Articles

A lot of companies provide similar products and services. How do consumers identify one provider from another? The answer is branding. Branding products and services differentiate a website from competitors. Truly this sounds elementary but very often companies neglect to understand the importance of branding. A brand is a representation of a product or service, its characteristics including experiences, and values associated with it. When people use a product or service, they remember their experience whether it be bad or good and these experiences are then associated with that product or service.

For this product or service representation to work it is imperative that websites feature how companies see themselves, what their clients think about their company, and how companies want future clients to perceive them.

Branding is not Just About Having a Good Looking Logo

A company logo or a product logo is just the tip of the iceberg. Other facets of a well-designed website include quality imagery, relevant and up to date content, ease of use, consistent colors, relatable emotion and character, consistency, and a memorable user experience.

Quality Imagery – Majority of website visitors are visually focused and nothing can catch their attention better than a well-placed and relevant image of the product or service offered by a website.

Relevant and Up To Date Content – Website viewers initially look to find out what a website is all about and if it can answer any of their wants or needs. By providing clear, relevant, and updated content, the proverbial phrase: “beating around the bush” can be avoided.

Ease of Use – It is very irritating to get lost inside a website and not know where to go or what to do next. Clear, familiar, and intuitive navigation makes it easier to promote a product or service or to hopefully close a sale.

Consistent Colors – Color is not just aesthetics, it also serves to trigger subconscious associations and emotions. Blue for example symbolizes trust; green for health, nature or environment; and red for energy and enthusiasm among others.

Relatable Emotion and Character – A website’s character and personality have to be in line with what the company stands for. If a company is all about trust and security then site viewers must be able to relate to this when going through the company’s website.

Consistency – Setting a consistent look and feel throughout a website and its pages in terms of typography, colors, visuals, and layout not only helps to make a brand memorable but also makes web pages load faster

Memorable User Experience – Website viewers now use a bevy of platforms and devices to browse websites. Mobile compatible websites leave a positive impression on site visitors.

Conclusion

Branding in web design is so much more than a company’s logo on a website. Branding is a well thought out strategy to help people associate a product or service with a value - to increase brand equity through a well-designed website. Brand equity adds value to a company’s product or service and thereby allows them to charge more compared to competitors; gain higher market shares; get higher positions on browser search results; or become a leader in their specific niches.