In this era of digitisation, creating an online brand has
become one of the foremost ways of gaining eyeballs and making one’s presence
felt in a highly competitive environment. Irrespective of whether one has a
physical presence or not, one has to resort to online marketing to build a
brand that people will relate to and identify with.
An online brand, so to speak, is any company or individual
trying to build goodwill through active and engaging presence in the online
sphere. In short, growing one’s business online is directly proportional to
growing one’s brand. We are living in an era where start-ups and corporate
alike are trying to create a niche for themselves in a cluttered online space,
to acquire their share of fame. The most important way to create a brand online
is constant communication with the users or customers. A brand is what the
users make it. Like Jeff Bezos, the CEO and Founder of Amazon.com says, “Your
brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room”.
Secondly, the value of a flawless, easy to use and navigate
and visually appealing website or app can hardly be undermined. A smooth user
experience by means of an impactful logo, a clean user interface and a
well-designed website are other prerequisites. A neat logo that conveys the
brand message also helps in brand recognition among the masses. A creative
tagline can adequately sum up the values and ethics of a brand. It is almost
like a crisp and concise introduction about your brand for first-time users.
Quality and easily identifiable content on the website and functionality of the
over-all site can further ensure visibility.
Digital marketing activities, such as, Search EngineOptimization, Search Engine Marketing and regular blog articles will also drive
traffic to the website that can result in actual leads. Presence across all
social channels is indispensable. One should aim to develop and build a healthy
relationship with the target audience by educating them about the company’s
mission and goals. The content one posts online should be in sync with the
general values of the brand to avoid any inconsistencies in the brand message
one tries to convey.
Timely mailers with succinct and relevant information will
further boost one’s reputation as an online brand. An e-commerce company such
as Limeroad, for example, runs engaging promotional activities through sections
like Rush Hour and Shop City. The success of an online brand also relies
heavily on word-of-mouth. Hence, there is an intense focus on capturing
customer review and feedback via various calls to action such as ‘Rate This
Item or Service’ and ‘Write a Review’.
Apart from the above-mentioned advantages, creating an
online brand can also help companies cut down costs on running and maintaining
physical outlets. If you want your brand to reach out to the masses with
limited warehouse space and a handful of people to manage operations, then
online branding is the way forward for you.
