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It can be tempting to focus primarily on your products and services when developing your marketing strategy: how to advertise them in the best possible way, who’s most likely to buy them, how your offering solves a problem that customers face, and so on.
Though this practical side of things is vital to a successful marketing strategy, it’s not the only thing businesses should focus on. Spending some time on the more “subjective” side of things is also a must, including building a brand identity. Keep reading to learn more about what brand identity is and why it matters so much in today’s world.
Why Do Branding and Brand Identity Matter so Much?
A business’s branding isn’t just what you see when you visit their website or social media pages. It’s more than just visual elements like logos, fonts, and a cohesive color palette. An impactful brand goes beyond these surface-level components to create a memorable and noteworthy identity.
Nowadays, branding matters more than ever before. Thanks to eCommerce and social media, your target audience sees new companies every day. And while that’s great for consumers, it’s not necessarily good for your business’s visibility or brand awareness.
There’s more competition, so standing out with your branded content is more difficult. It takes a terrific brand identity and a consistent representation that will stick in people’s minds and inspire customer loyalty. For that to happen, you need to invest both time and effort in developing a brand that’s strong and recognizable—a brand that can forge an emotional connection with its potential customers base.
Prioritizing your branding efforts allows you to influence how people see your company, so you shouldn’t overlook it even in the early stages of starting a business.
Take a look below at some of the reasons why having a good brand image and dependable brand identity is a huge positive for your business.
Make Your Company More Recognizable
Ideally, you want people to recognize your brand without even having to mention its name. Think of companies like Nike or Apple—most of the world knows who they are instantly based only on their logos. One glimpse at their logo and your mind jumps to the company name, the feelings you have associated with them, the newest products you’ve seen advertised, a recent marketing campaign, etc.
If your brand has a strong and recognizable identity, people will notice it more and be more likely to remember it when it really matters (when they need to purchase something). Both the visual elements and the brand story matter when trying to make yourself memorable.
Your Identity Inspires Trust
Gaining the trust of your target customer group is one of the most vital contributors to success for any business. Any company that’s missing the element of trust will have a hard time growing, even if they have high-quality products.
That’s why when people must choose to either buy from a familiar company with excellent, distinguishable branding or one without, most customers go with the first option. In fact, a reported 59% of consumers would prefer to buy from brands they already know. The bottom line is that people expect to see great branding in the modern-day, and when it’s missing, it feels like we’re not seeing the best version of a business.
Branding Can Improve Your Advertising
Advertising is an unavoidable part of making sales and running a successful business. Thankfully, good branding can help streamline and refine your advertising efforts. When you define and commit to your company’s brand, you can create more relevant and targeted ads that trigger an emotional response from your customers.
Just consider Nike’s commercials. They’re rarely focused on a product, but rather on an impactful message in slogan form such as “Just Do It,” “Dream Crazier,” or “Dream With Us,” and their whole idea is to make the viewer feel something instead of endlessly pushing products.
In part, Nike is able to create such campaigns due to its incredible brand image. They have already positioned themselves as an inspiring, one-of-a-kind sports brand that aims to forge the next generation of athletes. And behind that message, they can run all sorts of effective advertisements that later on become viral.
Strong Brand Identities Benefit Employees
Branding provides value not only for the outside image of your company but also for the internal workings. Many people feel passionate about working for something bigger than themselves, and a company with a clear and principled identity can create that kind of atmosphere.
Furthermore, good branding can help you attract more than new customers—it can also help you attract talent. If the top talent in your industry sees your company as sought-after, successful, admirable, etc., then they’re much more likely to apply to join the team.
Key Takeaways
Brand identity is important because it allows your company’s purpose, personality, and values to shine through. It’s what makes people feel connected to your business, breeding both trust and customer loyalty. Many factors are involved in building a consistent and powerful brand identity across all platforms. If you want some expert advice about building brand identity through your campaigns, contact us at Markerly to talk it over.
