Internet Branding - Effective Methods to Create and Promote Acceptance of Your Internet Brand in Your Customers Mind

Internet Branding - Linking Into the Conversation

Internet Branding - Are You Missing the Mark?

Internet Branding is a term that many people associate with slick logo designs, catchy slogans, smooth sales pitches, driven by a nebulous corporate mission statement that no one can repeat off of the top of their head if asked.

Internet Branding is not necessarily related to a well thought out website color scheme, or smooth site navigation.

Internet Branding - Linking Into the Community Conversation

Internet Branding has more to do with understanding that the hyper-link's leading to and from your site are not just electronic “ties” to "someplace" else on the web … they are lines of communication that potentially lead to "conversations" with like minded “Individuals” - flesh and blood people - who have issues they care about, and who want to interact.

Internet Branding - Attach a Personality & Develop Your Voice

The starting point for Internet Branding is to acknowledge this and develop a voice and a personality for your website. In other words … put a face on your website, attach a personality to it, and start a conversation with your community with the focus of: How may I serve?

Most people, at least in part, are looking for information on the internet, but they are also looking for relationships. So try to position you website in such a way that you provide a personal experience for your visitors.

Internet Branding - Different Dimensions

Internet Branding with personalities takes on several dimensions.

If you are a solo act … then that pretty much narrows down who you have to use for the personality for the website.

The personalities for your Internet Brand can also include the people on your staff. (If you have a staff.)

Your Who’s Who in the Zoo can set the tone for your enterprise as it interacts with your online “community”.

The overall “personality” of your enterprise may become the sum total of all the interactions and representations you have with your online and offline communities.

Internet Branding - Products and Personalities - Examples

Internet Branding can also sometimes occur with the use of “Imaginary Characters.”

You have seen examples of this for years on television.

Who was it that told you not to “Squeeze the Charmin?” (Mr. Whipple)

What middle aged Swedish “sounding” lady always recommended a certain brand of coffee that was good to the last drop? (Mrs. Olsen)

Captain Morgan Rum - there’s a little bit of Captain Morgan in all of us!
And let's not forget real flesh and blood people ...

For those of you who are a little older … who was it that sang to you to “See the USA in Your Chevrolet?” (Dinah Shore)

If I ask you to think about Computer Product Brands what pops into your mind? Microsoft and Bill Gates? Apple and Steve Jobs? Dell Computer and Michael Dell?

Notice in the examples above all of the products had a “personality” associated with them.

How may of you said e-machines?... or Gateway?... or Vaio? Maybe a few but I’ll bet not the majority.

Internet Branding - Summary

If you will take an honest look at how you associate with brands you'll see that you tend to relate more closely with brands that have a face and a personality attached to them in someway, even if the characters are imaginary.

The character might even be a little green lizard like the creature representing Geico Insurance.

Internet Branding is no different.

In the world of social marketing and linked relationships on the internet, give your community “someone personal” to link to, not some Corporate Logo that’s Dead On Arrival!

P.S. - How many of you have questions about internet marketing or starting an online business. Have you taken advantage of my offer for our free online video training? (See sign-up on the Main Page).

by Tim Youngman - April 11th, 2009

Back to Top

###

Source: http://www.virtualbusinessrevolution.com/Internet-Branding.html