The Importance Of Brand Consistency In Website Design And Digital Marketing
Have you ever seen an ad for something that just looked out of place?
It could be a classic case of a company stepping outside of their lane. Effective marketing requires something called brand consistency. Without it, you run a serious risk of confusing your prospective clients.
Brand consistency is a crucial aspect of website design and digital marketing, and it can bring numerous benefits to a business. In this article, we’ll discuss why brand consistency is important and how it can help businesses achieve their goals and succeed in today’s competitive digital landscape.
Nearly every business in America has a brand awareness issue. People recognize a precious few of the top companies in the U.S. This means the rest of us have to fight and scratch to be recognized by the very people we want to do business with.
Brand consistency is the process of establishing and maintaining all the visible aspects of your business.
Establishing Identity
Your brand helps establish your business identity making it easier for customers to recognize and remember the brand. A consistent image and messaging across all marketing channels helps create a strong brand image that is easy for customers to associate with the business.
With all the noise that we encounter every day, it takes a lot to get our attention. It takes even more to keep our attention and motivate us to actually connect with a business on any level.
When my son was a toddler, he and I used to go to the weekend workshops at Home Depot to build birdhouses and other little wooden creations. Twenty years later, he’ll head to Home Depot for any tools or parts because that brand identity is part of who he is.
Building Trust
Brand consistency builds trust with customers. When a business presents a consistent image and message across all marketing channels, customers are more likely to trust the brand and feel confident about making a purchase.
Going back to my son when he was a toddler, that kid would toss himself in front of a train for a Happy Meal- not just because of the toy (although that was important) but because of the “yummy” stuff that came in the box- every time.
Improving Recognition
Brand consistency helps improve brand recognition, making it easier for customers to find and remember a business. This is especially important in today’s fast-paced digital world, where customers have too many options to count.
Experts will tell you that it requires 7-10 “touches” for someone to start recognizing your brand, but the reality is that this all depends upon the individual and the business. There has to be a need or at least a mild interest in what the business does for true recognition to occur.
Enhancing Credibility
Consistent branding and messaging can help enhance a business’s credibility and reputation. In fact, we can’t think of a single instance where trust isn’t a central question whenever a visitor comes to a website. Obviously, the trust factor also varies with the type of business. I definitely want to have more trust in my heart surgeon than I do in an appliance repairman, but trust is still a factor in dealing with both businesses.
A well-designed website that accurately represents a brand’s values, mission, and aesthetic can go a long way in establishing trust and credibility with potential customers. We often suggest adding something we call “trust badges” which are icons, symbols or logos that help communicate trust to visitors. These can include local Chamber of Commerce logos (if the business belongs to one), BBB logos, awards won, etc.
Better User Experience
The reality of web design is that a bad website is like having an advertisement for your competitors.
Why? Simple. If someone goes to your website and sees a dated site with poor navigation that isn’t mobile-friendly, are they going to hang around and trust your business? Not remotely. They’re going to bounce away to your competition.
Consistent branding and design can improve the user experience on a website, making it easier for customers to navigate and find what they’re looking for. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and a higher likelihood of repeat visits and purchases.
Improved SEO
Consistent branding and design can also improve a website’s search engine optimization (SEO) and help it rank higher in search results. A well-designed, consistently branded website is more likely to provide a positive user experience and be favored by search engines like Google.
Is this all that’s involved in SEO? Not by a long shot, but it’s part of the puzzle pieces that Google wants present in its search results.
The Process of Brand Consistency
The process of brand consistency in website design and digital marketing begins with a well-defined brand strategy. A brand strategy defines the brand’s purpose, target audience, values, and personality, as well as how it wants to be perceived in the market. This information is used to guide the development of the brand’s visual identity, including its logo, typography, color palette, and imagery. Here’s the process:
Establish Brand Guidelines
The first step in achieving brand consistency is to develop a set of brand guidelines that outline the company’s mission, values, tone of voice, target audience, and visual identity.
This strategy needs to be communicated to everyone that creates any form of content so that the entire team understands and follows the established guidelines.
Design the Website with Consistency in Mind
When designing the website, make sure that all elements, such as the header, footer, and page layout are consistent with the brand guidelines.
Consistent Images and Graphics
The images and graphics used on the website and in digital marketing materials should also be in line with the brand guidelines. This means using images and graphics that are relevant to the company’s products or services, and that complement the overall visual identity of the brand.
Consistent Messaging
The messaging used in digital marketing campaigns and on the website should also be consistent with the brand guidelines. This means using a consistent tone of voice and language that aligns with the company’s brand personality.
Regular Review and Updates
Brand consistency is an ongoing process and it’s important to regularly review and update the brand guidelines to ensure they remain relevant and up to date. This helps to ensure that the brand remains consistent and relevant, even as the company evolves and grows.
In conclusion, brand consistency is essential in website design and digital marketing. By following these steps, companies can create a strong and recognizable brand that customers will easily identify and remember. A consistent brand image can help build trust and credibility and can drive customer loyalty and engagement over time.
Make It Loud Web Design & Digital Marketing is a leading digital marketing agency that specializes in helping businesses boost their brand and increase their online presence. With years of experience and a team of experts in web design, digital marketing, and branding, Make It Loud can help you take your brand to the next level. Don’t wait – contact Make It Loud today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your business goals.
Cliff Tillery, MBA is the Chief Operating Officer at Make It Loud which is a digital marketing firm located outside of Atlanta Georgia. He is also the Director of SEO. More than 14 years ago, he started search engine optimization at this agency and has taught digital marketing skills to business owners at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center and other groups.
