Building an Online Brand: The Foundations

The internet has changed the rules of branding. A plethora of digital tools and technologies allow any company to engage with a global audience. But, the competition is stiff and making your brand stand out, especially in the early stages, is a colossal task, to say the least.

In this highly digital, highly-competitive age, you need to create a brand that is relatable, authentic, and recognizable if you want to succeed. Even the slightest mistake can cost your company dearly. Sure, you can always polish your online presence, but your company will benefit more if you get it right the first time.

With that in mind, here are five key aspects you need to consider when building your online brand presence.

  1. Create a Consistent Brand Image

One of the most important rules of branding is creating a consistent image across all of your online properties. Whether they are looking at your website, your Instagram, or your YouTube videos, people should always recognize your brand.

And, I’m not talking only about your logo or other visual identity elements, but also about your voice. It can be extremely confusing for your audience if you use a friendly tone of voice on your Facebook page and a stiff and professional one on your website. Sure, there are instances when you need to fine-tune your tone (such as on LinkedIn) but, generally speaking, you need to create a consistent tone and image across all channels.

  1. Optimize Your Website

Consumers are becoming more educated by the day. More than 91% of them go to Google to find information about a brand before making a purchasing decision. Every click, search, and mention is an opportunity to make your brand visible. Needless to say, you need to optimize your website to ensure that both prospects and search engines find you.

  1. Establish Yourself as an Industry Leader

Back in the first days of the internet, when there were fewer websites fighting for attention, “create, and they will come” was the perfect branding strategy. Writing and sharing a blog post was more than enough to ensure that people interested in you will find you.

Nowadays, the only way to stand out is to establish yourself as an industry leader. But, that’s usually easier said than done. You need a lot of practice, creative skills, and a unique point of view to create the kind of content that will turn you into the go-to company in your niche.

If you feel intimidated by this mammoth task, you can always work with a digital marketing company. They can create specialized content for you, newsletter, social media posts, and even educational videos that add value to your audience lives and help them retain information about your brand.

  1. Be Authentic

According to one study, 91% of consumers claimed that they want the brands they follow to be genuine in their online interactions.

If you want to stand out and build your online brand, you need to be authentic. Simply creating content with no added-value won’t do the trick. Your audience wants to see the real you, so don’t be afraid to show off your unique personality.  Use your Snapchat profile give your audience a peek behind the scenes. Or, share photos showing employees working hard to create the products your audience loves.

If there’s anything you need to remember from this post is that you need to differentiate yourself from other brands in your niche. Be honest, authentic, and focus on helping your audience rather than pushing your brand in their faces.