In 2020, COVID-19 shook the world to its core. In this year countless small businesses learned about the importance of a strong digital presence. Some also learned that the strength of the presence partly depends on well-defined brand identity.

Do you possess knowledge about how to build your brand identity for a powerful digital presence? If you answered no, this blog is for you! You’ll learn about digital branding, its benefits and how to create an online brand identity.

Let’s dive in.

What is Digital Branding and Why it Matters?

Digital branding is the design, development, and building of your brand using tools such as websites, social media, video content, and apps. Think of it as a mix of online branding and digital marketing trends.

Defined brand identity and a strong digital presence are important for various reasons.
One of the biggest reasons is the amount of time an average internet user spends on social media alone.

In 2020:

  • Global internet users’ average daily social media usage was 145 minutes
  • The average time was a 3-minute increase in 2019
  • Users in the U.S. spent an average of 2 hours and 3 minutes on social media per day
  • Users in the Philippines spent an average of 3 hours and 53 minutes on social media per day
  • The global social network penetration rate is almost 54%
  • Western Europe’s social media penetration rate is 79%, the highest in the world

Those statistics only represent social media, not all the other things people use the internet for. A strong digital presence and a clear brand identity will get your business noticed—and that’s not the only benefit.

Digital Branding Benefits

In addition to increasing consumers’ awareness of your business, a strong digital presence offers benefits such as:

Targeting Customer Groups

You can target specific groups of customers via various online platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

Transform the Customer Experience

A strong presence online lets your business engage with customers meaningfully. The result can transform the experience from one of sheer consumerism to one of belonging to a group, club, or lifestyle.

Wide Reach in a short Period of Time

Content you create and publish online has the potential to go viral. If that happens, your brand will reach a huge audience in a short space of time.

Now that I’ve undoubtedly got your attention let’s explore the elements of creating a brand identity for a strong digital presence.

Elements Of Creating Brand Identity Online

Use the following 8 elements to create a strong brand identity and presence online.

Design an Effective Logo

Design a logo that is simple, memorable, and reflects your brand’s values and personality.

A simple design is easier to remember and to spot among the many images your customers and potential customers get bombarded with every day. Simpler designs also translate well to small thumbnail images. Consider the effective logos of major brands such as Apple, National Geographic, and Pepsi.

Build a User-friendly Website

Your online customers know they’re likely to find the answers to questions about your business’ contact details, operating hours, products, and services faster on a website than in a telephone directory. A user-friendly website is an essential element of creating a brand identity for a strong digital presence.

Your website should be easily navigable and uncluttered. Streamline the design for the sake of customers who browse the web with their mobile devices. Select a color scheme that complements your logo or brand’s colors and use a font that’s easy to read.

Keep the information on almost all pages to the point and make sure all the necessary images are displayed, and that all links work. Thus, try to optimize images added on your site. 

Define your Brand Message

Your brand message includes the content and the tone of your company’s message. The content and the tone should convey positively what your business does as well as the values that guide it. They also should address your customers’ immediate needs.

Answer the following questions for help in defining your brand message:

  • What does your company do?
  • What are your company’s values?
  • Why does your company matter?

When you’ve defined your brand message, make sure your company’s messaging sounds the same on all your platforms. The content and tone should be consistent, whether it appears on your website, Instagram posts, YouTube videos, email campaigns, or other channels. Use internet-appropriate communication, such as GIFs, memes, or emojis, occasionally.

Set up and use Social Media Accounts

As we saw above, more than half the world’s population has some form of social media. Your business cannot afford to be without it, especially if you want to build a brand identity for a strong digital presence.

As ubiquitous as Facebook is, it’s not the only platform. In addition to creating a Facebook page for your brand, set up profiles on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. Consider platforms that are popular among younger internet users, such as Snapchat and TikTok, if appropriate.

Tweak your content to suit each platform. Use tools like Hootsuite to manage your social media accounts and track users’ engagement with your posts.

Use Email Marketing

Despite the huge emphasis on social media, good old email campaigns still work wonders when creating a brand identity online. Craft emails that are easy to read, contain images, and that have a call to action.

Use your website and social media to build targeted email lists so that you can reach potential customers easily. Let your goal for the campaign inspire your choices, from the wording to images and even the subject line.

Incorporate SEO

Relying on content to go viral is an unreliable strategy when you’re trying to create a brand identity and strengthen your presence online. Incorporate search engine optimization to boost your website’s rankings in the search results of Google and other search engines.

This gives your brand better chances of being present where most users who search for it or for related products or services will find it.
Tips from Google’s Webmaster Guidelines include:

  • Design pages for users and not for search engines
  • Check every site page is linked to another findable site page
  • Include value-add information onsite to stand out from competitors
  • Check regularly for hacking and links that don’t work
  • Use Ahrefs or Ubersuggest to find frequently searched keywords to include in the copy on your site

Remember to include external as well as internal links on your site pages.

Invest in Online Advertising

A staggering range of an online advertising options is available. Consider taking advantage of one or more of them.

A few of those options include:

  • Display adverts on banners on websites
  • Search engine adverts that place your brand at the top of results pages
  • Sponsored content on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram

Take Advantage of Content Marketing

Content marketing is where your brand can be creative. However, the creative output should always be guided by the principles that inform your brand messaging (see point 3 above). Create blogs, how-to videos, recipe ideas, music playlists, and other content to bring a human side to your brand.

Good content marketing can increase interest in your brand, build trust between your company and your customers and potential customers, and heighten a sense of brand loyalty.

The Way Forward Is Digital

The convenience of shopping and doing other business online that many people discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic will be remembered long after these trying times are over. The future is digital, so ensure your brand has a strong presence where it matters.

If you want an expert advice in improving your website SEO, feel free to contact us! 

Frequently Asked Questions

To make a brand people won't forget, use the same fonts, colors, pictures, and words over and over. When customers see your logo and know what it means, you're more than just a name and a picture. You're like a friend they trust and like. This helps you stand out and connect with people. So, creating a strong brand is important because it makes people remember you and what you're all about, even just by looking at your logo. It's like having a good reputation that helps you in the long run.

Digital branding is like dressing up your brand on the internet! It involves making your brand look good and recognizable online. This includes creating websites, using apps, being on social media, and even making videos. It's a mix of using digital marketing tricks and making your brand stand out on the internet. So, just like you choose nice clothes to look good, in the digital world, you design your brand to look great online!

Brand elements are the special things that make your brand stand out, like your name, logo, and colors. They work together to create a strong and memorable identity for your business. These elements are like the building blocks that go into everything you do, from your website to your ads. When people see these elements, they instantly know it's your brand. It's like your brand's unique fingerprint, and it helps customers remember and trust your business. So, choosing and using these elements wisely is crucial for making your brand successful and easily recognizable in the eyes of your audience.

McDonald's is a super famous brand known all over the world. They keep things simple with their red and yellow colors, which make you feel welcome and happy. What's cool is how they focus on the people they want to serve. This makes their brand special and interesting. They want to make sure you have a good time when you visit their restaurants!