Our team crafts websites. But before we can create a website for a client, we need to know your brand. The easiest way to help new hires, internal teams, and outside agencies get up to speed on your business is by developing a clear brand strategy.
We know – there are so many strategies everybody says you need. Go-to-market strategies, business growth strategies, strategies for differentiation, acquisition, and retention… and that’s not to mention the umbrella of digital marketing strategies.
But your brand strategy should actually exist behind all of those ones I just mentioned, and many more. It unites everyone in every role at your company around a known set of principles and goals. Plus:
- Brand strategy impacts website traffic
- It impacts your website’s conversion rate
- It impacts your credibility and reputation
- Brand identity impacts loyalty and retention
After reading this article, you’ll be able to develop a brand strategy for your business, including clear brand identity guidelines for anyone who handles your digital design and copy.
What is brand strategy?
A brand strategy explains who you are as a business, why you exist, how you want to be perceived, and how your content will drive brand recognition.
You might be thinking, “I could just write that down in a couple of sentences, why do I need an entire strategy?”
For starters, this information rarely comes from one person. The bigger the company, the more stakeholders will have a say in these and other aspects of your branding.
There’s also the customer side – audience research should inform the branding choices you make. If you’re trying to market your business based only on your own interests and ideas, you have a bigger problem on your hands!
A good brand strategy comes out of a few hours of branding work and presents clear statements on your company’s purpose, differentiator, and customer needs and expectations.
Brand Strategy vs. Brand Identity Guidelines
You might have even heard the terms ‘brand strategy’ and ‘brand identity’ used interchangeably. But they’re totally different, and you need them both.
Brand strategy identifies who you are and your goals. Brand identity guidelines (or style guides, or brand playbooks – they have many names!) are the steps you’ll take to achieve those goals. They’re a part of your brand strategy, and explain how to apply your branding to design and copy.
Beyond that, your brand identity is the foundation that should drive every single creative decision in your marketing efforts. It translates everything from your strategic brand statements into concise creative guidelines for every piece of client- or public-facing content your business produces.
The answers to every marketing question can be found in your brand identity guidelines:
- Which colours need to be used in your web design?
- What types of content should you be publishing?
- Which copy is best for your website’s CTA buttons?
- Should you use emojis in your email subject lines?
- Which social media platforms should you use?
- How should you be targeting paid search ads?
I’ve been lucky to work with brands of all sizes on developing their brand identity guides, and I can’t stress enough how important it is that every organization has one — and uses it.
What should a brand strategy include?
Don’t worry, I’m not saying you have to produce some hefty tome that makes everybody groan and roll their eyes. A brand strategy should be a few simple, clear pages that clearly state:
- Your purpose
- Your values
- Your positioning statement
- Your personality
- Your audience
- Your brand identity guidelines
We hope you feel excited about doing branding work for your business! Developing a brand strategy and brand identity guidelines is no simple task. But once it’s done, you shouldn’t have to go through the process again for many years.
The powerful documentation that comes out of branding work can save tons of future time, hassle, and even PR nightmares. That’s why it’s such an important investment for your business.
Also Read: Why Your Business Need A Website?
