Some people think that branding is a very expensive marketing activity that can be implemented only by multinational companies with millions of dollars of budget, while others are considered a highly complex strategy that only well-trained experts can use effectively.

These statements are not false, but they are only a small part of the larger picture. There is one aspect of branding that is so simple that even a little child can do this with little or practically no cost.

Here we are talking about online branding.

Companies of all sorts and sizes are increasingly becoming part of the web, not only to create their own websites but also expand their presence on secondary sites, social networks or company blogs. At this stage of web development, it became more important than ever to establish a successful online branding strategy. Here are some helpful tips on how to do this.

UNDERSTANDING OF THE BRANDING

Branding is much more than a name and a logo. It is a philosophy, a special way of doing something that begins with the simple act of representing oneself, or the work we deal with and ending with the growth of the perception of value, which in the end leads to an increase in profit.

With a good branding strategy, companies can increase the perceptive value of any product or service, creating an image that exceeds the material values. In other words, branding can increase the interaction with the brand so that its users have the impression that the value of products and services is actually higher than their actual values. Let's explain this in this way, Aston Martin has a much higher perceptual value than Volkswagen, and both serve the same function to transport you from point A to point B.

The difference between the actual and the apparent value is the result of branding.

There are many costly and complex ways to achieve such results, Aston Martin did so by linking his brand with James Bond, but almost all branding tactics are based on one single end: consistency.

CONSISTENCY IS THE ESSENCE OF BRANDING

If you think that branding is a difficult concept for understanding, we admit that in some cases it is the case, but you will agree that understanding the idea of consistency is a much easier challenge. In essence, it is about repeating a particular message over and over again in a consistent way and thus embedding itself into the minds of potential clients.

The reason people connect Aston Martin and James Bond, and therefore the luxury surrounding his character, is not because the car once accidentally found himself in a movie about the famous British secret agent, but because he consistently appeared and associated with the character in all his films.

Aston Martin used branding in such a successful way that it's hard to imagine this brand out of luxury and lavish life. But before deeper researching how to brand an idea, let's explore how the concept of consistency is applied on the Internet.

BRANDING IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

The Internet has opened a channel where small businesses can create the value of a brand that was out of reach with the previous level of investment. Even independent professionals are able to brand under almost the same conditions as multinational companies.

These are things that companies and individuals should keep in mind for consistent branding over the Internet and to make a good first impression.

CONSISTENCY OF THE PROFILE (OR USERNAME)

Whenever a business subscribes to a social network, it creates a point of interaction with potential clients, and the most prominent element in that interaction is the username. For example, on Twitter, our name is @GLBrain.

Choosing the right username is the first step in online branding. The best option is to use the same name as the URL of your site, so if the address of the site brandname.com is the username that corresponds to your business can be @brandname. By using the same name again and again, through various social media it is a big part of creating a brand's consistency on the web.

The great benefit of this approach is when someone interacts with your brand across different pages, has a sense of continuity, and thus the value of that specific username increases compared to others.

If you find out that your brand name is already busy you will have to think about alternative solutions. Usually, some prefixes or suffixes are added to the brand name to make a difference. Once you find the name that suits you, make sure it's available on all the sites you want to use, just to be sure.

Another social networking tip is to connect these sites, whenever possible, by adding links from one to the other. The more you interact with potential customers, you will have higher visibility and visibility, and then an increase in perceptual value.

VISUAL CONSISTENCY (LOGO CONSISTENCY)

The visual aspect of branding is not just a business logo, but this element is certainly a central part. In order to achieve a minimum level of visual consistency, all you need to do is use the same logo in all places. Wherever you place an interaction point with your customers, be sure to use the same version of the logo each time. One thing to keep in mind, "same" means the same logo to the pixel level.

But as we have said before, the logo is not the only element of visual communication. In fact, thanks to the popularity of social media, there was come to the creation of an alternative but recognizable logo designing.

Most companies that have established brands should create these alternative versions of the logo for social networks. So, if your logo cannot fit in the square the best advice is to hire a designer to help you with it.

CONSISTENCY OF SOUND

Once again thanks to social networks, users can interact with brands they like in the way they could not earlier, and this kind of direct communication creates an opportunity to increase users loyalty to brands. How? By showing personalities through blog posts, status updates, and tweets.

Can you imagine this kind of interaction before the Internet?

Now, once again brands must remain consistent. Think about this: who will manage your social media and interact with users? Most likely, even if you are a small business, more than one person needs it. It is therefore essential to specify a tone of voice that will provide a consistent user experience for your customers.

How do you define your tone? It's a matter of finding the essence of your business and personalization. Is your business professional? Friendly? Witty? Provocative? Find the position best suited to your business style and make it mandatory through social networks.

For example, for law-related matters, choose a formal tone of voice, for example, for a child care center, a more friendly appearance should be selected. Any tone of voice you choose for your job, the basic rule is to maintain consistency.

BRANDING OF IDEAS

Consistency is the essence of branding and as long as you follow the above tips, your branding strategy will be ahead of the vast majority who do not comply with that rule. But the right branding power comes when you connect business, products, and services with the idea.

Let's go back for a moment like the one we just mentioned. Aston Martin was consistent in linking his brand with James Bond, but the main benefits are in ideas that are related to the character, such as action, adventure, and success.

Many other brands have done the same, and sometimes in a much more abstract way, for example Nike with "Just Do It" campaign, Adidas with "Greatness" or Apple with "Think Different," L'Oreal with "Because You're Worth It"; DeBeers with "A Diamond is Forever"; McDonald's with "I'm Lovin it"; Old Spice "Believe in your Smellf".

We could go on, there are many more examples, but the concept is clear to you. Linking your brand with an idea is the most powerful form of branding strategy.

The days when customers relied solely on magazines and newspapers to find products and services were long overdue. Today, the Internet is the first place where they go to find out more about the products and services they want, and companies build their brands there.

If your business is a part of social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, always remember that your goal is to create a recognizable brand, do it by always having the same username, logo, and audio consistency across all points of interaction. This will not only help you build a strong brand, it will also help people find you on the web more easily. Finally, if I cannot find you, you can think that you do not exist.

Follow me on Twitter - @SrdjanKali.