Building a Strong Online Reputation Through Branding

When it comes to marketing your business online, making your business’s website reflect your brand is an absolute must in any service-based industry. It’s what sets you apart from your competition, establishes your credibility and shows people why you are the best choice for them.

Metric Marketing’s “ Guide to The Importance of Branding in Your Marketing ” breaks branding down to a simple definition:

“In its most basic form, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells your consumers what they can expect from your products and services. It is the total sum of their experiences and perceptions—some of which you can influence, and some that you cannot.”

It may seem like something only big-name companies would focus on, but branding is a powerful tool that can change peoples’ perception of your company, if harnessed correctly.

Branding your business is similar to being a professional: if it looks like you have your stuff together, people will assume you really do have your stuff together. Maybe you’re a family business that has been around for over 30 years, or perhaps you’re just building your company. Either way, if you have a brand that is professional and portrays the appearance you are going for, you’ll establish credibility and attract the audience you want.

One of the easiest and most influential aspects of branding for your business is website design. We’ve touched on the importance of this already in the section on outdated websites , but when it comes to service-based sites, design works hand-in-hand with your brand.

In terms of your brand, design can be broken down into many different elements that all work together to tell a story about your business.

For example, looking at the font used throughout a company’s website allows you to easily perceive the company’s style and tone. Cursive font gives the appearance of class and tradition, in the same way that simple, geometric fonts portray modernity and innovation. Of course, font choice is just one of the details that tells a story about your company. Other elements include color scheme, logo, layout and writing tone. When all these elements, and many more, are combined, the look of your brand is created.

The key is to make sure your brand standards are continued throughout your site, as well as in your actual services. There needs to be a level of consistency on every page of your website, as well as in your store logos, marketing campaigns, on social media and everywhere else your business is represented. If you portray your business as being sleek and modern, you better be prepared to provide products or services that mimic that sleek and modern tone for clients who were drawn to you because of your online representation of your business.

The Bottom Line: When you look at your current website, are you giving off the right impression about your business? Do you have a distinct brand that is continued throughout your website and in your service? If not, it’s time to step up your game and develop your business’s brand.

This article is just one part of a larger series, “Is Your Website Helping or Hurting Your Business?” To read the article in its entirety and learn more about leveraging your website, click here .