What is a brand anyway? Many think that a brand is color schemes, logos and symbols, packaging, ad campaigns and promotional efforts. But a brand is more than that.
A brand is not apparent at the moment a marketing strategy begins, because a brand is a result.
A brand is the result of consistent, repetitive marketing efforts that reinforce a promise and an expectation to the customer. It’s the culture, message, voice and personality that fills the air once everything else is out of the way. Every brand has a reputation—what experience do they provide in the delivery of a product and/or service?
And when we think about the impact a website can have on a brand’s identity, we need to think not only about the nice new logo and color palette, but also about how this website will continue to deliver on your promise to your existing and prospective customer.
Something as simple as redesigning a site so that it’s responsive and fast gives the user the best possible experience on any device— that’s a representation of a brand.
Having the ability to maintain a site’s content via a content management system like WordPress, providing the most relevant, up-to-date information, has a tremendous impact on brand perception.
And creating clear calls-to-action that quickly and easily convey to the user the different paths they can take to find what they are looking for (‘Take a Tour’ or ‘Get Started’) are all aspects of a website that can deliver on a promise to make interaction with your brand seamless.
A website also provides the opportunity for a visitor to learn more about the company’s story. Who are the people behind the scenes? What’s the purpose and vision of the brand? How do they approach problem-solving? What are the company’s values? What is the culture like?
These are questions that cannot be answered by many brands, and today people are very interested because they prefer to do business with a company that does more than provide a service. The people and the story matter—much more than you may think.
A website gives your brand the chance to shine and show how great it really is. After all, even if your site does not directly provide the ability to purchase the product or service, over 80% of customers will conduct their research online first before committing to the product or brand of choice. This is a key moment where and when your site has the opportunity to represent your brand.
A website is the most easily accessible place where your audience can see the brand while simultaneously experience the brand; That is something that cannot be found or applied on any other marketing medium. Remember that it’s your customer that will define and judge your brand in a matter of seconds. So, what perception does your site provide?
Nicholas Llerandi
Digital Project Manager, Liqui-Site
As the primary point of contact between our clients and the team, Nick has been essential to Liqui-site's growth since 2015. He manages the scope, schedule, and budget through an agile, iterative process. Nick is a curator of processes and workflow, and cultivates an environment of open communication.
