Since we're consumers ourselves, we often overlook what entices customers to buy. Without referring to phycological textbook talk the simplest explanation lies in the brands image. Just like your personal identity, your brand identity is what differentiates you from everyone else. Building a powerful online presence can seem daunting at first, displaying the face of your brand for all to see.

It isn’t difficult to make an attractive website with a little time and effort. However, how the elements represent your brand are important to create a strong business foundation that establishes your core value and gets noticed.  Allow us to guide you through the core concepts of boosting brand awareness by providing answers to the commonly asked questions.

Does Originality Even Matter?

Yes! Yes! And Yes! originality does matter, It takes more than just a good design choice to create a strong visual identity, along with a bespoke design that isn't the same standard Shopify theme most companies opt for, it is achievable for a brand to:

• Communicate their value and mission (for example, this is clearly recognised on Ben and Jerrys website, showcasing their iconic style through emphasising their values).
• Target audience with emotional response (Take a look at Disney Worlds landing page, for example, the magic is yours).
• Grow recognition (Gymshark recognising what sells and becoming an online success, for example). 

Refresh or Rebrand?

In essence, rebranding means repositioning your business, changing its feel and look, and ultimately altering its identity. A brand refresh is a makeover for business, in which certain elements are changed or added to develop it further. Adapting to change is a necessity for every business, this can be a major decision as a business owner.

TotalLawn is a prime example of how necessary change can be, continuous improvements have been executed to secure an increase in traffic and sales, by rebranding to full scale including new website design, imagery, layout, colours and typography, resulting in an increment of stats:

• 61% revenue increase
• 36% returning customer rate
• 82% transaction increase
• 59% conversion rate increase
• 214% highest single-product increase

When you find that your marketing isn't bringing in the same amount of engagement or revenue as it used to, if your business appears outdated compared to competitors or customers are looking elsewhere, perhaps you should consider refreshing your brand or rebranding on a full scale to set. Before diving in, business owners should do their research and carefully consider their options. Once you've defined a clear vision for your brand, setting the proper guidelines will allow you to create the most credible brand image, this leads us to the next question. 

Do you have to stick to brand guidelines?

View brand guidelines as a rulebook, creating a set of brand guidelines requires thought and comprehensive understanding of the business. Constructing guidelines that are consistent throughout your business will allow you to manage how people use your brand. Maintain a high level of visual quality to reflect your brand. Most brand guidelines will include:

• Company Logo: There are several forms a logo can take, from a graphic symbol to plain text or a mixture of the two. It's equally important to know how the logo will look in different environments and on different backgrounds, showcasing the brand and its character.
• Typography: It is essential to select which fonts will be used and for what purposes they will be used, for instance, a header might use a bold font to stand out from the rest of the text, while the body copy might have a simpler font to make it easier to read.  
• Colour Palette:  Having a brand colour palette that reflects who you are as a company is important to your brand identity. You can decide on these based on the type of industry, the purpose of the product or service or simply your personal preferences.

Here at Brandempwr, we love utilising brand guidelines, but also creating them. The goal of effective brand guidelines is to create a strong and powerful brand personality, which in turn creates value. 

If you are struggling to maximise your websites current potential, then get in contact with us.  Our team can help you decide which direction will be best for your business, offering the knowledge and skills to assist you through boosting brand awareness and captivating your customers.