Brand building today is nothing like it was just 10 years ago. With almost half of the world’s population online, companies have shifted their brand building efforts to the digital realm. As you might have already guessed, since everyone is online trying to make the name for themselves, the competition has became harsh.

This is why you have to stick to the basics, those crucial aspects of brand building in the digital age that promise success. If you are lost in the sea of information, this list may prove useful. Here are the five things you can do to successfully build a brand in the digital age.

Social media presence

Social media platforms provide incredible opportunities for brand building. You can reach a large audience and engage people in direct conversation via messages and comments. This is why you should consider taking your social media presence seriously.

In order to be able to leverage your social media presence, you will have to pick the right social media network. You really have to know your target audience and each platform’s demographics. For instance, Tumblr’s primary demographic are teens, YouTube’s are males, while LinkedIn’s are business owners.

What plays the most important role in social media branding? Visuals, of course. In order to make it out there, you will have to share attractive visuals, those that convey a compelling message.

Brand ambassadors
Brand ambassadors are very popular nowadays. Don’t let the terminology confuse you, as we are talking about influencers. Companies have been using celebrities to promote their services and products for ages now, but the Internet and the rise of social media stars have made this possible for SMBs too.

Basically you have two options to choose from – macro and micro influencers. Macro influencers are the ones with a follower base of millions of people, while micro influencers have 1,000 to 100,000 followers. There is a lot of talk these days about choosing between micro and macro influencers.

Micro influencers seem like a better option for SMBs, because they are much more active on their profiles, thus maintaining high engagement rates. In any case, before you decide to use a brand ambassador, make sure to check the levels of their social media activity, whether they are a true professional and the demographics of their audience.

Logo and other visual aspects

We have already mentioned the importance of visuals in establishing a social media presence. Now let’s address the visual aspects of your digital branding efforts in general. So what are they? Your logo, website, dedicated mobile app and emails.

A unique and professionally designed logo is the cornerstone of any branding success, as this is the first thing the people will visually associate your brand with. As your logo will be found on all of your digital marketing assets, you really have to make sure that it reflects what your business is and what it stands for.

You also might consider revisiting your website. Is it optimized for search engines? Does it offer a delightful user experience? Is it easy to use? Is it mobile ready?

A great majority of people like to search for products and services online before purchasing them. If you make sure to positively answer all these questions, you will make your website more appealing and useful. It will be found valuable by prospects and customers, thus positively affecting your brand image.

Content marketing (text, video)
It is 2018, and content remains the undefeated champion of digital marketing in the “best brand builders” category. Why? Because it puts you in a position to provide value for your consumers, to give them what they need, answer their questions, address their doubts and concerns, spark up their minds and engage them in conversation. Feel free to check what an established advertising copywriter has to say about it.

Try to diversify your content efforts in order to engage your audience in the most efficient way. A great balance between text, video and image (infographic) promises the best results. In the end, make sure to create content for your audience, not you. This will help you to be seen as helpful and caring – the traits that can easily be transferred to your brand as well.

Consistency
At last, we come to consistency – the most crucial aspect of brand building in the digital age. What does consistency in this instance mean? First the color palette used on your logo and website has to extend and reflect on all your other digital assets – social media profile and emails, for instance.

Second, the brand voice you decide to use has to remain the same across all channels. This will help you build a reliable image for your brand. And, third, make sure to retain the same content sharing and social media activity patterns over time.

Brand building in the digital age is a long-term effort. If you pay close attention to these five crucial aspects, you will be able to build a consistent brand image and create meaningful relations with your customers and online audience.

Author Info:

Damir is an avid writer here to help you with graphic design and branding tips in order to take your business to the next level. Part of the team at DesignContest, a place that will make your every graphic design idea come to life.