In today’s business world, few terms or concepts are as pervasive—even sacred—as this one. (We thought about maybe putting a halo or a golden glow around those two words.)
You hear brands and branding discussed all the time. You hear it from all industries in the developed world. But what exactly do these words mean? What goes into a brand? More specifically, how does branding work on the web? Hexa has answers for these questions. More importantly, we can put this knowledge to work online.
Essentially, your brand is all about how people perceive you. A logo is an important aspect of brand identity, but branding has much more to it than that. Your brand also includes how others relate to your business through:
Your brand has visual elements (logo, official colors, fonts) and it has written elements (slogan, tagline, brand voice). Your brand should tell a story and it should feel familiar to your customers. Think of the brands you know best. What do they have in common? Consistency and visibility, sure, but successful branding also has a clear focus, a target audience, and good communication.
When it comes to your brand identity online, there is so much more to think about than just your website. Your brand must shine—and be consistent—across many platforms and media.
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Though every brand has different elements and every company places different levels of importance on the various aspects, you can still consider these three main components for every brand identity.
Your brand should be firmly rooted in your "Why"— meaning, why your company exists and what you bring to the table. Along with conveying the values of your brand, your website should quickly be able to answer questions like these:
In addition to what you do, your brand includes how you do it.
The impression that customers have of your business—innovative or traditional, classy or down-to-earth—is a major component of your brand. Factors such as these play a role in conveying your brand’s personality:
Have you ever had friends who said one thing and did another all the time? If so, you probably didn’t keep them as friends for long.
Who wants to keep shifty, unreliable people in their lives? More importantly, who wants to give their money to a business that behaves that way? If a company does not seem to know its own purpose or identity, it won't inspire trust in its prospects and customers. That’s why consistency is crucial when it comes to building a brand. Among other things, this can mean: