The Basics of Branding

Have you ever considered how your website talks about your business? The way that you present yourself on the internet can make or break whether people are interested in your content and messaging. In this post, we will discuss what branding is and why it's important for marketing purposes, as well as how to go about implementing it successfully!

What is Branding

Great branding will give you a real edge in today's competitive business environment. Many studies has shown that consumers are less likely to buy products from companies they don't recognise or don’t feel comfortable with and good branding can help provide a consistency of positive experience, so the customer knows when they are in your workspace. Their experience should be designed to have a certain emotional impact and a specific intention. Branding keeps all of these features in mind and also speaks to the non-verbal parts of our minds through consistency in colours, shapes, fonts, and content.

Investing in your branding should mean visitors are immediately aware of who they're dealing with when they visit, and where your website experience starts and ends.

Quick Tips for Branding

Every page on your website should have key elements that are uniform in style and design. If you can't redesign your website to maintain consistency, there are some things you can do to make sure the branding is still recognizable. Here are some tips for implementing a consistent look across all of your webpages.

• Use the same fonts and colors on all pages
• Use the same header and footer on all pages
• Keep images and graphics consistent across pages in size and ‘feel’, eg. If you use illustrations a lot, a photo may look out of place and vice versa
• Make sure all links work and where possible, link back into your site
• Use a global style sheet to maintain consistency across pages (talk to your web developer about how to best achieve this one)

Resources for Branding

If you have a small budget or don't have access to a web developer, there are some free or low-cost options for creating a consistent look across your website. One option is to use a template from your hosting site and then editing the colour scheme. These templates will give you a basic layout and design that you can customize to match your branding.

There are plenty of free sites (Unsplash, Pixabay, Pexels, Freeimages and more) where you can download images and graphics free for your own use. You will need to credit the creator, or pay a small fee if you prefer, usually about the cost of a cup of coffee. Many talented photographers and graphic designers place their work out for free, so linking back to their catalogue helps them gain more exposure online (and increases their authority). You can also use sites like Canva, Stencil or Crello to edit, change or play with the images you have selected. Canva can also be used to make graphics yourself, with flowcharts and icons available for use.

Too many fonts and colors can seem overwhelming and make it difficult for viewers to read. Instead of using multiple fonts, stick with one that is easy to read on the internet, like Arial or Verdana. Use something a little interesting for headers and titles, and then a font that is easy to read and simple for the content.

You can select your colours yourself, or you can use online apps like Coolors and Colourlovers and find some great colour combinations. You can also upload a photo or image that you like the feel of (or even a photo of your logo), and then pull the colour board based around that image. If colours still feel overwhelming, try sticking to a palette made up of a main color and a contrasting color, and a neutral (usually white or black). You'll find that this will keep your website looking sleek and polished!

The more colours you say YES or NO to, the better your brand will relate to you and your business.

A consistent branding style across all of your webpages helps to create a recognizable identity for your company and makes it easier for visitors to navigate your website. Select colours and shapes that really resonate with you and your clients, and keep your designer on board with any branding changes. Consistency of experience and clarity of messaging are the key factors to providing an easy, enjoyable webpage experience.

Don’t forget - if you’re stuck, reach out for help!

There are plenty of great ways to achieve consistency that fit into any budget, but having a team of specialists onside can always help your webpage look and do exactly what you want.

When it comes to branding, there are two ways you can go about doing so. You can either do your own research and try to figure out how best to establish a strong brand identity or you can hire someone who is an expert in the field of branding and design with experience in establishing brands for businesses like yours.

If you’re not sure which direction would be better for you, reach out to us today. We offer free consultations where we will answer any questions that come up during our conversation with you. Plus, if after talking with one of our experts, decide that they might be able to help make your business grow through their expertise, then contact them right away!