A brand signifies who you are and what you do.
Overall, your branding is the big
picture of your company. In addition, your audience can recognize your brand in
a crowd; whether it’s a slogan or even a specific color scheme and this is why
you should work on building an identifiable brand right from the beginning!
Does your company have an identifiable brand? 77% of B2B marketing leaders say branding is essential to growth. Since, the world is increasingly transforming into a digital market, it has become crucial for small businesses and startups to work on their digital branding as a top priority.
If you don’t have a brand popular in
digital media yet, creating an effective digital branding strategy is the first
step to ensure your brand’s success.
Digital branding strategy will of course vary brand to brand and industry to industry, but there are few principles which remain same.
This article will discuss the 4 basics to remember when devising a digital branding strategy.
1- Consistency
Your brand is everywhere. You’ll use
the same color scheme for your products and marketing, you use a specific tone
of voice for all written content, and every other aspect of your business
relates to your brand.
This is why you should plan your
brand with consistency in mind. If you’re not pushing your brand with every
business effort, your audience may not recognize your brand. So, make sure to
be consistent not just in the color schemes, but also the message and value
your business delivers.
If you have established a good offline market already, replicating your offline messages in online media is a good way to start!
2- Flexibility
While consistency is key when
promoting your brand, your brand should also be flexible; so make sure your
strategy has a margin to add or remove items whenever and wherever needed.
A flexible brand also ensures you
can change or improve a brand, if necessary. There are tens of examples where
the businesses have reinvented their image through digital branding. For instance, all the big and small American brands when
they entered in a new territories like the Middle East and Asia, have almost
rebranded their product lines to capture the market share.
3- Purpose
There’s a reason why you decided to
form your company in the first place. Signify this purpose within your
branding. Your brand’s purpose will truly set you apart from the competition.
What should your brand’s purpose be?
Common examples include why customers should buy from your brand, offering
high-quality products or a low price, uniqueness, or one that embodies a moral
purpose!
4- Emotion
Emotions are why customers connect
with your brand.
Whether it’s a status symbol or your
company story inspires them, customers use their emotions to dictate which
brands they support. That’s why your brand should have emotional depth.
What are some examples of emotional branding? Make your customers feel like they’re wanted. Instead of offering a normal product, offer a way for your audience members to connect.
Well, this is an essential not just
for the digital branding strategy, but in fact the overall branding!
Most brands use this marketing
tactic in their commercial advertising. But websites and social media make this
belonging sensation easier to achieve. So, keeping the above three essentials
in mind, make sure your digital branding content blends the right emotions
within.
Other examples include promoting
your company morally (do part of your proceeds go toward a charity?) and
identify a problem and offer a solution.
Creating
an Effective Digital Branding Strategy
No matter what industry you’re in or
what products you’re selling, every company needs a digital branding strategy
in today’s digital world. Your brand embodies your company personality and sets
you apart from your competitors.
A successful brand is one customers
can recognize, strengthening your company awareness. To create an identifiable
brand, it’s essential you include consistency, flexibility, purpose, and
emotion in your strategy.