brands, and platforms, the old way of copying and pasting design elements for each campaign falls short. The agency template system, when truly mastered, is a springboard: reusable blocks that stay robust, no matter how wild or wide your next brief might be.
Why Reusable Blocks Are the Backbone of Agile Agencies
For years, we watched designers lose precious hours re-building similar modules for every campaign. Each small design tweak—changing a CTA shade, refining a testimonial, resizing banners for a new network—multiplied across every project. Consistency broke down, and clients felt it.
- Reduced manual work: As we standardize and centralize reusable blocks, common elements only need to be created once and maintained from a single point of truth.
- Brand consistency: Blocks carry preset type, spacing, and color logic, so no matter who, or which team, updates the project, the foundation stays intact.
- Rapid customization: Need a new CTA or an urgent promo? We can swap images, messages, or colors globally or locally, depending on the scenario.
What Reusable Blocks Actually Look Like in Practice
While some platforms talk about templates, for us, blocks are more granular: self-contained, logically organized snippets that serve as the building blocks for ads, landing pages, and even whole campaigns. We treat blocks as:
- Core elements: Think headers, footers, call-to-actions, logo placements, and disclaimers—every recurring part of an ad or landing page.
- Feature modules: Multi-column product grids, social proof carousels, or intricate offers that repeat across many client projects, sometimes with tweaks.
- Layout structures: Full-page frameworks that use our blocks in predefined sequences for rapid assembly and adaptation.
Our 6-Step Method to a Flexible Agency Template System
1. Audit Your Recurring Work
Keep a running list for a week. Write down every design or content block your team re-creates repeatedly. Look for patterns across different clients—these are prime candidates for your library.
- Common examples: service cards, pricing sections, testimonial carousels, opt-in forms.
- If you build or adjust it three times a month, it probably belongs in your system.
2. Create a Reusable Block Library
This is more than dragging assets into a shared folder. Organize blocks by function, platform, and industry, with clear names and preview thumbnails. Make sure all designers know where to find and how to use them.
- “CTA_Subscribe_Dark”, “HeroImage_MobileSafe”, “Testimonial_Grid_3up” for clear identification.
- Maintain a version history as you update or refine them to avoid accidental mass changes.
3. Build for Multi-Resolution Needs from the Start
Modern campaigns span dozens of display sizes and networks. Each block in your system must be designed to scale smoothly, not just for one static width or device. This is where we lean on responsive frameworks (like those baked into SizeIM) to ensure every asset adapts effortlessly to its environment.
- All type, padding, and image ratios need to adjust fluidly with container size.
- Use layouts that flex rather than break—proven by previewing each block from leaderboard to mobile banner.
4. Define Clear Rules for Block Customization vs. Global Sync
Every agency struggles with local tweaks versus global consistency. Our rule: Use global-sync blocks for core brand elements, but detach (or clone) when a unique variation is required for campaign specificity.
- For example, a global footer or brand badge stays synced; a one-off seasonal promo gets its own fork.
5. Streamline Workflow with Naming, Access, and Documentation
Agencies that fly fast have detailed internal wikis for block usage. We document the intended use, code snippets, example screenshots, and update dates. Only experienced designers edit the core library; everyone else clones for specific jobs as needed. This dramatically reduces the risk of accidental mass changes.
6. Regularly Audit and Prune Your Library
Quarterly (or after major brand changes), we review blocks: what’s used most, what’s gathering dust, and what needs updating. Unused blocks get archived. Frequently-used blocks are reviewed for design drift and updated as needed.
Integrating Multi-Size Output: The Real Magic
The multiplying force is clear when blocks are used with automated resizing systems. The instant a campaign block is tweaked, tools like SizeIM can generate every required size without time-consuming manual labor. Your single source-of-truth block becomes platform-ready creative in a matter of minutes.
- We create a hero block for a campaign, then let SizeIM output it as a leaderboard, square, mobile banner, and skyscraper—all while preserving logic and visual integrity.
- This multiplies our reach and lets us test more channels without burdening the design team.
If you want to dig further into scaling ad sets with a single design, we covered this in depth in One Design, 20 Sizes: How Agencies Actually Pull It Off.
Industry-Specific Sets: When Blocks Get Specialized
Some agencies support multiple industries with unique compliance needs. Building vertical-specific block sets (think legal disclaimers, e-commerce product grids, or financial badges) means you’re not just fast—you’re compliant, and always in tune with the nuances of client needs.
- For example, our e-commerce templates include sections for product ratings, badges, and shippable offers to streamline launches on retail media platforms.
We recommend tracking these as standalone sets, so updates hit only their intended vertical without disrupting generic or other sector-based blocks.
Common Pitfalls & How We Avoid Them
- Over-customization: Don’t let your library bloat with single-use blocks; prioritize flexible, parameter-driven designs over endless permutations.
- Out-of-date templates: Every brand update should trigger a block audit; don’t let old colors or logos linger.
- Accidental global updates: Always confirm whether a change should sync globally or only live locally—clear team training is a must.
Blocks Across Campaign Ecosystems
Reusable blocks really shine when orchestrating complex, multi-touch campaigns. It’s not uncommon for us to sync a single CTA design across emails, landing pages, banners, and even dynamic product ads for coherence and speed. The efficiency comes when all channels shift together with a single update—campaigns become living systems rather than disconnected assets.
For expert tips on syncing assets from CTV to web banners, see Safe Areas, Fast Loads: The CTV‑to‑Banner Checklist.
Scaling Your Agency Through Systematized Templates
As agencies grow, so does the need for democratized expertise. Well-built blocks allow less senior designers to deliver at the standard of your most experienced leads. The result? You expand your client base, elevate creative output, and protect margins in a world that doesn’t slow down.
- Blocks mean projects can go from brief to launch in a matter of hours, not days.
- As team members rotate or jump onto urgent pitches, there’s no loss in quality—systems beat scramble every time.
Next Steps: Start Building Your Agency Template System
If you haven’t started building a reusable block library, now is the time. Begin by reviewing your last five projects—identify which modules you repeated, then turn those into your first set of blocks. Organize, document, and share them across your team. Experiment by integrating a responsive, multi-size ad delivery framework and watch your production timeline shrink.
Ultimately, our philosophy is simple: work smarter at scale, not just harder. By treating every brief as a new combination of proven blocks—built for scale, optimized for every size, and kept fresh—we don’t just keep up. We get ahead.
Interested in accelerating your workflow?
Ready to see how automated resizing and adaptive templates can transform your agency? Get to know our approach and discover more at SizeIM. Let’s unlock new efficiency in every brief, for every client—today.
