The Importance Of Building A Solid Brand Online

Most people will tell you that "I don't have a brand I'm just me" which is a complete myth because everyone who is showing up online has a brand. What's worse is coming across entrepreneurs who think they don't need a brand or because they haven't intentionally built a brand they think they don't have one.

Unfortunately, we live in an era where people believe things to be true about you based on what you're putting out there and that by definition is a brand, whether you've been intentional about it or not.

The dangers of not crafting your brand

The problem with not being careful about your brand is that you lower your credibility. Perception is everything online. We are comfortable with making an online purchase because of how the items are presented to us. It's always done in an enticing manner that removes any doubts that you may have about trusting a complete stranger with your hard-earned money.

There a lot of trusting bonds that are built just through "perceive or implied quality" if you will.

Therefore sharing distasteful content that will leave your readers feeling uncomfortable and doubting your credibility is not a good idea at all. Whether you meant it or not people take that and immediately conclude you and the kind of person that you are.

Even companies check your online presence to make sure that your brand is aligned with theirs. You may not share intricate details about yourself but who you are will always subtly show in what you put out there.

The benefits of having a solid brand

If you have a professional, authentic and engaging looking presence online people also assume that you are a compelling professional who has a story to tell that resonates with them. There's a lot of trust that you're missing out on if you are not intentionally showing up and strategically building your brand.

The other problem with this "No strategy" strategy is that you're missing out on a long term relationship that you could build with your clients. So if you are showing up differently all the time with no consistency, putting up different things and just showing up as a different person all the time.

You don't have the opportunity to build that long term relationship over time and to take advantage of that snowball effect that happens when you build a great brand.

Ways to start building your best brand

Am I saying that you should always be this polished version of yourself all the time? Not! Because people are more drawn to your product or service based on your story and the feeling that comes with being associated with what you have to offer. The features and benefits are just a cherry on top.

Don't be afraid to add some opinions & personality to your brand because this will allow you to attract the right customers. While repelling the ones that you wouldn't necessarily want to work with, simply by instilling personality and a unique point of view in your brand.

Even in a noisy marketplace that has so many options to choose from chances are because we are human, we are going to choose the person/business that resonates with us. So the more that you show your brand personality, the more that you are going to attract your ideal customers. So don't be shy to share what you truly believe in as the visionary of your business.

Even entrepreneurs who are not necessarily writers or authors will release a book that says very little to nothing about the products and services they offer. Instead, they'll talk about their struggles & highlight their achievements because those are the things that connect us as people.

Yes, they'll make money from selling such books, but by triggering your emotions and sharing stories that make them seem more relatable to you, they are one-stop closer to getting you to buy the actual product or service that they are offering.

Your online presence is like your CV. Please treat it with the integrity and respect that it deserves.

About the author

Nomsa Chauke is a South African businesswoman, she spends her time as the Co-Founder of Platform4change NPO as well as the Director at Nu Radar Business Solutions Pty Ltd. She's also a motivational speaker as well as the season winner of SABC 2's entrepreneurship competition, Game Plan (2019)

Reach out to Nomsa

• Facebook: Nomsa Chauke
• Instagram: Nomsa_Chauke
• Cell: 0789787302
• Email: nomsachauke36@gmail.com
• Web: www.nuradarbusiness.co.za

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Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have a little extra time to dive deeper down the rabbit hole, why not check out the following posts on branding.

• The Lion King - A Legacy Brand
• How to build a loyal audience for your fashion brand
• Innovative and Budget-Friendly Brand Awareness Campaign Ideas
• Powerful Tips to Enhance Your Companies Brand Identity
• How To Build Links With Brand Mentions
• Are Negative Brand Associations Always a Bad Thing?
• 5 Reasons Why Fashion Brands Introduce New logos
• Why Social Proof & Tribalism Is Important For Brands

Tags: Branding, Online Reputation Management , Guest Post