In the world of digital or online
marketing, what marketers market along with all the products and services is
the image and brand of the company. Brand – a simple word but greatly
influences the success and longevity of any business or institution. What is
branding and why does it trigger so many facets in marketing? Furthermore, how
important is branding in coming up with the website design as well as both
online and social media marketing efforts?
BRAND Defined
To define brand simply - it is the identity every company seeks to instill in
every consumers’ minds. Brand is what people think about a company,
organization, or business – what people initially think of when they hear a
company or business name. Most people think that the logo IS the brand but
there is so much more than that – more than the logo, there is that story, the
struggles and successes, the vision and mission that molded the company. When
we talk about branding, it pertains to the various ways an institution shares
its message across to people about what the institution really is – its ideals,
values and so on.
Branding is a crucial component in
all forms of marketing – may it be traditional or digital. When done the right
way, branding will eventually help the business cement its reputation and hold
unto its chosen market.
How crucial is brand consistency and why does it matter?
From the word itself, brand
consistency refers to the absence of any form of confusion or ambiguity
surrounding the brand. Here are three (3) reasons why brand consistency matters
for every business or institution regardless of the size or market:
1. Your brand is what sets you apart from all the rest of those in the same market.
Refrain from copying
off somebody else’s brand that is quite similar to yours. If you already have a
brand in mind, then work around it. Remember, you do not want to be associated
with another brand: “This is quite similar to Brand X”, “This is exactly like
Brand C”, “Why do I feel like you are Brand Q but with a different name?” Make
your brand consistent from what you initially want it to be. Consistency in
your branding solidifies how people view your company. As your brand is already
cemented among the masses, you will definitely stand out among competitors in
the same industry.
2.
Brand consistency shoots up your credibility.
If you keep changing
your brand from Brand X to Brand C then Brand D and so on, then your consumers
will definitely have a hard time to keep up. Not being able to keep up with
your brand changes will result to consumers having second thoughts about your
brand and may end up with people no longer recognizing your brand. Building
trust through branding happens when there is consistency – regardless of which
platform you use, your brand relays the same message over and over again.
3.
Brand consistency gets your message across efficiently.
A consistent voice
that brings that one and only message across will help people understand your
company and the products and services it offers. There should be consistency
from one form of communication to another in order for customers to recognize
your brand right away. Make each point of contact count by instilling in the
minds of your various users what really your brand is, its story and the message
you wish people to understand and convey to others.
It is
quite difficult to follow through brand consistency especially when there are
inevitable changes in the consumer market, changes in the demand for certain
products and services and changes in the goals and visions of the company. This is the very reason why there are institutions well-equipped and trained to take on branding for various clients.
There
are a number of web development companies out there that caters to various
digital marketing services such as mobile application, social media marketing,
online marketing, custom web design, branding, and so on. It’s crucial to choose one of these companies
for your digital marketing needs in order to maintain the consistency of your
brand. As business owners, one should be
critical in making this decision because branding is very essential to your
business. It’s what entails your company’s or your products’ trademark. It is
mostly the common reason why big companies tend to get bigger through times. It
is notable that brand consistency makes people remember the best things about
you and your company throughout times. You should make your brand classic
through brand consistency.
I am
Kevin Clyde Sumalinog Digital Marketer at Proweaver,
a web development company specializing in Custom Web Design which
helps sole proprietors and small companies increase their sales and grow their
business. I am responsible in Content Marketing and Social Media Marketing. You
can find us on Twitter: @proweaver
