This is a guest post by Paul. If you wish to write one, kindly check out our guidelines to write a guest post.
Having a clear brand identity is essential in the promotion of a product or service. Brand building online aims to convey to visitors what your company represents in a matter of seconds. Attention spans on the web are very short, so it is critically important to grab people’s attention and engage with them in a way that can lead closer to a sale.
What is a Brand?
Brands are often a combination of symbols and text which are used to encompass characteristics associated with the company. The brand may be described by logos, catch phrases, sounds and other imagery. Brands capture the attention of the target audience and define them from their competition. Advertising helps companies to promote their brand and increase awareness of the company itself and the products and services which they offer. Strategies must be developed to help companies maintain their brand image, retain customers and sell more. Here are 5 tips that will help improve your online brand building.
1. Logo Design is a Major Component of Brand Development
Logo design is a major component of brand development. When people think of your product or service, they immediately think of the associated logo. Graphic designers can design a logo that is recognisable and useable in all of your advertisements. Many large companies have logos that are so recognisable that no company name is required. Those companies have powerful advertising techniques and superior brand image. Many companies also place the logo on their websites. The placement of the logo and the size of the logo are important in capturing the audience’s attention. Most experts recommend the upper left corner of the page in website design. Most people look to this area first when they are perusing a website. The logo should also be large enough to be recognisable in an instant while on the website.
2. Logo and Web Colors
Logo color evokes certain emotions from the audience. A red logo may generate feelings of energy, power, passion or excitement. While a green logo, may generate feelings of growth, prosperity, health, nature or the environment. Green calms the viewer, while red rejuvenates the viewer. Companies should decide what color best matches their company’s image. Colors may evoke something from an audience member that you may or may not want. Research the color associations to ensure that you are not offending your customers.
3. Research your Target Audience
Consider your target audience. If you have a global audience, your web design should have universal appeal. For instance, in some cultures, some colors or images may have a negative connotation, while in other cultures, the images may be positive. Be careful not to offend your audience. This may keep certain customers from considering your product or service.
4. Make Yourself Stand Out from the Competition
Through web design, allow customers to view how you are different from your competitors. Designers may accomplish this through the logo, website content, website layout or promotional offers listed on the website. Customers should visit the website and immediately know why they should purchase your product or service over your competitors’ products or services. If a customer visits your site and immediately decides to visit another website, you have not accomplished your goal. Customers may leave your site because your layout is too complicated, your site took too long to load or because they cannot easily find the information they are seeking. Think of all the possible reasons someone may visit your site and design the site to meet the needs of most customers.
5. Develop your Value Proposition
When customers arrive to your website, they need to immediately know what you are selling and why they should select you over the competition. Designers are challenged to design a website with content that will immediately capture the attention of the reader. The value proposition should include a short statement next to the logo on the website. This will instantly tie the company’s values with the logo in the customer’s mind. Over time, the company will be remembered by the statement and the logo.
Bird and Co Creative are a digital agency specialising in graphic design and web design in Bromsgrove.