Welcome to the third part in the blog series on branding your online store. In this part, we’ll cover your brand’s online presence, starting from your website to your social media and messaging. We’ll also talk about integrating your brand. Check out part two here.
The online presence of your brand is key to your growth and will be your main source of traffic when starting out. The key is to have a functional website along with active social media profiles. Take a look at your competitors’ social pages and learn from what they’re doing. And then, share your brand and your story.
Your website
Let’s begin by talking about your website. Just as you would organize your brick-and-mortar store and make it a pleasant place to shop, apply the same principle to your website.
Your website content and layout determine the vibe you want to give off. Make your products discoverable. Lay out the perfect ambiance for your audience and populate your products with appealing photos. An advantage you have with an e-commerce website is that you can take photos of your product in aesthetically pleasing settings, and create a sense of longing in your customers, as they picture themselves in that setting.
Check out American food-kit service Blue Apron‘s interactive and easily accessible website.
The key is to cultivate a following through your website copy, how-tos, videos, photos, and testimonials. Don’t hesitate to hire a professional photographer for your product photos. It’s one of the best investments you can make in your business.
Social media and content
Before you start posting on social media, have a bunch of posts ready and scheduled. Give thought to the kind of posts you want to be making, and then start to curate your profiles.
You can incentivize your customers to share reviews and testimonials, and share them on your website. A few ways to do this would be to offer freebies and attach personalized notes. When you’re a new company, you have a chance to wow your customers, and the way to do this is through overdelivering on quality.
Use Facebook to share and promote your content. You can make announcements, share infographics, and run contests. For example, Urban Outfitters have filled their Facebook page with eye-pleasing product photos, sale announcements, and models wearing the brand’s collections. Don’t forget to link your online store to your Facebook page to make more sales.
Use your Twitter account to post intriguing stories, product how-tos, and retweet relevant content. See what your competitors are posting on their social media and set yourself apart from them, in your own unique way. Check out grooming company Beardbrand’s Twitter page for inspiration.
Instagram is another big player on the social media front, especially if you want to target millennials. Make sure to populate your profile with product photos, photo competitions, and campaigns. You could even curate your profile to stick to a particular theme, or only use certain filters. Head over to Vans‘ profile to get an idea of quality Instagram curation.
Integrating your brand
When you integrate your brand image into your business, you are ensuring that your brand’s qualities and messaging come through in every aspect of your brand, and in every touch point with your audience. This includes your packaging style, how you handle customer support, your email signatures, and your work culture.
Make a positive impact through custom packaging. Customers dig the unboxing experience, and if you make the process all the more enjoyable for them, it definitely means brownie points for your brand.
Conclusion
Having a strong online presence will do wonders for your brand and help you reach all the right people, in addition to keeping you relevant, and on your audience’s mind. As you build and nurture your brand, also keep up with your social media and watch your brand grow.
That’s all for there is to promoting and integrating your brand. The next and final post in the series will cover creating awareness for your brand.