Business Branding Strategies

Why Every Business Should Consider an Online Branding Strategy

If you have come to this site, chances are you probably already have an established business brand. Many entrepreneurs shy away from online business branding strategies because they have worked for years to build their reputation, and they rightfully believe that a “rebranding” is unnecessary.

But “Branding” today means something different than it did 5, 10, 15, years ago. When I talk about Branding, I am referring to the online persona that a company hopes to project to prospective customers.

When I meet with a customer for the first time, I like to ask the following questions:

1. How would you define your current online presence?
2. If you were to visit your own website, would it look exactly as you envision your business?
3. How many of your customers visit your website?
4. Is your company website or blog indexed by Google?
5. What is the purpose of your website?

When we refer to Internet branding, we mean the overall image that your company projects online. And since about 80% of shoppers like to do their research online first (see my article about web statistics), businesses must be just as diligent in their Internet efforts as they are in their physical store or office. Consider the following brands in the pictures below. Are they the same online?

You bet that the online persona matches the physical one! Check out Apple’s site and you’ll get that same “vibe” that you get when you walk into an Apple store. Check out Gucci online and you’ll feel like you’re visiting a contemporary heaven…much like you’d see in a real store. Everything that Apple and Gucci delivers, from websites, blogs, storefronts, ads, and products, fits together into a cohesive theme. And that theme is what consumers expect.

Is your online persona commensurate with your in-person vision?

If you need help defining your online identity and restructuring your Internet marketing efforts, we would love to help. Send an email to ejamisonediting@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. We specialize in initial ideation to realize online branding, and we’d be happy to help.