Running a business requires more than simply the products you sell or services you provide. Customers want to feel a connection to the brands they choose. In other words, they want to know what they are buying and trust the name behind it.
But brand building that reflects the values behind your business is only half of it. The next part is to actively market what you’ve created to potential customers.
These are the seven most important steps you need to take for successful business brand building and online marketing.
If you’re eager to dive into the details, we have included links to more extensive guides on each of these key topics.
How to build your brand
Step 1: Build your brand identity
What does your business stand for? What does your brand represent? Before you begin anything else, it’s important to have answers to these questions.
The way you work, the products you make, the stuff you like to do, and of course your own personal style—all of those define your brand. The good news is, you don’t have to create it from scratch.
The process of brand building is simply figuring out what those traits are, and coming up with creative ways to tell people about it.
From starting a brand identity to finding a design, our detailed branding guide gives you everything you need to know to get started.
Step 2: Name your business
The name is the essence of your business. It should convey the same feeling your customers get when they first hold your product in their hands or meet your team. More than that, it should reflect what your business stands for.
Coming up with a name requires some brainstorming and legal research, but it can also be a fun, creative exercise.
We’re here to help. Our handy manual teaches you how to create a business name your customers will love.
Step 3: Design your logo
Along with a name, a logo is the flagship of your business. It conveys professionalism and demonstrates that you have a brand customers can trust. At the end of the day, your logo is everywhere. That is why getting it right is so important.
Design a logo that makes your business stand out.
So what makes a good logo? How do you represent your brand identity with a catchy symbol? Do you need a professional to design one?
We have collected some more practical tips for creating the perfect logo design.
Need inspiration? The Jimdo free Logo Creator is a great place to get started. Nothing helps you get a better feel for what fits your business than trying out different ideas. We even have a detailed logo development walkthrough to get you started.
How to market your brand
Step 4: Build a website for your business
Once you have your brand in place, it’s time to transform it into a customized website you can show the world.
Your website can function as both a virtual shop and a communications conduit to your customers. It’s the culmination of your brand building and the hard work you have put in to create your products and services. It should represent your business in a visually engaging way but it also needs to be functional.
Check out our top reasons why your business needs a website. And then, we have put together some tips and tricks that help you build a customized website from scratch.
Step 5: Create a press kit
Press coverage and reviews are a great way for you to gain exposure and build trust with potential customers. That’s why it’s helpful to have all of your marketing material on hand in case inquisitive journalists come to you on a tight deadline.
A press kit contains basic information and brand messaging about your business (plus your logo and any other nice visuals you might want to include). It’s not just for the press, however. It’s always handy to have your most useful marketing information on hand in case investors, potential partners, bloggers or social media influencers come calling, or find your website via search engines.
See our professional press kit examples guide for what to include and how to make the most of it.
Step 6: Put your business on the map with Business Listings
When it comes to maximizing your customer reach, simply having an up-to-date, flashy website isn’t enough. When people search for your business, product or service online, they need to find accurate information.
In fact, many consumers cite outdated information as their number one pet peeve when asked about small businesses. That’s where Business Listings come in. Update it once, and Business Listings ensures that everything from opening time to location information is accurate when people find your business via online searches across different platforms. Learn more about how to set up Business Listings and how it can help you market your business online.
Step 7: Streamline your website for SEO
An established online presence is key to attracting new customers and establishing your business within the industry. Search engine optimization, or SEO, helps your website climb up the results rankings when people search for your business and related topics online.
Making your website SEO-friendly is actually less time-consuming than you might think. Just a few simple changes can make a big difference in helping the right audience find you online. And with strong SEO, you can spend less money on traditional advertising.
It can be helpful to just focus on one area at a time. If you’re a beginner, start with our SEO Basics and then check out this helpful guide on how to optimize all the images on your website for better SEO.
Want to know more? This list is just an overview of the most important steps to getting your brand marketing up and running. For more website and business tips, or just some good inspiration, browse the latest offerings on our blog.