Starting a business is an exciting and challenging process, during which you’ll consider many different marketing strategies and techniques. Once your products are selling and your business is established, it may be time to start thinking about creating and boosting your brand identity. As the embodiment of your business, this will be an essential element to growing your brand.
This post will look at what brand identity is, why it’s important, and how to create it. Once you’ve designed your brand identity, a whole new avenue of marketing will open up. Blend Commerce looks at how below.
What is brand identity?
First things first, what is brand identity meaning? Brand identity refers to the identifiable and visible elements of a business or brand. This includes colour, logo, design, and anything else that sets your brand apart from others. These elements distinguish the brand in consumers' minds, naturally encouraging them to remember the brand and, if you successfully target your audience, to identify with it.
Why is brand identity important?
As mentioned above, a clear brand identity allows your business to become known to your customer base. It allows them to, as the term suggests, identify with your brand, and then remember it from that point on.
Consider the famous brands that we know, like Nike. The swoosh of their logo is internationally known and synonymous with the brand. The logo alone is, in fact, worth an estimated £21 billion.
We can therefore conclude that brand identity builds trust and loyalty. A strong, unique and clear brand image allows you to build a strong relationship with your customers. They can identify with your company values and appearance and will likely feel comfortable choosing you over your competition. The words “a brand you can trust” are notable for a reason; people trust the brands they know.
How to create brand identity
As we’ve seen, brand identity revolves around colour, logo and design - the visible elements of your brand. Therefore, creating a brand identity will involve creating a look and feel for your business. Here are four steps to follow in order to create a cohesive, memorable brand identity:
1. Research your audience and competition
Every business has a particular target audience. Is your audience young and hip, or more advanced in age and income? These are important questions to ask yourself, as this will guide you in deciding on an appealing and appropriate brand image for your particular audience. Researching your competitors will also help you decide this.
2. Design your logo
The logo is a vital part of your branding, as it is the most recognisable element of any brand. Make it simple, bold, and suitable for your target market and brand. Keep in mind that your logo will be incorporated into every part of your marketing, and should therefore suit the rest of your branding too.
3. Use language that you can embody, connect and advertise with
Using language that reflects the personality of your brand allows you to integrate your brand identity into every piece of content that you produce. From short advertisements to long blog posts, using a consistent tone will establish your brand more fully. Keep in mind that this should also suit your target audience.
4. Know what to avoid
Just as it is important to know what to strive for, it’s crucial to know what to avoid. It is, therefore, best to avoid copying your competitors (though you can certainly take inspiration from them) and steer clear of inconsistency, which can quickly confuse your brand identity.
