On average, five to seven brand impressions are required before someone will remember your brand, according to Pam Moore. And, with everyone constantly being on his or her smart phones or computers, this means it’s imperative to get your brand identity established online when building brand awareness.
A target audience is the demographic of people that are most likely to be interested in the services or products you’re trying to sell. Your target audience is important to identify because in order for people to “buy into” what you’re selling, they will need to relate to the tone and content of your message, The Balance explains.
So, before you can build a brand identity online, research your audience. Look into your customer demographics such as their age group, gender, education, marital status, household income, and location. Additionally, ask yourself the following questions:
- What does my audience do with their time?
- How do they mostly interact online? What online platforms do they use?
- What can I offer my target audience?
2. Define Your Brand Voice
Now that you’ve defined your target audience and who you’ll be catering your branding to, it’s time to give your brand a voice. Take what you’ve learned from your audience demographic research, and determine what your specific audience wants to hear. From there, you can begin to pick your focus and your personality—this will become the base of your brand’s voice.
To build brand voice, first, describe your brand voice by choosing three words that capture the personality of the tone of your brand. Then, figure out what makes your brand different from your competitors. Next, take note of how your target audience communicates. Pay attention to how your customers interact—are they formal in their conversations or casual? Use this insight to help inspire your brand voice.
Another step to take when finding your brand’s voice is to create a test group. The Muse suggests gathering friends and family that most represent your target audience and asking each person what excites them the most about your brand. Use their feedback to help write a one or two sentence mission statement in various brand voices you are considering. Lastly, choose which voice feels most natural to you and/or which you find the most exciting.
3. Build Your Platform
All businesses should be online and at least have a website for customers to view. When branding your business, your website will work to create a virtual platform. As you’re building a platform for your business’s brand, avoid simply mimicking the look of chains or large brands. Instead, be innovative and bold, and try to find your own distinct identity.
In addition to a website, it’s essential to have social media accounts that represent your brand, in order to build your brand identity online. In fact, 50 percent of people follow one to four brands on social media, BuzzStream reports.
Social media is another asset where knowing your audience will come in handy. When creating and using social media accounts to build brand awareness, choose the right networks by going for those that your customer base is most active on.
4. Create a Blog
Sixty percent of businesses that blog obtain more customers, according to HubSpot.
Having a business blog is beneficial for multiple reasons. When it comes to branding, a blog is a great way to interact and connect with customers. A blog offers your business a direct communication channel to share timely and relevant information giving your company a voice and your brand a personality.
Here’s what you’ll have to do to create a blog for branding purposes:
- Pick a blogging platform.
- Choose a unique blog design.
- Register a domain name.
- Make a blogging plan.
- Start writing!
5. Interact With Your Customers
After creating a blog, your work branding still isn’t done. In order to keep building your brand—aside from regular posting—you should be using your blog to interact with your customers. One purpose of a blog is to create a two-way conversation between customers and a business. So, encourage interaction by replying to all comments and feedback.
When replying to comments and interacting with your customers online in general, be sure to use a consistent tone of voice—the same brand voice we discussed earlier. This consistent tone and voice will help reinforce your business’s character and brand.
With these five steps, you have the tools to build your brand identity online. Now that you know how to begin branding online, what heights do you hope to get to with your brand awareness?
