Whether you’re an established brand or just getting started with a new company, it’s important to know HOW to present yourself to the world, especially when it comes to social media.

We live in a very visual and extremely digital time. This means your online presence needs to be top-notch. With so many brands out there, accessible to anyone at any time, it’s key to get your message across in a way that allows people to know exactly who you are and what you do or what you sell immediately. More importantly, all of that information needs to be able to convert into sales! Yes, it sounds like a daunting task, but that’s why we’re here to help.

Here’s some quick tips on how to brand yourself in the digital age.

1. KNOW YOUR USP

That means unique selling proposition. In other words, what makes you stand out from the crowd? What’s the one thing that sets you apart from your competitors that you can capitalize on? For example, if you sell makeup, talking about how it’s high-quality isn’t enough. In such a saturated market, you need to let consumers know why they need YOUR product compared to a different one – and they need to absorb it instantly. Telling them it’s the only product that has x, y, and z ingredients would get their attention. Once you know your USP and are able to focus on something specific, it’s easier to build content around your brand.

2. ESTABLISH BRAND GUIDELINES

Aesthetic is key in the Instagrammable world we live in. So is consistency. Think of a brand you love. Did you think of a color? A pattern? Maybe a font? That’s because they have an identifiable aesthetic that you instantly recognize and associate with their brand. We suggest sticking to 2-3 colors or a family of shades, as well a 2-3 fonts to use across your marketing materials. Everything you do should reflect your brand guidelines, as it’s a visual tool to help consumers recognize you. It also speaks to what your brand represents. If you are a teen fashion brand, maybe your colors are pastel or pops of bright colors. If you’re a more sophisticated lifestyle brand, perhaps your colors are muted and natural. Think about what you want to say about your brand through colors and other design elements when it comes to your website, social media, and packaging – and stick to it!

3. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

With all the technological tools we have today, from Instagram Analytics and Google Analytics, it’s important to set up a way to track who your audience is and what their trends/habits are. From there, you can use that information in your marketing. Knowing WHO you are talking to when you are promoting your brand is vital.  We suggest creating a character who represents your audience. Give him/her a name, an age, a title. Where do they work? What do they do? How often do they shop? Where do they like to eat? Do they have kids? Married or single? What are their hobbies? What does their home look like? Create a very specific profile and think about this person when it comes to your branding and marketing initiatives. It will be an extremely helpful tool that allows you to hone in on catering to your specific audience.

4. KEEP IT SIMPLE

It’s easy to want to be good at everything, but it’s more important to be excellent at a few things. Instead of overwhelming or confusing your audience with who you are, keep it simple! Write a mission statement about your brand. Include everything you want to say about yourself. Now pair it down to half the amount of words. Be very specific in your language and don’t use a bunch of filler words. Make sure your words are so intentional, that your audience will have zero questions about who your brand is or what you do. Stick to the classic Who, What, Where, and Why formula. You don’t have to offer a million things to make an impact!