What's the first brand that comes to your mind when you see this?
(Source)
Yep, Mastercard! That's the logo that represents the brand.
The iconic circles and colors.
It's so easy to notice, right?
I'm sure you also want this for your eCommerce brand.
You want people to recognize your presence and be able to tell it's your brand when they hear a certain word.
And it's possible!
But let me tell you... a strong brand identity goes beyond the logo.
And that's what we'll talk about today...
- You'll learn the importance of branding for your eCommerce store.
- You'll find out the difference between branding and marketing.
- You'll know how to craft a strong brand identity that will help you stand out.
So, make sure to stay until the end.
Because you'll learn how to create a brand identity that will help you get recognized in the digital space.
Let's get down to business!
What Is A Brand Identity?
Brand identity helps people identify your business through visual elements, communication styles, values, mission, language, etc.
And as I said, it goes beyond the logos, color palettes, and fonts.
It's more than that, so don't confuse branding with being just the aesthetics of your eCommerce business.
It's a perception of your brand.
Also, it's not about the promotions of your campaigns.
But sometimes, people also confuse it with marketing.
So, what's the difference?
Branding Vs. Marketing
Branding is the effort you make to shape the target customers' perception of your brand.
While marketing is the effort to make them buy your products and services.
For example, if you're posting about your cause and brand's story, that's an element of your brand identity.
On the other hand... if you promote your products and services, that's marketing. Because your goal is to get them as customers through your marketing campaigns.
Even if they're different... they have the same goals.
It's to turn your target customers into paying and loyal customers by these efforts.
You probably know already why marketing is important, but how about eCommerce branding?
Why Do You Need A Strong Brand Identity?
Crafting a strong brand identity is challenging, especially in the digital space.
But hey, these benefits make it totally worth it!
So, why do you need it, anyway? Here are the key benefits!
First, a strong brand identity...
1. Makes Your Brand Noticeable From The Competition
Consumers have a lot of choices... and it takes a lot of branding and marketing effort to stand out from the competition.
But establishing a strong brand identity can help you be more noticeable.
When they hear certain words or descriptions, like "sustainable clothing," it's your brand they think of. 😉
Do you want that?
If yes, branding also...
2. Increases Your Sales
If you present a consistent brand identity in all your platforms, you can increase your revenue by 23%.
Now, you're curious.
Let's say you're shopping.
You've already been hearing a lot of things about Brand A and Brand B.
So, you compared them before purchasing.
When you go to Brand A's websites and accounts, you see it's uninteresting and inconsistent. It's all over the place.
Technically poor online presence.
But when you go Brand B's, they have a lot of user generated content, and the packaging designs and their values are incorporated with their overall eCommerce branding strategy.
What will you choose?
Of course, Brand B is the winner.
Because you feel it's more credible and aligned with what you're looking for. That's the importance of brand consistency.
Aside from this, a strong brand identity also...
3. Creates Brand Loyalty
If you have a strong brand identity, more and more customers will be loyal to you.
And again, brand loyalty goes beyond visual aesthetics. It's all about their experience and engagement with your eCommerce brand.
If your brand focuses on going the extra mile to improve customer service, that is how customers will perceive you.
Or, if your brand has a mission that resonates with your customers, they will stay loyal to your brand.
I'm sure these benefits excite you!
So, let's get to the good part.
5 Ways To Create A Strong Brand Identity
1. Keep Your Audience In Mind
When building a brand strategy, your audience should be its center.
Remember, it's a perception of your brand.
So, ask yourself...
How do you want to be perceived by your target customers?
This also includes how you will communicate and build an emotional connection with your target market.
For example, if your target customers are Gen Z, you can use a fun, trendy tone of voice.
But if your products are for parents, maybe you can use a conversational and educational tone.
It's important to know this because this will help you build an effective branding identity for your target customers, and that includes crafting the visual identity.
It's called a customer-centric approach to enhance their customer experience.
Your audience should always be in mind because they are the ones that will receive your brand message.
The next one is...
2. Choose A Unique Name For Your eCommerce Brand
The brand name is probably one element of your brand identity that requires time in your decision-making process.
You can't just choose a brand name because you like it.
Here are things to consider when choosing a brand name.
- Choose a brand name your target customers will easily remember.
- Check the legalities or trademarks of your brand name.
- Make sure it's easy to read, and they won't confuse it with other brands.
A unique brand name will not only help you get distinguished by your target customers apart from other eCommerce brands.
But it should also stay relevant as you expand your business.
There are 7 types of brand names, according to Jonathan Bell, a branding expert and founder of WANT Branding.
- Eponymous names. It means the brand is from a person's name, like the founder or any prominent figure. For example, Disney, Dior, and McDonald's.
- Descriptive names. These are brand names that describe their business through the names. For example, Cartoon Network and Home Depot.
- Acronymic names. These are brand names that are acronyms or letters. For example, KFC, BBC, and HP.
- Suggestive names. It means the brand names are using metaphors or analogies as "hints" to tell you what the business is about. For example, Uber and Slack.
- Associative names. These are brand names that reflect emotions. For example, Red Bull sounds strong. And Pampers sounds caring and pampering.
- Non-English names. These are brand names derived from other languages. An example of this is Samsung, which is a Korean phone brand. It means 'three stars.'
- Abstract names. These are brand names with no meaning, but the phonetics can make a powerful brand. For example, Kodak and Rolex.
So, these are some categories to choose from. You can use these to see which path you want to take when choosing a brand name.
But again...
Make sure you are not infringing other businesses' trademarks to avoid legal trouble.
It's best to consult a legal expert in this matter because it will help you in the long run.
Now, the next thing you need to do is...
3. Create Your Brand Mission And Values
Brand mission and values can help you create deep and long-lasting relationships with your customers.
It can also help you attract your target audience who share the same sentiments.
So, what's the importance of brand values in creating a strong brand identity?
Having brand values will strengthen your brand's authenticity.
For example, you can tell about your eCommerce brand's humble beginnings.
And aside from that, you can also be consistent in all your branding, content marketing, and communications efforts because you know what your brand stands for.
So, when building your eCommerce branding strategies... make sure to create your brand mission and values.
Another one is...
4. Define Your Visual Identity
This is where the logos, color palette, typeface, and shapes come to play. These are the visual elements that define your brand.
Let's talk about logos.
You can create something that's unique and easily recognizable. And it's best to have a logo that expresses what the brand is about.
For example, if you're selling food, you can have something that represents food or the kitchen.
Now, let's talk about colors.
You can choose brand colors that also represent your overall business and target customers.
For example, if you're selling to women, you can choose attractive colors for women's eyes.
Or, if you're presenting your brand as premium or luxurious, you can use neutral colors that scream luxury.
All in all, the purpose of visual identity is to serve as a guide to creating strong and consistent branding across all platforms.
And this leads us to our last tip...
5. Express Your Brand Identity Consistently
Creating a strong brand identity online has to be consistent everywhere.
Not only does it look pleasing to the eyes, but it also helps with brand recognition wherever you are.
Let's see this example from Serious.Business, a branding agency.
This is their website. And when you go to their Instagram page...
See? The colors, icons, logos, and typeface are very consistent.
It's well-presented across their platforms.
And it looks great, isn't it?
It makes their brand identity powerful because the visual elements are uniform.
You can do this to your brand, too.
You need to make sure your visual elements, brand persona, tone of voice, email marketing campaigns, and copywriting style characterize your eCommerce brand, whatever platform it is.
You can also watch our YouTube video about building a strong eCommerce brand identity here:
So, what are you waiting for?
Have A Strong Brand Identity And Attract More Customers!
Expressing your brand online is probably one of the hardest things to do for your online business.
It's not just your logos and palettes that define your own eCommerce brand.
It's about capturing your target audience's emotions and making sure they will have a great perception of your brand.
And as I said, you also need to make sure your brand identity is consistent across all your platforms!
That being said, you need an eCommerce theme that you can customize to the fullest!
That's Debutify!
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