You may have heard marketing folk talk about presenting a consistent brand online but what is it they really mean and how can you make sure you actually do it?
Firstly, we’re not just talking about using the same logo or visual identity for your business here. We are talking about creating rules around how your business is presented online. Yes, this includes the colours and fonts you use, but it’s also about the content you create, the message you convey and how you talk about what you do.
It is about creating digital, customer experiences which become synonymous with your business or brand.
Why is brand consistency so important?
One of my favourite ever marketing quotes is from Amazon's Jeff Bezos:
A brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.
Absolutely! It's what someone says about your brand behind your back that conveys the true perception of your brand.
The most obvious benefit of brand consistency is brand awareness - more recognition for your brand amongst the audiences you are hoping to target. And let's be honest, we all want positive brand recognition right? We want to be the brand our target audience thinks of when they are looking for our products, or services.
It can also be a way of distinguishing your brand from the competition, which in today's highly competitive online environment, can only be a plus!
Brand consistency can help to build loyalty and trust. If a consumer, or target customer, sees or experiences your brand regularly – and your brand is being presented in a consistent, professional and accessible manner – they are more likely to trust your brand, over one they are less familiar with.
To illustrate the point; think of marmite. We all know what it tastes like. We all know the slogan 'you either love it or you hate it' and from there, we can make our own informed choice.
The product will always taste the same (consistency), the packaging has looked pretty much the same for decades (consistency) and the way the brand is conveyed online - whilst it has adapted - has been positioned in the same (consistent) way for years.
The authentic and accessible tone of voice they use through their social communications feels 'real' and helps to endear the brand to their follower base. They know that a marmite 'hater' isn't going to become an ambassador easily - but they even face that, head on. The Unilever campaign to test whether you were born a lover or a hater, with the strapline 'Just try it', was a means to engage a wider audience than just the marmite lovers. Very clever.
They even took it to the TV with adam&eveDDB to seemingly hypnotise the haters into lovers!
But, what happens if the presentation of your brand is inconsistent?
If a well-known brand does something which is against their brand values, it really can have a negative impact on the business behind that brand. In some cases, brand inconsistency can lead to a long-term negative perception of your brand. This can have a direct impact on sales, and ultimately, your business' bottom line. When brands are not presented in a consistent manner online, consumers will commonly start to question:
That trust you have worked so hard to build As we’ve already explored in this blog, a customer needs to feel that they can trust your brand. Trust is emotional. Customers will subconsciously personify your brand. If your brand was a person, you’re likely to want it to be seen as that lovely, friendly person round the corner that adds value to your life; not the neighbour who tells different stories every time you see them, in an attempt to make themself look better!
The quality of your product or service If your brand is presented in an inconstant – or even worse inaccurate – way, it can lead your customer to question the quality of the product they will receive. It can prompt them to question the reliability of the service. Similarly, if the content associated with your brand is poorly written, or regularly contains errors, potential customers may question your attention to detail, and in turn your product or service as a whole.
The integrity of your brand and, by association, the people behind it Inconsistent presentation of your brand across your content can also lead customers to question the integrity and professionalism of the brand. Customers need to feel as if you really care about them and that you put their needs first. It is these positive customer experiences that build true brand loyalty. Failure to respond quickly, and with compassion, to customer interactions online, often results in customers feeling that the brand doesn’t care about their needs. Good customer service is imperative to retain a consistent and positive brand experience.
So how do you ensure brand consistency?
The main consideration to ensure brand consistency online, is to brief all members of your team who represent your brand on the ‘rules’ surrounding the presentation of your brand.
Remember we are not just talking about how it looks. We must consider the words you use to describe your brand, the content you share in association with your brand, and the influencers you engage with on behalf of your brand.
Here are my top tips on being more consistent:
Create design guidelines as to how your logo is used; the colours and fonts which can be used in association with your brand. Then extend this to applications - such as slide decks, email signatures, document templates, e-marketing templates and online collateral.
Create a clear personality for your brand. This should start with an appropriate tone of voice. If you are adopting a fun, friendly and approachable tone on Facebook, this should be consistently used on LinkedIn, your website and even offline marketing materials. It can help to imagine an actual person and consider their typical characteristics when imagining your brand’s personality.
Agree content pillars for your business. Content pillars are topics (or categories) under which you will share content. I usually recommend choosing 6-8 content pillars which sit comfortably alongside the values of your business, as well as appealing to your audience. Think about the tags you might use if you were categorising your content for your users and this will be a good starting point for your content pillars. Don't make them too inward (about you and your business); keep them relevant but think about your audience’s interests.
Create a content calendar for your business and share it with anyone who is writing content on your behalf. This should include the content pillars you choose as your primary topics. It should be a guide as to when to schedule posts, at consistent times, to avoid duplication and ensure variety in your content.
Make sure your brand is present on the right platforms. Consider the personality and tone of your business - what you want to convey and the types of content you want to share. It’s unlikely that your brand will be a perfect fit for every available platform, so choose wisely and then present consistently in line with the 'tone' (and best practice) of the platform you publish to.
Align yourselves with the right partners and influencers. This is the same as the concept of ‘being seen in the right circles’. If you’re constantly sharing content from thought leaders in the legal sector, it’s likely your brand will be perceived quite differently to one who is commenting on blogs or posts from the cast of Towie. Choose your alliances wisely!
There is a level of authenticity which comes from seeing a brand presented in the same way in multiple applications. Ultimately consumers, followers and fans trust brands that they can quickly relate to - and even more so, those that they recognise. It is this trust that quickly turns brand appreciators into customers, and maybe even ambassadors, of your brand.
A brand ambassador is someone who is not only a customer, not only a loyal customer even. A brand ambassador is someone who is so impressed with their own personal experience of your brand that they are willing – keen even – to share their experiences with others.
‘Word of mouth’ my means of a review or a positive mention, can increase your brand’s reach and in turn, awareness of your brand online.
If you want to stand out from your competition then brand consistency, and a well-planned out content strategy, is key to developing both brand recognition and trust.
If you’d like to speak to me about a content strategy and guidelines for your brand, email me at hi@imsarahbutler.co.uk and we can set up an initial discovery call to discuss your brand, and how you want to be perceived online.
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