Successfully branded people and companies are the ones who are able to tie all of their brand’s elements together in a likable and confident package. These brands are well known, trusted, and “citizens” of their respective communities. How does your company become a brand? Let’s look at how to do it right, and what it takes to build a digital brand in 2013.
Does Your Website Look Like Your Company Feels?
In 2013, every company is on the web. Your website is a key component of your brand. When you created your pièce de résistance — otherwise known as your website, what made you choose one font, color, or templated theme over another? Did you consult hex codes and psychological keys or did you choose the color green because it was your favorite? What made you decide between having menu tabs and drop downs over a side bar list?
Hosting companies like SiteGround offer a lot of helpful resources when it comes to putting your website together. Here are a few questions to consider when you are looking at options:
- What is the personal style of the people that do business with you?
- Are the colors on your website pleasant to look at for long periods of time?
- Is the font big enough to easily read?
- Do you need more (or better) graphics?
- Is there really enough room for informative content above the fold if you have columns?
- Does your banner in the header demand the attention that prime real estate should?
- Is your website appropriately project who and what you are and is this the image you wish to convey?
Unfortunately bad design and other layout decisions for your website can make your company appear pricey, flamboyant, eccentric, or even outdated. There are a lot of bad websites out there, don’t let yours be one of them.
What Do Your Prospects See?
Having a consistent look and vibe across all platforms of your business equals your brand. If you have a young, lighthearted cupcake blog, then using a Comic Sans or similar non-serious, fun font with confetti colors could be appropriate. However, if you have a five-star award-winning organic gourmet bakery maybe something a little more refined, subdued, and tasteful may be in order.
The point is, when choosing the visual elements of your brand, be sure they actually mirror what your Brand is. If they do not, then you are wasting marketing efforts (including your dollars) by confusing your prospective customers. There are plenty of video tutorials available explaining how to use the different platforms. There are also a lot of how-to sites available from an easy Google search.
It is worth keeping in mind that our own personal likes and dislikes may not be the best guide when it comes to designing a website. It is ultimately the prospective customer’s likes and dislikes that matters most. People can (and do) judge books by their covers. In the case of businesses, their websites. Your website — and the other visual elements (like your logo) are the visual representation of your Brand’s feel. Your website can show your company’s personality, but it should also clearly convey its character as well.