Whether you’re just starting out or you’re already running a successful e-commerce site, branding is a fundamental part of growing a business online. But, what does that mean? Let’s take a look.
Keep The Essence Of Your Product
The essence of your product should not change. Your customers will identify your product with your brand, so you want to make sure that the product is consistent across all your marketing materials, from your website to social media. The main difference in most cases is the look and feel of your site. You can use a tool like Shopify for example, to make your e-commerce store look like a brand-new, professionally designed site.
Consider The Conventions Used By The Industry You’re In
The term ‘branding’ can be used in a variety of ways, so you need to make sure that you’re using the correct terminology to communicate your intended meaning. You might use ‘branding’ to describe the process of creating a unique identity for your company or product. In that case, you would want to consider using the term ‘logo development’ or ‘brand identity’ instead.
Grow A Family-Friendly Brand
When developing your brand, you need to keep in mind that your target audience includes families. Families are more likely to spend time on the web, so you want to make sure that your brand materials reflect that. After all, your customers are your friends, too! Consider creating a brand that is fun and inviting, but still manages to be professional. This way, you can attract and retain a wider audience.
Naming Your Brand Is The First Step
The first step in branding is to name your brand. Just like you would name a person or a company, you need to consider the following:
- What is the meaning you will give to this brand?
- How will you communicate this meaning to others?
- What makes your product or service unique?
- What do you want others to associate with when they think about your brand?
When developing your brand, you might want to do some research online to see if someone else has used a similar name before. You can use a tool like Google for example, to search for the name of your brand and see what comes up in the results. You may also want to ask other businesses that are associated with yours whether they’ve heard of ‘x’ brand or product and whether they would recommend it or not. Finally, you can also ask customers who’ve used ‘x’ brand whether they love or hate it, what they think about it, and whether it is a good fit for their needs.
Choose A Logo That Works Well In Small And Large Print
A logo is an essential part of branding, so you want to make sure that you have a logo that can be used in multiple ways, on multiple platforms, and in both big and small print. Your logo should work well for both the big picture and the small picture.
When Choosing a Brand, Don’t Just Look At The Front
Just like with a person or a company, your logo should represent you throughout. When choosing a logo, you want to make sure that it represents you in all your branded marketing materials, including your website, social media, and email marketing. The back of your business card is also an excellent place to brand your company. Just make sure that the logo itself does not go beyond the borders of your card.
Give It Some Thought
Just like with most things in life, there are more than one way to skin a cat. You could make a funny, albeit annoying, saying to accompany your logo design and branding strategy. You might come up with a tagline or motto for your brand. The choice is up to you!