More often than not, the difference between a startup failing or succeeding comes down to your branding. You have a fresh idea, a sharp team, and a standout product, but is your branding up to scratch?
At the end of the day, the real key to startup and entrepreneurial success is just plain hard work. But if you’re putting in the effort, you want to be sure you’re sweating over the right things.
There’s nothing worse than working your guts out and not seeing any brand equity for all that sweat.
81% of consumers say they need to trust a brand before they even think about buying.
So, if you’re serious about achieving success, building a solid online brand for your startup is a must.
Read on to learn a few more reasons why you should be focusing on building a strong online brand for your startup and how it’ll spell out success for you in the long run.
Online Credibility & Recognition
What’s the one thing every startup craves? Recognition! The right branding means staying top-of-mind and relevant with your potential customers so they instantly think of your name when your logo appears.
Strong branding is the ticket to reaching this kind of recognition, and it won’t cost you a lot to achieve it.
You Have a Story to Tell
People might think all they need to make their startup a success is a great product and a logo. But that’s not the case.
The Internet is too crowded nowadays (competition is cutthroat).
Sometimes, when trying to send your audience your marketing message, it feels like you’re shouting into a void. Your competition is right there, all trying to get noticed, too, and you need to cut through all that noise.
If you want to get more customers, stop obsessing over just your product.
A brand doesn’t just involve what you sell—focus on these three things: your product, what makes you stand out (the experience you create), and your core beliefs.
Those last two are the human touch, where you can really resonate with the perfect customer.
If people relate to a brand’s story, more than half are likely to buy the product down the track; 44% will spread the word, and 15% will purchase it on the spot.
Weave in as many human elements as possible because, ultimately, humans have always had and will always have an innate need to connect with other people.
How Branding Shapes Your Start-Up Website’s Performance
Having a strong brand identity on your website makes people understand what you stand for and the unique value you offer.
50% of website users say that a company’s website design plays a big role in shaping their view of the brand.
When people get a clear sense of your unique identity and what sets you apart, they’re more likely to engage, whether spending their cash on your products or signing up for your services.
A brand people trust is often the nudge they need to make those positive decisions as they browse through your site.
Pro tip: Use reliable hosting services when creating your startup website. Good hosting gives you flexible bandwidth options, like autoscaling when traffic surges. Autoscaling helps you dodge the annoying 502 errors and keeps your site running. That makes for a great customer experience and keeps your brand’s reputation in top condition.
Edge Over Competitors
Effective branding gives your online business a competitive edge over your competitors and attracts more customers. Competition often gets caught up in aggressive battles over advertising and branding.
With so many online startup businesses in every niche, use branding to outshine the rest and take the lead.
The trick is to make your brand stand for something unique and trustworthy. A brand is not just a logo (as said earlier)—it’s a promise of a great experience your customers can count on.
Find what sets your product or service apart, and make sure that it shines through on your website, your social media, and everywhere else.
Keep things consistent across the board to build a loyal fan base. And when your happy and loyal customers spread the word, it’s worth its weight in gold.
Decisions Aren’t Just Based on Products Alone
Nowadays, when shopping online, people have endless options to buy whatever they want.
Just being there in the market isn’t enough to give a potential customer a solid reason to pick your product or service over another.
Say you’re looking to buy a new laptop. How would you decide which one to buy? You’d probably look for an experience that sounds like something you want or solves a problem you’re already facing.
Your branding should convey to potential customers that you’re selling a solution instead of a product.
The Power of Shared Experiences
To get the experience you’re after, your brain will subconsciously compare what you expect with what you’re currently experiencing before giving you the green light.
Beyond your own past experiences, the next best thing your brain can rely on is the experiences of others. In online marketing and sales, this comes through as reviews, recommendations, and consistency.
When you shop online, do you browse by “recommended,” “highest rated,” or “most reviews?” That’s your brain seeking an experience that aligns with your desired outcome.
With the right branding, your loyal customers become your greatest advocates. You can effectively communicate the unique experiences your start-up offers and back them up with real-life examples in the form of reviews and testimonials.
That way, you’ll strengthen your market position and make it much easier for potential customers to decide.
Wrapping Up
Building a successful startup brand is storytelling at its best. Your brand isn’t just your name, logo, or the colors you choose. It’s that feeling that sticks with your customers when they interact with you.
While a killer logo, sharp tagline, and genuine brand voice are great, truly strong brands nail it by keeping their eyes on the big picture.
They create something that resonates deeply and leaves a lasting impression by incorporating all these elements together.
