We as marketers know, (if you
don’t, you should) that branding is a critical component in achieving success.
We’re using the traditional approach of listening and providing the customer
with a solution for his needs, but are constantly evolving and focusing a lot more on branding.
Branding is much more than just adding
a recognizable logo, having a catchy slogan or standing out from the
competition. Nowadays, this phenomenon is about creating a long-lasting
relationship with someone who knows little or nothing about you, and
transforming them into a loyal customer who trusts and loves your company.
The strength of a brand -also known as brand equity - will affect this. And because the
internet is such an important part of our everyday lives, branding on the web
is much more important. Our mission has become a lot easier due to the fact
that the internet allows customers to have an increased level of brand awareness
and makes them quicker to act than traditional mass-media. This doesn’t mean
that the same marketing principles don’t apply anymore. On the contrary; a customer
passes through the same stages – awareness, familiarity, trust, commitment- but
a lot faster because of the internets advantage of being highly interactive, engaging
and able to personalize communication.
Creating an online brand
The resources and efforts required
for a good branding campaign are quite high. That’s why there are guidelines
that should be followed for a better end-result. The most important ones are:
- Emphasize the quality and mission of the company. You will want to implement an image or reputation that stands out and is respected.
- Research your customer and engage him through the use of signage, advertising and online personality.
- Find the right balance between advertising-marketing and customer relationships.
- Continuously manage and control available information about your products or company.
It is becoming clear that people
are making choices and develop attitudes towards certain brands based on the
material they find online. This issue can be handled in several ways. The first
would be to create and spread your own relevant content, or by letting the
users come up with the information - reviews, discussions or blog posts - and handle that content accordingly with the
use of marketing tools such as search engine optimization.
As a conclusion, it is fair to say
that branding is a highly complex process if it’s done right, but it is vital
for any type of business because the targeted consumers are always changing and
develop new needs that need to be addressed. 