Getting started on digital branding can be confusing. By following these simple ABC’s you’ll have a clear idea of just how to go about building a great digital brand.
You’ve created your business, you know what you want to convey, but how do you do it? How do you make sure that the people who are exposed to your digital brand walk away with a positive experience?
Well, follow these simple ABC’s of digital branding to ensure you’re on the right track.
The ABC’s of Digital Branding
These ABC’s are easy to remember and can greatly enhance your digital branding efforts. Following these ABC’s of digital branding will make sure that you don’t miss anything that could enhance your online presence.
Drive your business to its best with these elementary ABC’s.
A – Authenticity
What makes you, you? Anything less than the real you won’t work here for authenticity to be seen as real. What makes you different from your competitors? Find what sets you apart and makes you fascinating.
Studies show that how authentic you come across directly influences the success of your business.
63% of global consumers would buy from a company they consider to be authentic, over and above competitors. 47% would be happy to work for them and 23% would invest in a brand they believe to display authentic qualities. Those in fast-growing economies are twice as likely to invest in authentic brands as respondents in slower-growing countries (31% vs 15%). – Cohn & Wolfe
B – Blog
Your blog is an important aspect of your digital brand. Blogs earn the loyalty of your intended audience and they also bring in leads.
Make your blog stand out with the following:
- Creative Content
- Videos
- Images
- Not Over Posting
SEE ALSO: Content Planning Tips To Compete with Big Brands
C – Content
Your content is what will bring your audience around again and again. This is where you can define your purpose and explain your business. Take the time to put out quality content.
Creating a social content strategy can help to focus your social engagements on meeting your business objectives.
SEE ALSO: How to Create a Social Content Strategy for Your Brand
D – Define Your Audience
Get a highly defined audience to promote interest in your brand. By being specific you can find exactly what your consumers want. They’re coming to you so that you can solve a current challenge. Understanding their concerns will allow you effectively communicate.
E – Email List
An email list is an additional communication channel for speaking to your audience directly.
SEE ALSO: 3 Lead Magnet Ideas to Build Your Email List
An email inbox is a place of solitude from the chaos of social media. Naturally, email is private and more persuasive. Getting permission to send your audience is like being invited over for dinner. So have good manners. Send relevant content and don’t flood their inbox.
F – Focus
Define your digital brand. Create a focused niche that sets you apart from your competitors. This will better allow you to have a personal relationship with your audience.
G – Graphic Design
Your graphic design holds the key to the visual representation of your digital branding.
Graphic design is like a personal shopper, stylist and tailor all in one. They make sure that you look good at all times no matter the occasion. They take your personality and transform it into a visual medium (your clothing) in hopes of attracting like-minded people. – Comrade Web Agency
How you present yourself will have an effect on what audience you attract.
H – Help others
It pays to have a cause. So, get your brand behind a meaningful mission. Create a reputation for caring while sharing. If you’re in the mindset of being helpful, you’ll find dozens of ideas specific to your branding where you can be helpful.
You can enhance your brand by finding charities and organizations you believe in and aligning with them.
I – Influencers
SEE ALSO: How Influencer Marketing Can Grow Your Business
Relationships with influencers can help your digital brand feel more authentic, drive greater engagement, and get customers to make purchases.
Find prominent friends that go well with your digital brand.
J- Join
If brands follow the fundamental rules of community management—being authentic, transparent and adding value to the conversation—then Facebook groups for pages will quickly become a critical component of many brands’ social media strategies. – Lisa Barnett Adweek
Get involved with similar groups and make your presence known. Facebook and LinkedIn are great options to use to find the right group for your digital branding.
K – Keywords
Build a shortlist of keywords that are relevant to your digital brand and use them often.
Think about:
- What words your audience will use to look for you?
- What do you want viewers to come away thinking about?
- How do you talk about your digital brand to others?
L – LinkedIn
LinkedIn can hook up your business with anyone relevant to you. its the “who’s who” of the professional world.
M – Media
Find outlets that are most valuable in your field. Use their tools to help promote your digital brand. Use media beyond manufacturer’s and retailer’s control.
Media is increasingly complex, but even more vital for success.
N – Network
With the internet, connections can be made globally, locally, and everywhere in between. Spread physical and digital business cards to create these connections, then be sure to follow through on them.
O – Opine
Know your opinions and don’t be afraid to voice them. You won’t be everyone’s favorite, but that okay. You’re only interest is in your specific audience, so be bold.
P – Photo
Let a professional take your picture. Your face is a big part of your branding and will be all over your website. Make sure it looks professional and friendly.
Q – Questions
Get feedback from your audience. Everyone likes to feel listened to, so ask them questions and then follow through with their answers. This will help narrow down your audience and your focus.
R – Recognize
There is usually more than one person behind any successful business. Whether in public or private, acknowledge the people who’ve helped to develop your digital brand.
A little recognition can be just the boost your employees need to give you even better quality work. Don’t forget the people behind the scenes.
S – Slogan
What’s your brand’s battle cry? What is the first thing you want people to know about you? Your slogan is your promise to your audience.
Your slogan is also how you’ll be remembered. Make a concise memorable slogan that highlights the best part of your digital brand.
T – Teach
You didn’t get where you are without being taught valuable lessons from those in the business that you look up to. Use your digital branding to create a teacher, and become an advisor and a role model to your audience.
U – Understand Triggers
This is where an understanding of psychology comes into play. Intellectual arguments can only get you so far. Tapping into a person’s emotions is what can strengthen your branding.
In order to be memorable, its crucial to elicit an emotional response from your audience. Agreeing with a topic will make an initial connection, but without the emotions behind it, it can be easily forgotten. This is why its so important to be bold.
V – Voice
How you say things can be what sets you apart. It’s part of what makes you, you. Not everyone’s voice is the same, just like how everyone talks aren’t the same. Let this part of you come through. You’ll come off as unique and genuine.
SEE ALSO: 3 Steps to Develop Your Digital Brand Voice
X – eXAmine
Use analysis to x-ray all of your online efforts. Tools like Google Analytics can give you a full rundown of how your site is doing. Make sure that your digital branding is working and examine how well visitors like your website.
Y – You
Write conversationally to make an impact. The writer is ‘I’ and the reader is ‘you’.
I am so happy to be talking to you about this subject.
Make better connections with your audience by speaking directly to them. Have a conversation and make it personal.
Z – Zeal
Have a passion for your brand. Without passion, all the work you’ve done on your digital branding is fruitless. Have interest, determination, and passion for what you’re doing. It will come through for your audience.
Final Thoughts
These ABCs are a great start on your digital branding. By considering every aspect of your business this way, you’ll be sure to have all your bases covered and be on your way to success.
Let your digital branding speak for itself, just give it the tools to do so with these ABC’s.
What aspect of the ABC’s have you found success with? Post a comment below…
