Why Branding is Crucial for Social Media Marketing

March 10, 2014
By Mandy Edwards
1 Comment
in Branding, Marketing, Social Media

Could you name all three of the images below? If you said yes, then these companies have done a successful job with their branding.

Brand is a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.
American Marketing Association

Wonder why you knew those logos without thinking twice? Branding. It's an important part of any marketing strategy. You need a way to differentiate yourself from your competition and others in the marketplace. Social media is no different. Every social profile that a business creates must have the same brand identity for consistency. Having the Golden Arches everywhere identifies the fast-food brand and allows individuals to find them more easily.

So why is it crucial for social media marketing?

Your customers are actively seeking you. Yes, they may find your website easily, but there may be other businesses online that have the same or similar name. Using the same branding you already use offline will help your customers find you online.

It creates fluidity between your online and offline presences. If people are already familiar with your branding from your brick-and-mortar business or from an event, then seeing it online will give them instant recognition of your business. It all goes back to identity. Bring your offline brand identity online.

Credibility. Whether it be on Facebook or Google+, having an established brand persona online gives you credibility. Many newer businesses that don't have a clearly-defined brand identity do not receive the credibility and respect that a business with an established online identity does (even if they are less than a year old). It’s all in the impression that you make online.

It strengthens your identity online. You know what your business is about. You know its abilities and values. You know what brings in the customers. Bring all of that online. Branding on social media gives you that identity. Everything mentioned above -- the seeking, the fluidity, the credibility -- flows into this. This is the face of your business.

Effective branding online typically involves a variety of players: graphic designers, social media marketing consultants, advertising agencies, maybe the owner herself. However it's done, you, the business owner, must ensure that your branding is established and applied consistently.

Have you made branding an important ingredient in your social marketing?

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Mandy Edwards

Owner/Social Media Consultant at ME Marketing Services

Mandy is the founder of ME Marketing Services, a social media marketing company located in Statesboro, Georgia. A proud graduate of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, she has a thorough marketing background of over 10 years covering sales, event planning, local store marketing, advertising, and now social media. In the fall, you can find her along with her family at Sanford Stadium cheering on their beloved Georgia Bulldogs. Mandy has been mentioned in Forbes and Crain's Chicago Business and was named to the Statesboro Herald's Top 20 under 40 for 2013.

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Why Branding is Crucial for Social Media Marketing - March 10, 2014