Create a Strong eCommerce Brand With These 9 Branding Tips

eCommerce is one of the largest industries in the world, accounting for more than $10 trillion dollars globally in 2020. By 2027, that figure is expected to rise up to $27 trillion. So, now is the perfect time to start an eCommerce business.

However, one of the primary challenges of starting one of these companies is the stiff competition. Not only are you competing against other small brands, but also against giants in the industry like Amazon or Walmart.

For that reason, it’s imperative to develop a comprehensive branding strategy to help differentiate your business. As customers become more aware of your brand, you can build a larger audience and gain more revenue overall. But where do you start? Here are nine comprehensive branding tips to help you get your business off the ground and into the stratosphere.

Do Your Research

The first step of any branding strategy is to know your audience. In many cases, new eCommerce companies focus a lot on the types of products they’ll sell but don’t focus on who will buy them. Understanding your target customer is essential if you want your brand to appeal to them.

For example, if you’re starting a high-end fashion boutique online, you want a brand that exudes class and luxury. So, if you have a brand that focuses on affordability and saving money, it won’t appeal to your target audience.

Another part of doing research beforehand is that you can see what other similar companies are doing for their branding. This way, you know what’s out there already, and you can figure out how to stand out. Pay attention to elements like logos, color schemes, and messaging.

Find a Suitable Niche

Another problem that many eCommerce businesses have is that they try to sell too many products to too many people. While you can diversify your offerings, later on, the issue is that there are far bigger companies that can offer everything you want. Amazon already exists, so you shouldn’t try to outmaneuver it by offering a wide array of items.

Instead, it’s much better to focus on a particular niche. You may even want to get really granular with it at first so you can appeal to your target audience more directly. For example, let’s say you want to sell children’s toys. That by itself is a pretty broad niche, so it helps to narrow your focus a bit. Instead of all children’s toys, maybe you only focus on ones for infants and toddlers. From there, perhaps you only sell battery-operated toys with lights and sounds. 

One of the things that can help you do your niche research is using a keyword research tool, to get some idea of what people are searching for and understand which opportunities have higher potential. 

Once you develop your niche, it’s much easier to figure out your branding strategy. All you have to do is ensure your branding elements match your niche, and you’re ready to go.

Create a Compelling Logo

Logos are an essential component of any brand because they act as the visual foundation for the company. Once you establish a compelling logo, you can use it on everything from social media profiles to your website to branded products.

Fortunately, it’s never been easier to create a high-quality logo. While you can still work with a graphic designer or firm, AI is enabling businesses of all sizes to create logos instantly. All you have to do to make a logo is provide your business name, and some information about your industry, and voila – instant logos.

When creating a logo, keep these elements in mind:

• Readability – Make sure the font selection isn’t too hard to read, nor that the letters are too close or too far apart.
• Memorability – You want a logo that will help your audience remember your company’s name. So, it has to be bold and attention-grabbing.
• Logo Type – You can create a typeface logo that just has words, one that is just a graphic image, or a combination of the two. The type of logo you produce depends heavily on your business model.

Create a Brand Identity

Another part of your research is determining what kind of company will appeal to your target demographic. For example, are they coming to your business for high-quality products or for a good deal? A brand identity helps your customers connect with your business and know what to expect before making a purchase. Some examples of eCommerce brand identities include:

• Whimsical – Your products are fun and adventurous and add a little splash to one’s life.
• Outdoorsy – Your products are focused on rugged dependability for all kinds of outdoor activities, from hiking to camping.
• Eco-Conscious – You’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint and lower your waste. So, maybe you use recycled materials and packaging on most of your products.
• Family-Friendly – Your products can appeal to parents, children, or the whole family.
• Luxurious – Whether you’re selling accessories, jewelry, or high fashion items, you want your customers to feel elegant and refined while wearing your products.

Build a Brand Story

Think of a brand story as one side of a coin with your brand identity on the other side. These two elements go hand-in-hand, so it helps to create them simultaneously. In some cases, you may come up with the story first and then your identity, or vice versa.

A compelling brand story gives your customers more insight into why you’re selling these products online. What motivates you and what’s your endgame with this business? Your story has to go beyond “making money,” so you want it to relate to something personal. For example, if you sell outdoor gear, perhaps it’s because you have a passion for hiking and love spending time in the wild.

Overall, your brand story helps customers understand a little more about your company so they can decide whether they want to buy from you. The story doesn’t have to be complicated, just meaningful.

Maintain Brand Consistency

As you develop your branding strategy, you need to ensure your messaging is consistent across all channels and materials. Examples of these materials can include PPC ads, social media posts, landing pages, email blasts, and more. It helps to create branding guidelines so you can work with third-party individuals (i.e., copywriters or graphic designers) without worrying about inconsistent results.

The purpose of brand consistency is that you want to reinforce your brand identity as much as possible. Also, consistency can lead to better recognition and awareness, especially as you expand your scope and try to appeal to new demographics.

Develop Relationships With Your Audience

Another issue that many businesses face is that they only view customer interactions as transactions, not relationships. While you can’t connect with everyone who buys one of your products, you should try to engage with your most loyal customers. In this way, a big part of branding is using something like a customer relationship management (CRM) program.

Overall, the more you can connect with your customers as they purchase your products, the more likely they’ll keep coming back. You can also use various marketing tactics to build these relationships. Examples can include a rewards program, birthday bonuses, and personalized follow-up messages after every purchase. You can also automate a lot of these things, so no one falls through the cracks.

Invest in Better Product Pages

As an eCommerce business, your product pages are the foundation upon which your success lies. So, if you don’t have compelling product pages, you’ll likely struggle to get the sales you want. Also, you need to ensure your pages align with your brand identity and story. Here are some elements to pay attention to when creating a product page template:

• Image Quality – Make sure to use high-resolution photos that show each product from multiple angles. Also, if possible, try to show the product’s scale compared to people or other objects.
• Product Value – Include some shots of how the product can be/should be used so new customers can see how valuable it is.
• Video Content – While you can’t shoot clips for all your products, it pays to have video content for your top-selling items. These clips can be tutorials on how to use the product or just a promotional video showing the item in action.
• Detailed Descriptions – Make sure your customers know what to expect from an item before buying it. Since it’s impossible to see what something looks like ahead of time, a description can make a huge difference.

Utilize High-Quality Copywriting

Finally, while product images and videos can sell each item, copywriting is still an essential component. Copywriting can elevate a single item and make it far more appealing to your average customer. One way that good copy can help sell an item is to create a story around it. Instead of just listing the product’s benefits and features, you can tell a story about how it could be used. This way, users get a better sense of what to expect, and they’re more willing to pay for the item. Also, make sure that the product copy follows your branding guidelines and fits in with your brand identity.

Conclusion

Creating a successful eCommerce business takes a lot of time, energy, and patience. However, with the right branding strategies in place, you can quickly stand out from the crowd and take your company to the next level.