How to Build a Strong Online Brand Identity: Tips from the Experts

It’s the end of another month and this is the time of year where most companies are wondering how they can enhance their branding to make a long-lasting impression for those upcoming holiday months just around the corner and into the new year.

First, we want to point out that branding is different from marketing, but the two go hand-in-hand. Marketing is the promotion of products and services using either traditional “push” tactics or more user-friendly inbound marketing strategies, which may include branding strategies. Branding is much broader than marketing. It’s the experience, the opinions, the perception of how people and customers view your company. It’s the complex set of beliefs that define who you are in the hearts of our community and industry and it’s always “on” building up and differentiating you from your competition.

We went ahead an collected a few ideas from other sources (and added some of our own) for building a strong, iconic brand now and for years to come. 

Build Your Reputation, According to Forbes

Taylor King, an associate account manager with Inward Strategic Consulting, explains that it’s vital that your company is aware of what others are saying about your brand since the opinions and feedback of your customers are what control your image nowadays. Due to the proliferation of social media outlets and the heaping amounts of reviews and ratings floating around online, however, it can be extra hard and time consuming to do so. Take a bit of time out of the week to encourage online customer reviews and help build your reputation. More often than not, a customer will give you great feedback and you’d be surprised at how much of a difference it makes. If you’re short on time, a social media and online review monitoring tool can help.

Show-Off Your Recognitions

Awards and recognitions that your services, business or employees have earned are what help differentiate you from others. Take advantage of showing off all of your kudos on widgets and icons on your website. Featuring a separate page with a “Recent Recognitions” can be very valuable and helps you build trust and credibility with new and current customers.

Establish Yourself as the Expert

It’s not enough to just have a website. Nowadays, it’s growing ever more important to establish and online brand that attracts first-time visitors and delight current customers. Educational content will usually do wonders to help establish yourself as the pro in your industry as well as attract visitors at the same time – think eBooks, whitepapers, and downloadable materials that are relevant and helpful to your customers about your industry. Be the helpful and willing hand to give your customer information they want or need to know now, and in doing so, they’ll come back and ask about your products and services later down the road.

But Remember to Be Human 

Showing that there are actually people behind the face of a brand isn’t a bad thing. According to Hubspot, it’s actually a really great thing that elicits more personal feelings from leads and customers. The fact is customers enjoy doing business with companies they get to know and trust. A company that they’ve built a relationship with…not a faceless, cold corporation that’s out to take their money and run. Write a captivating “About Us” page that tells your brand story and lose the business jargon that we’re so used to reading everywhere. It may make you sound super smart and important, but it ends up going over most people’s heads and makes you seem inaccessible. Speak like a human to reach out and relate to a human.

Communicate Your Differences 

What makes your brand different from your competition? Brand positioning helps customers point you out in a sea of similar companies offering the same exact products and services. This interesting Ted Talk by Simon Sinek still holds true more than ever about a way a company, a person, or a group establishes themselves as the leader above the rest.

He explains that Apple has been able to establish themselves as the leader in the tech industry and inspire millions of people by simply communicating differently from other brands. Many companies will naturally be focused on communicating “what” they do, instead of “why” they’re different and wonder why they aren’t getting new business. By communicating “why” first before the “what,” you’re capturing an emotional connection with customers, which has made Apple so successful. Focus your marketing efforts on communicating your personal vision. After all, “people don’t buy what you do, but why you do it.”

Need help with your current web presence? Sign up for a free marketing report that will rate your current marketing approaches against those of your competitors. We’ll then offer recommendations on how to enhance your digital marketing strategy to improve your marketing and overall branding.

About Small Screen Producer

Small Screen Producer is a full service, marketing firm located in Houston, Texas that specializes in online digital media marketing through a 4-step process. Step 1: WE PLAN a custom web presence strategy for your business through website design and development, mobile development, social media account creation and branding. STEP 2: We then POSITION your brand through Pay-Per-Click advertising and search engine optimize tactics that include on-page and off-page SEO that are Google and Bing approved. STEP 3: We then PROMOTE your brand using an Inbound marketing strategy or a content marketing strategy to help you accomplish your marketing goals. We do this through blogging, video production, infographics, call-to-actions, landing pages, and free educational offers. We help you build trust and rapport with your customer base. STEP 4: We then PROTECT your brand’s web presence with a reputation management program that monitors social media and on line reviews. Get started today with a free online marketing assessment of your company’s web presence. Your company deserves it.