Defining branding

Branding holds significant value to how a customer perceives your goods or services. The word branding is a new term that everyone in the Design and Marketing sector seems to be using but what does it actually mean?

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines branding as ‘the activity of giving a particular name and image to goods and services so that people will be attracted to them and want to buy’.

Branding in its simplest form has been around for many years. It was first recorded in 2000 BC when farmers and craftspeople claimed ownership over their products. Farmers would physically brand their livestock with hot irons and crafters would imprint unique symbols onto their goods to mark their origins, materials and quality.

It is commonly thought that branding is just about a logo, but it is much more than that. Branding is the tool used to help form a business identity. It can help you stand out from the competition, and grabs the attention of your target audience. It increases loyalty and helps build trust and rapport.

Branding your company and products differentiates you from your competitors, the problems you can solve with your product or service encourages customers to buy, with the reassurance they get from your brand. Your business’s brand identity is the way that you represent yourself to the public with visuals, and messaging, whereas your brand strategy impacts the way you present your brand identity.

Before you start to consider branding, you have to understand who your company, products and services are aimed at, your personality and values.

Four Important Elements to Consider:

1/ Determine your target audience – In order to build a successful brand, your image has to appeal to your target audience. They are the people that your product was designed for, so your branding should reflect a look and feel that will connect with them. Therefore, one of the first things you have to do is research your target audience. Find out their likes and dislikes and use this information as a foundation for your branding, in order to resonate with your audience, you have to connect with them.

2/ Position your products and business – Understand where your business fits in the market and who your competitors are. Keep in line with businesses who have similar target audiences and competition, but stand out. Differentiate your product to offer your customers something that your competitors do not.

3/ Define your company’s personality – Think about the tone of voice, language and how your business will interact with its customers. The personality should reflect the product, target audience and the values that your business identifies with. Writing a mission and vision statement for your company can be a good way to narrow down your brand values and ensure that everyone in your team knows the goals and aims.

4/ Choose a logo and slogan – Choosing your logo and slogan should be one of the last things you think about when branding. It should encompass everything you have decided reflects your business, whilst being aimed at appealing to your audience. Easily recognisable and simple designs are usually easier to remember and identify.

Also consider deciding on a colour palette and font that will be used as part of your brand guidelines. These are a specific set of instructions or guidance that your team, designer and marketers can follow to ensure that your brand image is consistent across all digital and print media – no matter where a customer sees your brand it should be recognisable and follow these rules.

Marketing And Branding

Once you have all of the elements of your branding, you can market your business and products with your new look. However, branding is not just for new products or services, established businesses can reignite their brand by renewing their image.

However, your branding will not be successful on its own. It needs to be supported by your marketing to expose to your audience. With your marketing, target potential and existing audiences and engage with them. Your audience will begin to know what to expect and will recognise your style, designs and tone of voice.

These are a few ways you can help to amplify your brand identity through your marketing:

Website and user experience – Help drive awareness for your business and products. Your site landing pages should reflect what users expect to see, if you use your branding heavily on social media they don’t expect to click on your ad and view a completely different design on your site. Build trust, manage expectations, and provide users with a place to learn more about your company and complete conversions.

SEO and content – This provides your users with relevant content that is important to them. It helps you make your business easily discoverable by increasing your Google Ranking and appear for terms that they are actively using.

Social Media – Each platform helps you engage with customers and encourages growth. It can help customers become connected to your brand, and is also another place where you can share relevant content to them. Answer questions, concerns and build advocacy.

Paid Advertising – PPC campaigns help to build exposure, awareness and growth to either all or specific events or products in your business. It helps customers discover your business products or services in the form of ads that are located above the organic search results.

The importance of branding should not be overlooked, it fits not only your business image and values but creates a cohesive look through all your business touchpoints to encourage buying.

At KH Digital we can help make your brand a visual success. We pride ourselves in listening to our client’s needs and understanding their business so that your identity has visual clarity, consistency and becomes recognisable to find out more contact us for a no obligation chat.