Millions of people turn to the Internet daily to locate products or services, and the rise of social media gives you as a business owner multiple platforms on which to promote yourself. The potential to reach clients and gain business that is created by these social media outlets makes it more important than ever for you to build your brand by creating uniformity. A brand is the idea or image of your product or service with which clients connect. This is accomplished by creating easy recognition with your logo, color palette, message, and/or design. When we say we’re going to “brand” your company, we mean we’re not only working to make your product identifiable, but also stand out in the sea of competitors. Social media is useful in this effort, because it provides additional outlets for identifying with your brand. When a visitor clicks on the Facebook icon on your website, it’s important that it takes you to a Facebook page that reflects your brand. Having the same logo and background colors creates brand consistency so the user knows they’re going to the right place. Taking steps to make your printed materials, social media landing pages and your website look similar builds recognition in customers’ minds. Over time, people will begin to learn and recognize your brand. I know what you’re thinking. Branding = money. Companies such as Publix, Coca Cola and Keller Williams have deep pockets, but not you. Here’s where social media comes to the rescue for the small business owner. And don’t forget about search engine optimization when you embark upon a branding campaign. Your brand includes more than images and color palettes; it includes keywords, too. “What keywords do people use when they find your website?” asks Ali Husayni, CEO of the SEO firm Sinai Marketing, which specializes in real estate, dental and legal marketing. “Those are keywords you need to use when filling in the ‘About Us’ and biographical information on these social media sites.” Doing so increases the chances of your social media sites showing up in search results, in addition to just your company website. Call us if you’d like to get your social media “on the same page” so to speak, by branding your pages. |
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