There are many elements that come together to establish and develop a brand, from advertising to merchandise and more. All of these elements combine to make your company stand out to customers, which is important for creating a successful and sustainable business. Join us to take a look at what branding is, why it’s important and our tops tips for branding your business (or even yourself!)
What Is Branding?
Whether you’re an artist, small business owner, musician, YouTuber or general creator, branding is super important. By definition, branding is the process of creating a name, design or symbol that makes your company easily recognizable, identifiable and unique. Think of it as being all about shaping your brand, and grabbing potential customer’s attention.
Why is Branding Important?
Branding is critical for a business (whether it is just yourself or involving multiple employees). This is because it changes how people perceive your brand, affects new business and if done correctly, increases brand awareness.
Let’s take a look at some reasons this process is super important:
- Recognition – Branding is important because it is how your company gains recognition amongst consumers. This is why logos are integral, as it is the face of your company. Think of McDonald’s, for example. We can all draw the iconic ‘M’ logo from memory!
- Opportunities – A well-established brand who knows who they are can increase a business’ value, providing more leverage. If your brand is firmly established in the marketplace, this can lead to tons of opportunities otherwise unavailable.
- Customers – Strong branding leads to a positive impression of the company. This leads to referrals, familiarity and dependability. Word-of-mouth is still one of the strongest advertising techniques, so don’t underestimate it!
- Employee Satisfaction – Working for a brand that is well branded and established means that employees will have more pride in what they do. Branding within an office space, for example, allows employees to have a sense of belonging and security.
Branding Elements & Examples
So, now that we’ve discussed what branding is and why it’s important, it’s time to look at some examples. What elements make up the process, what content creation is involved, and what do you need to think about when starting up a company and marketing it?
- Mission Statement & Brand Values: Your mission is the brains behind the operation. For this, you’ll need a succinct statement that defines the intention of your organization. The vision is more about the heart. Think inspirational, showcasing what you want to achieve. Your brand values are what your company stands for and what you value.
- Brand Guidelines: Your brand strategy informs your guidelines, and these will create a tangible document. This document should reflect your business goals, separate you from competitors and engage your customers. Brand Guidelines will also include stylistic elements such as font, color palettes and so on.
- Logo. This is what customers immediately think of when it comes to branding, and this is of high importance. When designing your logo, consider how you want to be perceived, the logo’s individuality, clarity and connotations.
- Website. In the digital landscape of 2021, your website can make or break your business. For lots of your customers, this may be how they first discover you, and first impressions are key. Be sure to make it engaging, simple to navigate and on brand. Don’t forget to refer to your Brand Guidelines when choosing stylistic elements such as colors, layouts and fonts.
- Other Assets: Depending on your business, you may want to branch out! Think merchandise, flyers, product packaging, business cards, stationary and more!
Top Tips For Branding
Finally… here are our top tips for branding, including planning, market research and more. Let’s jump in!
Plan Ahead
As discussed previously, there are various elements involved in the process. Planning ahead means that you can be in control of what is happening, and have a clear plan to execute your vision. Begin by defining your brand strategy and use it as your blueprint to build your brand around. To do so, you need to define who you are and what makes you unique, your mission statement, your values and your ideal customer. After this, you can begin thinking about stylistic elements, logos, social media voice, branded video content and so on!
Utilize Market Research
Your Brand Guidelines should be coupled with ongoing market research and analysis. This will show you what works, what other companies are doing, and what your customers want to see from you. For example, are your customers swayed by viral videos? Does your target age group use a certain social media platform more than others? Knowledge is power, so gather as much as you can to inform your future choices.
Be Consistent
Branding works because of consistency, as it allows customers to know what they’re getting. An easy-to-understand, interesting brand is one that is memorable. It may be tempting to shake things up, and new ideas do help stop things from getting stale. However, remember that while new ideas are great, your branding shouldn’t really change. Your branding can be updated, but try not to stray too far from what your customers know and love you for.
Be Patient
Yes, it is a long process! Try to think of it as the foundation upon which you will build your reputation and drive customers to use your services. It is this process that will bring in leads and sales, so don’t overlook it! Patience and consistency is key in order to achieve your vision and establish your brand.
How Audiosocket Can Help
This article is all about why establishing your brand can help your business thrive. If you’re planning on creating content for your business such as YouTube videos, podcasts and so on, it’s time to start planning aspects like music. That’s where we can help!
If you are looking for authentic, top-quality music for your project, why not check out Audiosocket? Your content deserves the best, so sign up today and access 85,000+ songs to bring your vision to life! You can access Audiosocket’s music catalog for just $15 a month as a Personal creator. Not only that, but this allows you to license an unlimited number of tracks at no additional cost. Talk about win-win!
Feel free to check out our article on micro licensing and how it is super helpful for content creators, also.
