What Makes Online Branding Essential?

Let’s face it, online branding is an outstanding strategy for every business whether you’re a small startup or a well established company. But what does branding actually mean? Branding is a term that is often thrown around, but can lack specific meaning. In simple terms, branding is defined in simple words as “a product is what you sell, a brand is the perceived image of the product you sell, and branding is the strategy to create that image”. In today’s modern advertising, if you’re not building your brand online, we hate to break it to you, but you’re doing something (seriously) wrong. But luckily for you, we’re here to assist. 

Creating your brand

Creating your brand is more than just making a logo mixed with some colours – it’s about crafting your business brand identity and how you’ll stand out from competitors. Branding elevates your visibility, making your business recognisable, and positions your brand within the industry. Additionally, it assists in building an impression as your unique name and logo create a lasting perception in the minds of consumers. An example of this is Cadbury; a globally recognised brand with a signature colour of purple with a key icon of a glass and a half of milk pouring into chocolate. Their memorable branding ensures the business stays top-of-mind for consumers and fosters brand recall, recognition and loyalty. 

Once you’ve created branding that tells a story and speaks to your customers, you’re ready for the next steps!

The where and why:  

Here’s the catch, customers are already searching for your product or service online. If they can’t find you, they’ll opt for the next best option that appears. So being available online is crucial. Here are a few things to consider if your brand isn’t online: 

• Having an online presence allows you to be found, whether this is through your website, social media, blogs or podcasts and more. It’s essentially providing a customer an online window shopping experience. This can also include using relevant keywords that your audience would search for as this can assist in finding new customers
• Ensuring your brand is easily discovered and accessed online is crucial as your brand can offer customers more options and versatility when they are seeking for a particular product or service. 
• Being online also broadens your reach exponentially. With numerous platforms to choose from, you can connect with individuals worldwide, eliminating geographical barriers and increasing shareability.
• Online platforms offer unparalleled brand amplification. They allow you to reach a larger audience where they can experience the brand on a deeper level. Your online presence shapes how the brand is perceived and can foster genuine connections. 
• Utilise various channels such as IG Lives, YouTube, Tiktok, and more to showcase your personality and offer.
• While positioning your brand online enables you to attract a wider clientele and generate leads, it’s also important to be consistently providing value. This involves fostering connections that lay a foundation for future sales and business growth.
• Authenticity breeds trust. By consistently showing up online and delivering value, you build trust and likability with your audience, increasing the likelihood of recommendations and referrals and delivering brand loyalty. 
• Another perk of being online will also help assist in building an online community that are loyal and will advocate for your brand on your behalf. This can be through customer reviews, sharing or creating content. 

Your brand serves as the leading strategy for your business’s identity, and will influence how customers perceive and interact with your products or services. While understanding the importance of branding is crucial, many people overlook their online strategy. So if you need assistance with this, drop our team a DM or give us a call!