Online Branding A to Z

Online Branding A to Z

By all accounts, branding your business is crucial in building and maintaining an effective company. With so many small businesses utilizing new ways to establish their web presence, it’s important to stick out from your competition in innovative ways.

Here are easy ways to brand your online business throughout multiple levels of your company – in alphabetical order!

Buy a .com Website

One of the easiest ways you can brand yourself is to purchase a legitimate domain extension for your own business. This gives your business credibility as the .com extension is still the most widely recognized and trusted extension out there. But before you can purchase your own domain, you’ll need to brainstorm what to call it.

Something to keep in mind is that the Internet is drastically changing. So is the customer experience online. The more memorable a site name is, the easier it will be to retain visitors. Having your own domain also gives you the ability to control exactly how your customers will see your business. Just make sure you have a plan! Don’t dive in without a business and marketing plan when buying your domain, otherwise you might actually be hurting your brand. (Steer clear of other common mistakes when building your website.)

Design

Design should play a huge role in your business’ marketing plan. Whether it’s designing your website’s template and logo or constructing the perfect welcome email – how you choose to portray your company is going to make a huge mark.

For example, when choosing a logo for your company, you want to enhance your customer’s experience with your business and give off a positive impression of who you are. This implies really going to the drawing board and thinking hard about who your target market is and how your logo will resonate.

A good rule of thumb in design for your business is to always be professional, but not boring. This is an opportunity to prove that your company is special. Showcase your brand by figuring out your company’s values and displaying them through unique design.

Email Marketing

Additionally, using an effective email marketing plan is helpful in building your brand awareness. Building strong relationships with an email list is a great strategy for increasing sales performance and strengthening your company. According to one study, email is almost 40 times more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined in helping your business acquire new customers.

When you buy an email address, you have the ability to reach engaged customers regularly and directly. You can use personality and tone to reach your audience and showcase your creativity as well as trustworthiness. Be sure to limit your email blasts, though; nobody likes it when their inbox is filled with the same kinds of messages.

Social Media Presence

Having a nuanced social media presence is crucial in creating and maintaining an effective brand. That being said, there are literally hundreds of social media networks your business can utilize to broadcast your brand. All you have to do is figure out which ones will work best for your company.

Here are some common ones and how they’re effective:

  • Facebook – Nearly three quarters of American adults use the site. Enough said.
  • Instagram – An ideal network for lifestyle companies and travel companies, or if your product/service/target audience resonates better with images. For example, if you’re selling clothes and your target audience are millennials, Instagram is particularly effective in catching that audience’s attention.
  • Pinterest – An excellent choice for travel and lifestyle companies to be active on. It’s arguably become more of a search platform than a social platform the past few years, meaning posting right images and captions can drive a lot of traffic back to your site.

Social media is one of the most useful tools in branding. Just know your target audience and choose the platforms they’re active on.

With these tips on how to brand your business, you’ll be able to reach your customers in a unique way that sets you apart from your competitors. Good luck!