The Guide to eCommerce Branding
When you hear the word “branding,” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Logo or a color scheme? If you said yes, then you are right, but only partially.
Logo, typography, brand name, and color scheme are part of branding. But most eCommerce businesses make the mistake of not looking beyond this.
The reality is that these are just the tip of the iceberg. There is much more to branding than you think, especially for an eCommerce business.
Your approach to eCommerce branding will entirely shape the way people perceive your brand, in turn having a significant impact on your revenue.
So, if you are looking for a useful guide on sticky eCommerce branding, you have landed at the right place.
What is eCommerce Branding and Why is it Important?
eCommerce branding is creating a unique identity for your brand in a crowded online space. Here are a few reasons why eCommerce branding is extremely important:
1. Builds online presence
Imagine the internet as a bustling marketplace. Your brand is your stall, grabbing attention as people scroll by. A strong brand stands out, ensuring you’re not just another face in the crowd.
2. Memorable customer experience
Be it an empathetic customer service person you spoke to or an eCommerce brand’s social media messaging that resonated with you, all of this is branding at work. It shapes the customer’s journey, from clicking on your site to completing a purchase, making it a memorable experience.
3. Builds trust and loyalty
Trust isn’t given; it’s earned. When your brand consistently delivers quality and value, people stick around, leave product reviews and testimonials. They even recommend your brand to their friends.
4. Drives more sales and revenue
Good branding sells, don’t you agree? People will buy more when they trust your brand, resonate with your messaging, and love your brand’s vibe. And they will come back again and again.
How to Build a Powerful eCommerce Brand Online?
Now you know that branding is the backbone of your eCommerce business. It sets you apart, keeps customers returning, and ultimately drives your bottom line.
Neglect branding, and you risk becoming a forgettable part of the internet’s white noise. So, let’s dig into how to build your brand right.
1. Identify your target audience
The secret to the stickiest branding is knowing your target audience really well. There will be someone who resonates with every branding out there.
You create a successful eCommerce brand when your branding is tailored to your potential buyers.
Failing to do this will result in a situation where you are attracting the wrong people to your brand who may not be interested in the kind of products you sell.
For instance, if you sell eco-friendly products, your target might be environmentally-conscious consumers. A great example would be Pangaia’s branding:
2. Define your brand
Once you have an idea about the kind of branding best suited to your audience, the next step is to get a good domain name, create a logo, decide on a color scheme, etc.
The tone and voice are also an important part of your brand identity, and it is important to define them. Choosing the right eCommerce website building platform helps with maintaining brand consistency across the entire website.
The research you did on your target audience will come in handy here because it is important to ensure that your brand identity matches the vibe and expectations of your target audience.
3. Distinguish using value proposition
Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) or your value proposition is the most important thing to sell your products. Why? Because it’s what makes you different and better than the rest.
You likely have dozens, if not hundreds, of competitors selling similar eCommerce products. So, the question arises: why should people buy from you? Your USP helps you differentiate your brand; you must spell it out clearly wherever possible.
A great example would be the 30-minute guarantee by Domino’s Pizza. They promise pizza delivery in 30 minutes or less, and that’s their USP.
4. Narrate brand story
Your brand story is more than a catchy tagline; it’s the essence of your business. Like how Airbnb highlights sharing homes and creating a sense of belonging, your story should be compelling and relatable. People don’t just buy products; they buy stories and lifestyles.
This is where you show your human side. Show behind-the-scenes glimpses, feature customer testimonials, or explain how you sourced eco-friendly materials.
When your story resonates, customers naturally want to be a part of it, leading to a powerful brand identity.
5. Leverage social media
Social media is a branding goldmine. Brands like Nike use Instagram marketing strategies to showcase their products and celebrate their community. By doing the same, you can reach millions without breaking the bank.
Apart from creating consistent content that resonates with your brand, you should also work towards building a community of loyal fans who keep coming back.
You can do this on social media with the help of user-generated content, influencer marketing, or celebrity endorsements.
Platforms where you can acquire followers, like QQTube, can also give your account an initial boost, though genuine engagement is key for long-term success.
And here’s something to think about – 60% of Gen Z shoppers use social media for shopping. That’s why you’ve got to include social commerce in your content marketing strategy. Don’t miss out on this huge market. But, just like with any marketing strategy, you’ve got to handle content marketing with care.
6. Improve marketing strategy
Branding is the backbone of marketing. If you have impressive branding in place, yet your marketing strategy is weak, all the effort you put into branding will go to waste. So, it’s important to work on improving your marketing strategy.
You can do this by using analytics to track customer behavior and understand the types of channels and content they like.
For instance, if data suggest email marketing drives the highest average order value, then you should work towards improving your eCommerce email marketing strategy.
You can align your marketing strategy with your brand identity to ensure that every piece of marketing content you create a lasting impression on your potential customers.
7. Build trustworthy relationships with customers
In eCommerce businesses, transactions are based entirely on trust. For a potential customer to trust you enough to share their credit card information and pay, you must build trust with them first. And this is possible through an authentic brand identity.
Your eCommerce branding should signal trust wherever possible. Be it your messaging, your content, reviews, testimonials, sales email call-to-actions, or social media accounts, make sure your brand screams authenticity and trust.
8. Create more video content
Let’s get real: people love videos. It’s easier to watch a quick video than read long articles. So, incorporate more video content into your strategy.
From product demos to customer testimonials, videos can do a lot. You can create different video content ideas every day and try sharing them on different channels.
In an eCommerce setup, customers lack the touch and feel of a physical product. And the closest you can get to this is through engaging, lively video content. You can even experiment with Augmented Reality for your eCommerce products. It’s also a best practice to craft stunning videos and how-to tutorials that showcase the features and benefits of your products.
9. Solve a bigger purpose
Remember when we discussed USP? One of the best ways to distinguish your brand and truly resonate with your potential customers is by standing for something bigger.
Maybe you’re eco-friendly or donate a portion of sales to a good cause. All these are good selling points; you are supporting a greater cause.
For example, TOMS Shoes donates a pair of shoes for every pair sold. This gives customers another reason to choose TOMS over other brands. Solving a bigger purpose doesn’t just make you look good; it attracts a loyal community that shares your values.
10. Ensure branding consistency across channels
Not sticking to the same branding across channels is one of the major mistakes made by eCommerce brands. Your brand is your promise to the customer.
Make sure that promise is consistent, whether someone is shopping on your website or scrolling through your social media. Any change in your messaging could confuse people.
For example, if your website is sleek and modern, your Instagram should be too. Brands like Apple excel at this; whether you’re in their store, on their website, or viewing an ad, the experience is unmistakably Apple. Consistency builds trust, and trust turns visitors into loyal customers.
11. Offer premium customer service
Think of customer service as an extension of your brand. If you claim to care about your customers, prove it by going the extra mile in serving them. This could be as simple as setting up an email automation sequence to gather customer feedback.
Take Amazon, for instance. Their hassle-free returns and quick customer support have become a major selling point.
Make it easy for people to contact you, resolve issues quickly, and always put the customer’s needs first. Stellar customer service turns one-time buyers into lifelong brand ambassadors.
12. Improve brand awareness
Visibility is the currency in the digital world. If you’re not on someone’s screen, you might as well not exist. The more people know about your brand, the more they’ll trust you when it’s time to buy.
Take Coca-Cola, for example. They’re everywhere, from TV commercials to social media, making their brand almost synonymous with soda.
Use every tool, social media management, blogs, influencer partnerships—to keep your brand in the public eye. Consistent visibility solidifies your place in the market and keeps you on the tip of everyone’s tongue.
Conclusion
Every big eCommerce business we know today, like Apple, Nike, etc., has a powerful brand identity that is sticky, consistent, and likable. This is proof of the fact that working on your eCommerce branding is super important.
So, apply the strategies mentioned in this article to create a potent brand identity for your eCommerce brand today.
