If you’re not on the internet, you don’t exist. Something said by Seth Godin. Seth has many good things to say. This was relevant for creative ways to build a memorable brand name.
If you’ve been doing online branding to build your memorable brand and not having much success, listen up. Your brand doesn’t have that many followers on social media, or maybe it does, but they’re not converting.
Or maybe you don’t know this stuff and are just preparing to hop onto this whole online marketing train everyone keeps talking about.
Either way, you’ll be able to find some helpful tips in this post.
These tips are probably not going to be a magic cure for your branding problems (it’s not a 10 step program, after all), but are meant instead to refresh your online marketing strategy.
And if you’re a newbie then it should give you an idea of where you can start.
Here are 21 tips to refresh your online branding:
Know your target audience
Do you know who they are? If you do, then it wouldn’t hurt to revisit your buyer persona and make sure that your current online marketing efforts are aligned with her/him. If you don’t know who your target audience is, then it’s time to get cracking!
Brand name … create a SWOT analysis
For the less marketing savvy, SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They should be written down for every business and, in this market that is constantly changing, double checked every once in a while. They will help guide your online marketing strategy.
Here is a great reference: Easy Guide To Remarketing
Strive for authenticity
They tend to get mixed up, but they are very different. Being original is about being different while being authentic is about being yourself. When brands are original for the sake of it, it can be seen as fake, and that puts people off. This applies to everything you do.
Like any other high-end fashion house, Kate Spade cares a lot about its brand ambassadors. What makes the company stand out from the rest, though is its whimsical vision.
For example, in their latest campaign, they signed on Miss Piggy as a spokesperson. It is not the first time a clothing line hired a fictional character to model for them, but Miss Piggy is far more endearing than Lighting from Final Fantasy XIII. It adds a sense of humor that often lacks in that industry.
Brand name examples … ensure visuals are on point
To have a cohesive online branding strategy, all of your graphics need to be coordinated. This is not just your logo; it also entails brand color swatches, fonts and even the type of images you share. Hire a graphic designer if necessary. When you have visual continuity, it is easier for potential clients to identify you.
Make your website the centerpiece
Nothing says “I’m not serious about it” quite like a forgotten website. Make sure to review it at least once a month to make sure everything is up to date, from work hours to product offers.
Make website mobile friendly
It goes without saying that nowadays smartphones are a big part of online marketing: those who don’t adapt their content to this platform could be missing out on potential leads. And don’t worry, thanks to pre-designed mobile-friendly templates, there’s no need to hire a web developer.
Square Space offers good looking, easy to use, mobile friendly templates for all kinds of businesses*.
Grow your website traffic
Easier said than done, right? There are several ways to do this: invest in AdWords, update more often, optimize for SEO, publish a blog, link from your social media profiles, etc… Pick the tools that make sense to your industry and target audience.
Utilize location-based keywords
If you’re targeting or offering services in a specific location, make sure you sprinkle your content with words related to that area. It helps to rank whenever someone is looking for services near your site.
Make it easy for clients to engage
May them be on Trustpilot, Yelp, or any other platform that’s relevant to your business, reviews build trust in your brand for both Google and future customers.
Build-a-memorable-brand … add email marketing
If you haven’t done so already, of course. Platforms like Mailchimp (one of the best) offer free services until a certain number of contacts is reached. Some may consider email to be obsolete, but in 2016, 89% of marketers state that email is their first source for lead generation.
Nerd Fitness is a company with an email marketing strategy that’s on point. Their mission is to offer comprehensive fitness and nutrition tips too, well, nerds! In an industry where smugness tends to reign, their humorous and self-aware approach is very refreshing.
Once you sign up with them, the academy will send you a weekly email to help you keep up with your training and diet. The content, while sometimes extensive, is easy to digest – and if you fall off the wagon, they’ve got your back.
Try retargeting
Some people find it annoying, while others think it’s downright stalking, but it’s undeniably effective. Remarketing is not for everyone, though. Depending on your brand and products it might even be detrimental. To find out if you should try it, here are some basics.
Employ content marketing
But only if you are willing to put in the work and update regularly. Little does it do to upload a poor article every three months, which leads us to our next tip…
Good content is a necessity
Not too long ago to climb on Google, all you needed to do was publish content filled with related keywords, but not so much anymore. Algorithms notice and shun those practices. To be shared and found you’ll need to produce useful and engaging content.
Known for their beautiful covers and affordable prices, publishing company Penguin creates not just books, but also online content for bookworms. Standouts are its blog and a podcast where they interview some of the best contemporary authors.
Employ videos
According to this infographic, including a video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80%. Producing video can be expensive and time-consuming, but tools like Animoto make it easier.
Distribute consistently
It doesn’t matter if you hire Stephen Covey to write for your blog, if you don’t distribute it, then nobody is going to read it. Share on your social media profiles (that one is obvious), but also approach other bloggers (guest blogging), contact influencers, comment on forums, relevant online groups and even YouTube videos.
Be selective in social media channels
It may be tempting to jump on every social media platform and start posting away. After all, you want to be found, right? Yes and no. Open an account on every platform to secure your name and just focus on two or three. Pick only those that are relevant to your target audience.
Build a memorable brand … use same messages offline
If your business has a physical store and your employees are directly dealing with customers, consider branding them as well. A great work uniform can help to tell the story of your brand.
Address problems quickly
Social media changed the customer service game completely. It allows brands to answer any inquiries and problems immediately – so do it! If you don’t address it, it might get worse, or you could leave a customer feeling ignored.
Oreo is a perfect example of a brand that replies to their audience, even when most would just rather hit the “ban” button. On their Facebook page, you’ll find hordes of complaints from the flavor of the cookies to about how Nabisco moved their factories to Mexico.
Whenever they reply, the person handling the account (who deserves an award) does not take the bait and answers politely and sensibly, which leads us to the next tip…
Team with an influencer
We often associate them with video games and makeup tutorials, but there are influencers in every industry. Approach a content creator that matches your brand. Tapping into this source allows your business to get exposure.
Measure and learn
Analyzing data may be too abstract to some, but it is fundamental if you want to become better at what you do. Google analytics and the respective tools for each social media platform can be your best friends.
Humor sells
Everyone likes to laugh! Don’t be afraid to add some humor to your brand (if it applies); it will only make you look more human.
If you don’t believe us, take a look at Innocent Drink’s Twitter account. It’s not “roll on the floor” type of humor, it’s more on the cute and quirky side, but we can’t stop ourselves from scrolling down.
The bottom line
These are things that we already know, of course. They are not rocket science and shouldn’t be.
This list of little things simply reminds us of what we have forgotten. Then it is up to us to put these lessons (or reminders) into daily use through persistence and practice.
Remember … your experience and learning trumps all!
