How To Avoid Being A Formulaic Online Brand
As every business seeks to become ‘as optimized as possible,’ it’s not hard to see how many seem to lose their identity in the pursuit of a streamlined effort. You need an online look at the recent simplification of the logos companies use to showcase their product suites and see how vague and formless overdesign can be.
The same can go for businesses building their brands online. Have you noticed that many of them seem to offer that same cheeky-but-still-approachable, totally ‘run by humans’ approach to communication? Have you noticed how many websites seem the same, split into segments, with clear designs meant to appeal to smartphones and tablets?
Now, there’s nothing wrong with this. There’s a reason why intelligent business minds have decided to follow this path and why so many firms conform to similar branding tropes.
But is it possible to avoid being that formulaic online brand while still securing the critical success you’re looking for? We believe that’s more than likely. In this post, we’ll detail why and how that is:
Research The Competition
It’s essential to research your competition correctly. After all, if you’re to avoid the formula, it’s necessary to know what it is. Much like a student going to film school, who needs to learn the rules of filmmaking before they try to subvert them as an auteur, your brand can’t throw out the rulebook without necessary care.
Researching the competition and their copywriting tone, their multi-pronged branding approach, how they list their website services, and what techniques they use for SEO (such as how they run their business blog) are all efforts worthy of your consideration. Using an SEO expert can help you get there.
Eschew The Fat, Keep The Virtues
When you research the competition, you’ll undoubtedly notice a range of excellent techniques used by brands you look up to. For instance, perhaps they run excellent promotions and use email codes to keep their audience signed up for their newsletter.
But perhaps you also find that their marketing tone is rather cringeworthy, feeling too much like the ‘how do you do, fellow kids?’ speak of an under cautious marketing executive. This way, you can learn to eschew the fat and keep the virtues of the formula you build.
Speak To Your Audience
It’s important to speak to your audience as much as possible. When you use that direct voice, it’s very easy to bust through that ‘over-compliant marketing speak’ without having to overdo it. For instance, if you’re speaking to gym-goers about your new fitness supplements, why not try leveling with them?
Showcasing the statistics that allow your supplement to be a worthwhile part of their daily workout effort, promoting initiatives for people to work out after the holidays, and investing in schemes that help motivate people will make a fantastic difference from top to bottom. With that approach, you’re sure to cultivate a willing audience via your more natural tone.
With this advice, being a formulaic online brand is worthwhile.
