The term “branding” has many meanings and applications. While it may seem like a complex topic, there is actually a simple explanation for what branding is and how it works. Let’s start with what branding is not. It is not about creating a new logo or visual identity for your company. Instead, it is the process of giving your company a presence that creates an emotional connection between customers and the brand itself. Your brand should be memorable and credible—it should represent who you are as a company and what your values are. To put all this more simply, branding is the overall perception that people have of your company, products, services and brand values.
What is Branding? An Explanation and Guide to Understanding it
Let’s start by defining what we mean by “branding.” It’s the overall perception that people have of your company, products, services, and brand values. This is how we’ll define branding throughout this article.
Your brand is the personality of your organization—how it is perceived by its customers, investors and employees. It is the public image you want people to have of your organization. People in your industry, your customers, and potential investors, will judge your brand based on what they see and hear.
Your brand is made up of everything your company does, say, and feels. It is comprised of your logos, colors, and words that are used to represent your company. Your brand is much broader than just your logo, however. Your brand is made up of everything you do, everything you stand for, and everything you represent.
How branding works in practice
Let’s give an example of how this happens. You’re a new jewelry designer and you want to get your name out there. You decide to create a branded Instagram account for your business. You choose the name of your company and its signature colors, and you create an original logo for your brand. You upload images of your products, and then you wait for people to find you.
A few weeks go by and you start seeing engagement on your account increase. People are seeing your new brand, and they are liking your images and posting comments about your products. This is how your brand is being built.
How to build your brand
- Choose a name for your company.
- Choose a name for your company that is memorable and easy to spell. This is crucial to the process of creating a brand.
- Choose a name that has emotional value to your customers. For example, if your product is in the confectionery industry, choose a name that creates a positive emotional response, like “Joy.”
- Choose a name that is easily associated with your brand and products. For example, if your brand is bags, choose a name that is easy to associate with, such as “Bag.”
- Choose a name that is easy to search for online. This is important so that people can find your company online and associate it with other brands and products.
- Choose a name that has a legitimate legal name. This is important, as a legal name protects your brand from counterfeit products, and it keeps it from being used by other companies.
- Choose a name that is easy to remember and spell. This is crucial to the success of your brand.
How to build your brand
- Choose a name for your company that is memorable and easy to spell. This is crucial to the process of creating a brand.
- Choose a name that has emotional value to your customers. For example, if your product is in the confectionery industry, choose a name that creates a positive emotional response, like “Joy.”
- Choose a name that is easily associated with your brand and products. For example, if your brand is bags, choose a name that is easy to associate with, such as “Bag.”
- Choose a name that is easy to search for online. This is important so that people can find your company online and associate it with other brands and products.
- Choose a name that has a legitimate legal name. This is important, as a legal name protects your brand from counterfeit products, and it keeps it from being used by other companies.
- Choose a name that is easy to remember and spell. This is crucial to the success of your brand.
Why is branding important?
Your brand is what people notice first when they hear about your business. A customer might hear about you through a friend, read about you online, or be attracted to your storefront because of the logo. Your company logo is what people see first—what people see is what they remember. Because customers will judge your business based on your brand, it is important to make sure it is memorable and credible.
Creating a brand is an important part of business, and it is vital to the success of a company. When customers see and hear your brand, they will remember it, and they will associate it with your company. Customers will also judge your brand based on what they see and hear. If your branding is strong, then your company will be successful.
Bottom line
There are many definitions and explanations of what branding is, and there are many different ways to create a brand. We’ve provided the basics in this article and we hope you continue to understand branding better as you go through your business journey.
For more information, we recommend reading further articles and speaking with industry experts to learn more about branding. It might be helpful to read articles that talk about what branding is and how it works, or to speak with someone about branding for their specific industry.