In a veritable sea of online retailers, does your brand stand out online? As someone who receives no fewer than a dozen ads daily for various articles of clothing that I will never wear, I can tell you that many of these brands are instantly forgettable.
Whether you’ve been selling your products online since the days of dial-up internet or you’re new to the eCommerce scene as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, good branding is more important than ever. In a flooded online marketplace, it may seem like the odds are stacked heavily against you. But hey — you’ve dealt with that before, right?
Here, we take a look into what branding really encompasses, what it means for you, and how you can avoid some common mistakes.
The idea of branding something is older than the word itself. The practice of branding livestock dates back at least to ancient times, and there is even evidence that people in the Bronze Age would “brand” their cattle with paint or tar. This signified ownership of the animals and ensured that you were paid fairly. In ancient civilizations across the globe, artisans began to engrave marks to identify ceramic goods to distinguish themselves from others.
Over time (thousands of years, actually), the use of branding has changed from simply being an identifier to something akin to an organization’s very identity. Most of these changes happened following the industrial revolution, as people started to show a preference for goods that had a mark that they were familiar with; It created a sense of trust and an implied standard of quality.
Fast forward another hundred years or so to the introduction of the television, and branding begins to take on a whole new meaning. Companies began to use this new platform to define a personality for themselves and build loyalty with a wide audience.
Now, branding as it applies to eCommerce, as one might imagine, is a bit more complex than putting a mark on a cow or a piece of pottery — and it’s more than just a logo. In fact, for eCommerce companies, their “brand” is the most critical aspect (aside from cost) of convincing a stranger online to choose their product over a competitor’s. Merely stating that your brand is the “best” will certainly not convince a savvy consumer to make a purchase. You need to prove to your audience that your product is the one that they need — and that is no small feat.
If you don’t have a clear idea of what your brand is, then you can bet that no one else will, either. What makes your product different? What causes do you stand for? Think about the things that make up the “heart and soul” of your company. Once you’ve established that, the next step is to share your message with the world.
While in the past, television was the best medium to reach the most potential customers, today it is undoubtedly social media that holds the most sway in our decision-making process before we buy a product. However, it’s not just a matter of slapping a picture of your product in an ad and running it — you need to consider the best platform and messaging to use to get the most ROI.
If you want to learn more insider tips about how to do branding the right way for your eCommerce store, just download our whitepaper: Top 3 Branding Mistakes for the eCommerce Industry.
Overwhelmed? Building your brand is a complex task that, let’s face it, you may not have the time to adequately devote to. Our team has helped establish complete digital marketing strategies for eCommerce retailers just like you. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help you succeed online.
About the Author:
Sabrina Lopez is the Managing Editor at 1SEO whose passion for grammar is surpassed only by her love for her avian companions. When she is not chasing her tiny human offspring around her home, she may be found basking in the purple glow of her PC or watching a fantasy flick with her husband.
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