5 Ways To Elevate Your Brand's Online Presence
BUILDING YOUR BRAND
In some ways, it’s never been easier to build your own business.
In other ways - well, it feels confusing, frustrating, intimidating and (some days) impossible.
We have so many resources at our fingertips, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it all. This is especially true when it comes to building your brand’s online presence.
I’ve been at this business ownership thing for over ten years, and believe me, it’s been trial and error a lot of the time. However, I’ve learned so much and I love sharing that with you!
Below, you’ll find the top five things all business owners should consider when trying to level up their online presence.
How to Elevate Your Brand’s Online Presence
#1 - Schedule a brand session
You knew I was going to go there first, right? But seriously, having professional images of yourself, your office, your team, and your products or services is so, so SO important. I can’t stress that enough.
Polished images will instantly elevate your brand and its perceived value. Investing in brand photos can feel like a splurge, but remember, these images can be used across all of your digital platforms again and again. Think of it as an investment that continues to pay off.
#2 - Refresh your website
Think of your website as your storefront. If you had a brick and mortar shop, you wouldn’t let it look outdated, unkempt, or hodge-podged together, right? So you shouldn’t let your website look that way either!
Your website is a person’s first impression of your business. Make sure it looks great by using your professional branding photos throughout. In addition to gorgeous imagery, make sure the site is easy to navigate (check those broken links) and has clean and clear copy (is your contact info up-to-date?).
If you’re in need of a refresh - I highly recommend going with Squarespace! I recently made the switch from WordPress to Squarespace and I’m never going back! Its backend and frontend are both easy to navigate and I have been blown away with its built-in assets. It’s easy to find a designer to help you build out a Squarespace site, or you can go with a DIY approach like I did and use a stunning template from GoLive.
#3 - Use consistent colors and fonts
Your brand look doesn’t stop with a logo or branded photos. Identifying and consistently using branded colors and fonts can elevate your online presence in a big way.
If you’re worked with a designer, they likely have brand colors and fonts on file - so ask them for specifics if they didn’t provide this information to you. Once you have them, use these colors and fonts consistently on your website, social media, business cards, print materials, etc.
If you haven’t worked with a designer I recommend choosing 4 brand colors, and 3 fonts that you will use throughout your brand (two header sized fonts and one paragraph sized font). You’ll likely use one font and one color the most - but the others will come into play to add depth and variety.
Want to learn more about branded colors and fonts before you commit? I highly recommend the book How to Style Your Brand by Fiona Humberstone.
#4 - Engage with your audience
Having professional photos is usually enough to stop someone’s scroll in its tracks. But then what...?
Pair your kick-ass visuals with engaging copy. Instagram is a great platform for this as people love answering questions by dropping their responses in your comments section or - better yet - taking a poll on your Insta Stories. Get to know your audience by asking questions, prompting them to tag, or share your content.
The more people engage, the bigger and broader your online audience will be.
#5 - Build an email list
Building an email list sounds pretty straightforward, right? But honestly, if you’re growing a super targeted list organically, you work hard for every single sign up. So, what’s the key to growing your list? Basically following steps 1-4 above!
Make sure your brand photos are on point, use them across your website, nail down your brand colors/fonts, and then engage with your audience by providing fun and USEFUL content. The last step? Make signing up for your email list a no-brainer by including an irresistible opt-in bonus, like a free check-list, guide, or worksheet. I love using Flodesk for my email marketing, which allows me to create beautiful signup forms and emails in a breeze.
If you’d like to dive in more to the ins and outs of building an email list, I highly recommend starting with Amy Porterfield who is basically the queen of email marketing! She has a lot of great resources on her site that will help you get the ball rolling in the right direction.
When it comes to marketing a business in today’s day and age, your online presence is everything. These four strategies are ones to take into consideration as you’re looking to elevate your brand. Need to talk it out? Let’s chat!