In the studio this week, we’ve been chatting about which components are required to create and maintain a successful brand. As a result, we’ve put together a quick ‘starter pack’ to set you up for success…
1. A Responsive Website
A responsive website is absolutely essential for business. We’re sure you’re already aware, but mobiles and tablets are used for pretty much everything these days, especially web browsing. One of the many reasons for this is that consumers find it quick and easy to find what they’re searching for. In a nutshell- a responsive website adapts to any screen size, making the general experience much better. According to Hubspot, if your website is designed to respond and adjust to mobiles, users are 67% more likely to buy a product or use a service. A responsive website will benefit your brand in many ways, for example, your website will load faster, and Google now prioritises responsive websites, meaning that if your website is responsive, it’s much more likely to appear at the top of your search results. If you’d like to see an example of a responsive website, look no further!
2. A Social Media Presence
Having a business page on social media is an excellent way to stay relevant, and more importantly, communicate with your audience. You can receive and respond to reviews, advertise and promote your business, and share content with consumers around the world. 71% of internet users around the globe are active social media users.
It’s safe to say that the social media wave isn’t ending anytime soon, so you should take full advantage. It’s also essential to choose the correct platform, or platforms for your brand.
3. A Well-Designed Logo
As we mentioned in our previous blog, ‘The Evolution of Brand Logos’ (shameless self promo), a brand logo is the main representation of your entire business. It’s so important to get it right, but, in the world of design, what even is ‘right’? Your logo must represent your brand’s personality, you also have to choose a design that works for your business, as well as selecting the right colour scheme. If you don’t get your logo right, people could automatically assume that your products or services aren’t up to scratch either, deterring them from using your services at all. All because of a logo, something that seems so simple at first thought. Those are just a few main reasons why it’s key that you choose a well-designed logo to represent your brand.
4. Consistency
Visualise this – you’re at home watching television, and an advert comes on. Before you’ve even seen the logo, you think to yourself “How do I already know this is a ___ advert?” That’s a huge indication that the brand is consistent. Brand consistency builds trust, trust maintains a good consumer relationship, and a good consumer relationship keeps people coming back. Similar to general life, if someone says one thing and does another on a regular basis, this could break trust, resulting in the end of a personal relationship. Building trust from brand to consumer is equally as important.
5. Relevance
Every brand should have a target audience, large or small. If you already understand the importance of creating content relevant to your target audience, great! If not, here are a few tips… Putting yourself in the shoes of your target audience can work wonders for business. Ask yourself, “What would I want to see from a brand? How would I like to be treated as a consumer?” For example, if you’re selling tennis rackets and your target audience is footballers, it’s just unlikely to work. Keeping up with current trends and hashtags is also a great way to stay relevant in an ever-evolving world and create content that people want to see.
6. Brand Guidelines
Brand Guidelines should be set right from the get go. Setting guidelines enables you to determine your brand’s ‘personality’, and the way you want to be viewed by the world. Things to consider when setting your brand guidelines are which colour/colours you’d like to represent your brand, fonts, the general style or theme of your content, your mission statement, and the way you’d like to visually present your brand. This gives guidance to others, or to you as to how the company branding can be used when creating new content, or products. Try to determine how you’re going to be easily recognisable to others, and remember, always put yourself in the shoes of a consumer.
Seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Truth be told, it is. Just like most successes, it does take hard, consistent work. We’re a team of creative geniuses ready and waiting to work with you to bring your vision to life. Whether it’s marketing, design, a new website, or pretty much just anything at all, we’ve got the skills, knowledge, initiative, experience, and more importantly, passion to create something incredible. Just ask our clients!
To introduce yourself and become our next success story, simply give us a call on 01292 280022.
