How to build a website brand for your online business
Many entrepreneurs and small business owners think that creating a strong website brand for an online business is only for large corporations like Amazon or Target. Frequently, small business owners create a website just to have an online presence, but they are missing a tremendous opportunity to enhance their brand and grow their online business.
What is a brand?
A brand is a symbol that represents your business. It is the sum of everything the user experiences with your brand from sensory associations (textures, sounds, and smells for example) to visuals (imagery, typography, and logo), to cognitive elements (how does a brand make you feel? What do you associate with the brand?). All of these different parts taken together create your brand. Branding with intention can help you attract and keep your ideal client.
Why is branding so important?
Branding creates trust. Think about your own shopping experiences for a moment. Most of us have shopped at Amazon. Why is Amazon the “go-to” site for so many people? It is most likely because of their past experiences with the brand. Amazon has a wide range of products, at affordable prices, that can be purchased and delivered quickly. Amazon makes online shopping seamless and people know exactly what to expect from Amazon. Their logo was built around that reputation as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, wanted to “deliver smiles to doors”. When we see a box on our doorstep with that characteristic “smile”, we know we’ve got an Amazon order. Go to Amazon’s website and you’ll see that brand smile there too.
And here’s the power of a strong brand...as long as Amazon stays true to its brand, why would anyone shop anywhere else? It’s the safe choice to shop at Amazon. That is the benefit of building a strong brand.
Create credibility with your website
Did you know that 75% of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on a company’s website design? (According to Web Credibility Research from Stanford).
Your website is key to establishing trust with your site visitors. In this article, we’ll help guide you to build a strong website brand for your online business.
1 Establish your brand’s personality
If you haven’t done this step yet or if you aren’t clear on your brand’s personality, you can revisit one of my older posts to help you get started. People sometimes use brands to define themselves. For example, why does someone buy a luxury car such as a Lexus? It’s possible they purchased it for performance, but it’s more likely that they feel that the brand somehow conveys something about themselves to other people. The brand becomes a part of their own identity. When you have established a strong brand personality, your audience will want to associate themselves with your brand.
Once you’ve established your brand personality, you need to make sure all of the elements on your website reflect that personality.
2 Decide what emotions you want your audience to feel when they visit your site
When someone visits your site, they get an immediate feeling from the visuals. A simple and clean website conveys a modern and updated feel. Bright colors and cartoon characters will give you a completely different feel. So before you start designing your site, you need to put some thought into how you want your visitor to feel when they arrive at your site. Once you know that, you can start pulling your ideas and elements together to create that feeling.
3 Pick the colors that convey the desired emotions
We all have certain associations in our minds with colors. Green, for example, tends to make most people think of nature or the outdoors. Red is associated with power (this is why red ties are sometimes referred to as power ties). Blue is frequently associated with the sky or the sea which conveys a calm, secure feeling. Different colors reflect different emotions (for a deeper exploration of color, read my earlier post). Take the time to choose a brand color palette that reflects the emotion you are trying to express.
4 Don’t try to look like everyone else
It is tempting to look at the more established brands in your industry and try to emulate them however, it’s important to remember that you want to stand out. You can’t stand out if you look like your competitors. Come up with your own unique way to tell people who you are and what you do.
5 Be consistent
When we were kids studying for exams, we likely relied on repetition as one of the best ways to retain information. The same holds true for branding. To build a strong build, all of the visuals you use (imagery, typography, style, etc) should all be used consistently. If your brand has a retro feel and uses black and white photos, you’d want to use that style throughout your whole site. If your headline font for your brand is Proxima Nova, then continue to use that font for all of the headlines on your site. This helps to create an association between the styles you use and your brand.
6 In one clear sentence, tell your audience what you do and why
As concisely as possible, you should explain to your site visitors what they can expect from your site and why they should remain on your it. This is referred to as your value proposition. It is a short statement that appears in a prominent location on your home page (typically it’s situated close to your logo).
7 Decide where to put your logo
People expect to see your logo in the upper left-hand corner. If you decide to put it somewhere else, you will be forcing your site visitor search. When it comes to websites, the easier it is for your visitor to find what they’re looking for, the happier he/she will be.
Make sure the logo is big enough to be one of the first items noticed on the page. People also expect that clicking on your logo from any other page on your site will bring them back to the home page. It’s a good idea to create this link for easy navigation.
8 Make sure the written content on your site matches your brand personality
It’s important to remember that while what you have to say is important, how you say it is equally important. For example, an investment bank would likely use a professional and more formal style whereas a quirky tech company may opt for a more casual and fun tone. The tone used becomes a part of your brand.
9 Use consistent visuals for faster load times
By using the same visual elements and style sheets, you are not only using repetition to help people remember your brand, but you’re minimizing how much information is stored in its cache, which allows your site to load faster. Clean and simple design layouts offer more than just visual appeal; they also create a better user experience.
Establishing a strong website brand for your online business is essential for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Not only does it help to communicate your brand story, but it helps to establish credibility with your audience. Why settle for just developing an online presence, when you can create a memorable brand experience with your website.
Any questions? Please leave a comment.
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