How To Build a Brand Identity: Get Consistent Leads, Establish Authority, and Become an Industry Leader
The most successful brands in the world all have one thing in common – a memorable, consistent brand identity.
No matter your industry, there is a golden opportunity to grow your business and establish yourself as a leader by creating a strong brand identity that your audience connects with.
Not sure where to start? This guide will show you how to build a brand identity that effortlessly grows your business.
What is a Brand Identity?
A brand identity is the presentation and expression of what your brand stands for. From your values and mission statement to your logo, brand voice, and offerings, your brand identity creates a cohesive message that attracts your ideal customers.
The most successful companies in the world have a distinctive, memorable brand identity, and when used effectively, it can take your business to new heights.
Best Examples of Strong Brand Identity
Before we get into the details of how to build a brand identity, let’s look at some successful brands to inspire you.
Nike
Everyone knows the distinctive tick logo and brand slogan that goes with Nike (Just Do It), but their brand identity runs much deeper than that.
When you think about the brand, you immediately think of athletes, confidence, and inspirational storytelling. Nike does a great job of conveying its brand through its messaging and has crafted a memorable identity in the process.
Zoopla
Zoopla is one of the most well-known names in real estate marketing, and it stands out with its aspirational brand identity.
Through visual storytelling and strong branding, Zoopla shows it understands the complexity of the home buying process and stands out as a leader in a crowded marketplace.
Apple
This brand took an apple and made it into a global brand worth over $2 trillion. But there are alternatives that rival Apple in technology advances, usability, and product quality, so why is this company so successful?
With such a strong brand identity, users are loyal to the Apple ecosystem and see it as a trustworthy, reliable brand. Apple has a strong marketing message, memorable visuals, and a consistent identity that keeps users coming back for more.
How To Build a Brand Identity
So, how can you mimic the success of some of the world’s most established, successful brands? Here’s how to build a strong brand identity in seven steps.
- Know Your Values and Purpose
The foundation of a strong brand identity is values and purpose. These factors will help you understand where you fit in your industry and help you craft a clear message.
To create your brand mission statement, answer the following questions:
- Why does your company exist?
- What problem do you solve?
- Why should customers choose you over competitors?
Your mission statement is an internal document, so it doesn’t need to be designed for forward-facing campaigns. But the thread of your values and purpose will be used to tie together your marketing, product design, and sales funnel later.
- Understand Your Market and Target Audience
Next, think about your target audience and who you want to work with. Your brand can’t appeal to everyone, so narrow down your customer base and decide what demographics you want to speak to.
This is also an opportunity to spot gaps in the market. Are there certain demographics that aren’t being catered to by competitors? Do you have an opportunity to pivot your brand to speak directly to that segment?
- Craft a Memorable Persona and Brand Voice
Your brand personality is what customers connect with and remember, so it needs to be unique and engaging. Whenever a customer interacts with your brand, they should hear a consistent voice and immediately recognize your persona.
Your persona and voice are unique to your brand, but they should be crafted based on your target audience. For example, a professional, serious persona probably won’t connect with younger Gen Z audiences; contrastingly, a light, funny brand voice won’t attract top CEOs of tech companies.
Decide whether your brand will personify sophistication, excitement, ruggedness, competence, etc., and weave that tone throughout all aspects of your brand identity.
- Develop Your Visual Identity
The most exciting part of building a brand identity is designing the visuals. This includes your logo, color palette, slogan, icons, website, and all other elements that make up your forward-facing visual identity.
Working with a graphic designer is the best option if you have the budget. Professionals understand color theory, logo design, and creating memorable visual elements.
However, if you’re just starting out, there are plenty of free tools to help you get started, like Canva and Adobe Express.
- Define Your Messaging
Storytelling is an essential part of building a brand identity. Customers want to connect with brands on a deeper level, and your story is how you’ll attract your ideal audience.
Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller is a great place to start. It gives a complete overview of what to include in your brand story and messaging and how to write content that connects.
A great place to tell your story is on your About Page. Explain why your company exists, how it all started, the obstacles you faced, and the successes you’ve achieved.
The more you can show the people behind your brand, the easier it is to connect with your customers.
Want help sharing your brand story? We create powerful PR campaigns that get clients featured in high-profile publications.
- Decide on Platforms
Don’t spread your brand too thin by trying to conquer all the platforms – there are simply too many. Make sure you have your username saved on as many social platforms as you can, but focus your efforts on just two or three.
Your website should be the main focus of your brand identity, but you can also choose supporting platforms to spread your message and grow your audience.
Do some research to figure out where your customers spend their time and begin sharing your brand story and building your presence on those platforms.
- Incorporate Consistent Branding Across the Board
So far, you’ve defined your value and purpose, written a mission statement, narrowed down your audience, created your brand visuals, and chosen your platforms.
Incorporating consistent branding across the board is the key to tying it all together. By creating brand guidelines, you’ll ensure your team understands how to present your brand in different areas of your marketing strategy, including:
- Website
- Social media platforms
- Product design
- Email newsletters
- Product packaging
- Office design
- Signage and other promotional materials
Your brand guidelines should include:
- Your brand story, values, and purpose.
- Your fonts, color palette, logo, and other visual elements.
- Your slogan and key messages.
- Presentation guidelines and templates.
- Voice, styling, and word choices.
This is a living document that you should revisit and update as your brand develops. You might need to add or revise it as you learn more about your audience or as your offerings change.
When you’re happy with your brand guidelines, it’s time to implement them! Once you begin seeing a consistent brand identity across different platforms, you’ll understand the value of going through this process.
Don’t be afraid to be open to feedback and improvement – your audience should love your branding, but if they have questions or concerns, it might be a sign to go back to the drawing board. Commit to monitoring and testing new ideas to help your business grow and thrive.
Get Started With Brand Building
Building a brand identity is so much more than your logo and color palette – it’s everything your brand represents and showcases what your business stands for.
Want help developing a strong brand identity? We can help with digital PR marketing! At Linkifi, we’ll help you expand your brand and make an impact through powerful PR campaigns – get in touch today to find out more.
