Digital branding refers to the creative, strategic process used to design and build a brand online through websites , mobile apps , social media, and internet advertising. Growing and maintaining your brand digitally is incredibly important when establishing a business in the 21st century. Digital branding enables any company to make its presence known anywhere- even in the palm of your customers’ hands.
Branding vs. Marketing
The terms “branding” and “marketing” are often used interchangeably in this context. There is some overlap; however, while digital branding focuses on providing continuous value through inspiring loyalty to a brand identity, digital marketing is all about finding new customers and converting leads to sales.
Unlike traditional advertising, digital branding seeks to engage with you directly. It’s prioritizes fostering relationships and encouraging positive feedback rather than persuading people to make a one-time purchase.
Branding distills everything about a company into a concise, memorable message that people will recall and continue to associate with the business. Messages don’t necessarily have to be complicated to resonate deeply. For example, Nike’s “JUST DO IT” continues to be impactful, despite its simplicity.
Digital Branding Essentials
Company goals, values, and messaging play major roles in digital branding. Creative elements like logos, slogans, websites, mobile apps, and social media also factor into the process. There are countless components of excellent digital branding, but we’ve chosen to cover only the essentials here.
1. Logo
A logo is often the first thing a customer will associate with a brand. Effective logos match the values and personality of a business, industry, and target market. The design must be memorable enough to leave an impression, but not so complicated that potential customers are left confused.
Check out logos in your industry to see what competitors are trying. Choose colors wisely, as the right logo color gives a brand character and can subtly influence customers. This color scheme should be standardized across all physical and digital platforms, from business cards to email signatures.
Keep in mind that digital platforms require images to be specific sizes and scales. The best logos will work well as buttons, app icons, cover photos, profile pictures, as well as email headers and footers.
2. Identity
Knowing and defining exactly who you are is a major challenge of digital branding. Brand identity involves communicating company goals, values, and vision, both internally and externally. Therefore, effective branding will exemplify what a company does and believes while resonating with customers’ needs and desires.
Identify your brand by asking these questions:
- What are your values?
- Who are you as a company?
- Who is your ideal customer?
- What is your mission statement?
The tone of voice must also align with the business and the services it offers. Retailers would do well to keep things playful and popular, while medical suppliers should probably tone things down and remain professional. Try to highlight solutions and positivity at every available opportunity.
3. Website
If your logo is the sign for your business, your website is the digital storefront. When a customer wants to know anything about your business, from physical locations and hours of operation, to product listings or contact information, they probably won’t be digging through the yellow pages. They’ll Google your brand, hoping to find information quickly and easily. The best websites take advantage of search engine optimization ( SEO ) to rank highly on search result pages. For more on SEO, check out our blog.
Effective websites are fast, simple, and user-friendly. Streamline the design and maintain your brand identity by using a consistent theme that matches or complements your logo. Foreground your brand name and essential details with bold, legible fonts, and keep pages sharp and succinct by excluding unnecessary information. These days, the surest way to lose a potential customer is with a slow, disorganized website.
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