Enhance Your Online Branding - The Right Way

Just how do you enhance your online branding. There are many ways to do so. Some are common strategies that you may find are expensive such as SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), PPC (Pay Per Click Advertising), Direct Mail Campaigns and so fourth.

These strategies need not be expensive and can be ultimately something that you can afford and receive in enhancing your online branding.

Branding is all about "TRUST." Why do I say that? It's simple. Consumers, businesses, people will look at your branding, read your content and search for you on the search engines. Ultimately if they recognise you, read testimonials or have heard of you WOM (Word of Mouth) they will trust you, your products and services.

Online is a great way of gaining the right attention, providing credibility on the world wide web and finding the best possible ways to enhance your online branding. Whether your a small, medium or large company, online presence is crucial and you can reach millions of people world wide with your unique brand of products/services.

Brand Awareness and Brand Recognition are the two fundamentals when it comes to enhancing your online branding. There are many strategic ways of enhancing your exposure online. There are cost effective ways of getting your branding out there in the space and doing a multiple of techniques that can help increase your Brand Awareness/Brand Recognition.

1. Your Website

Having a website to start off with is the first step and equally having a website that is branded correctly, easy to navigate, logical flow of information, juicy content, profile and site map are just some of things that are needed. Remember your website is the face of your business. It represents who you are and what you are about. It needs to look presentable, clean, informative and sticky. Sticky being it needs to grab attention, keep visitors on your website, browsing at what you have to offer.

Some of the things to include on your website would be to firstly decide - What is my purpose for my website? Do I plan to sell products/services online? Do I need a brochure or a catalogue for people to download and print? Do I need a CMS? (Content Management System) website whereby I can update my own photos, content, add pages, change colours and so forth. Do I want to generate leads and sales from my website? These are just some of the questions that may spring to mind when thinking about how you want to brand yourself online to your customers/clients.


2. Search Engine Optimisation

I cannot stress how important it is to have an SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) plan for your website. There is no use in having a well branded, beautifully displayed, easy to navigate, logical flow and great products/services if it is not easily found on the Major Search Engines.

The misconception of getting a website done and that's it is not the case. You may be reading this saying to yourself, "Well yeah. I know that." But for some of those out there, they really believe that they don't need Search Engine Optimisation and think all they need is just a website! Websites need to be built in mind with SEO practises (Search Engine Optimisation). If it isn't, you are wasting your time and money therefore only building a website that will be uploaded into the never never land of the world wide world.

We all know that consumers use the internet on a frequent basis and will look for products/services via search engine channels (Main ones Google, Yahoo and MSN). If you are not listed, consumers may not trust or find you a credible source, therefore loosing potential leads and sales. Ensuring that you are listed on the Search Engines is vital for your online brand and equally finding the right company who specialises in Search Engine Optimisation is even harder to come by.


3. Start your own Blog

This is a great tool that can compliment your online branding efforts. Blogs are great to write extra content about ideas, thoughts, strategies, powerful tools that may have that people would be interested in and any other related business factors that you can contribute to. Blogs provide a great platform for you to engage with your customers online (New and Potential) and connect/inspire your readers with great information. With great technology such as the RSS Feeds, this allows your material to be upload onto a RSS Feed, reaching more potential customers that are interested in what you have to say.

4. Use of competitions, WOM (Word of Mouth), Incentives

Take advantage of increasing your web traffic, leads and sales by discussing something that is happening in your business online. Have an area on your website that can showcase a competition, incentive and post it on your blog in more detail. WOM (Word of Mouth), is still and will be a very important factor when it comes to enhancing your online brand presence, so create a viral buzz online that others will talk about e.g. Free Seminar, Free Consultation, Webinars and so forth.

If you haven't done so already, join the TWITTERVERSE as I call it otherwise known as TWITTER. It's a great way to tweet your competition, prize etc and create a viral buzz to people that may be interested in what you are offering. Add @1house_media to your twitter if you are a member or joining ask for advice, tips anytime.


5. Building a successful online brand

Whether your using direct mail, viral marketing, PPC (Pay Per Click Advertising) etc, make sure that your content, messages and tone is consistent. When it comes to stationary, brochures, business cards, online catalogues, press releases etc etc make sure that they are all consistent and convey the right message about your business and brand. Don't try to confuse your customers or make them sway otherwise all that hard work and energy that you have put in will not be effective.

In building a successful online brand that will last in the test of time, get to know your target market. Understand who they are, what they like/dislike, what are they searching for, needing, wanting. Get your website done correctly with visual communication, the right mix of colours, branding, content and utilise an effective SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Plan that will increase your search ranking and generate traffic of leads and sales to your website. Build your reputation, be a credible authority and enhance your online branding through great strategies that will get you present online.

For more information on the best way to effectively generate leads/sales via our SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Plans or discuss your online/offline marketing and website needs,  Email Nicole or you may add me to your Skype: one1house