Is Your Website An Accurate Reflection Of Your Brand Identity?

If your answer is no or not completely, then it’s time to consider an update.

In this day and age, there is no room for uncertainty when it comes to the impact the internet has on businesses—and websites are an extremely powerful marketing vehicle for all organizations. Studies show that between 70-80% of people research a company online before visiting the business or making a purchase with them. That means your website is, more often than not, the first impression that a potential customer sees of your brand. It should represent your company in a professional and compelling way that’s in line with your brand identity—or else that first impression could become their last.

Your website: Brand showcase or afterthought?

Too often, web design is excluded when a company is putting together its brand strategy and identity. Every successful business has its own identity that enforces who they are and what they do. It’s the sum total of your look, your personality, how you communicate and how you improve the lives of your customers; the special sauce that sets you apart. Your brand’s unique personality can attract the right customers to your business and impact your bottom line. And if your brand has a solid identity, visitors expect that your website is going to be an extension of that identity and of your business, acting in a way that highlights your brand and what it stands for.

With 75% of consumers admitting to making judgements on a brand’s credibility based on the company’s website design, your site needs to immediately tell them exactly what you do and effectively communicate the values of your business. The instant reaction that a visitor has about your site is a powerful and lasting one.

Living up to your brand identity online.

Take a few moments to audit what your own website is reflecting to see if it passes the brand identity test. Here are some questions to think about:

• Does it align with your messaging? Your brand needs a clear and cohesive message. And, ideally, that message should come from your business’s core values and strategies. It summarizes the unique value you bring to your customers and the characteristics that make your company different. Your website’s brand personality won’t resonate unless it aligns with your business’s core messaging.
• Does it reflect your unique voice? Your company’s online voice is often the first voice prospective customers hear. Use your website copy to communicate your values and personality to customers via tone and word choice. A mismatched or inconsistent tone of voice can leave your audience confused about what to expect from your business or even make them look elsewhere to find a business that sets clearer expectations.
• Does it reflect your brand’s look and feel? Visual consistency helps build recognition of your brand. An inconsistent brand is confusing and perceived as unreliable. The colors, visual styles and fonts on your website should look like your business cards, which should look like your social media accounts, which should look like your business logo, which should look like your… you get the idea.
• Does it resonate with your intended audience? Content created with a specific reader in mind is far more likely to resonate with your target audience, because you have identified who you are speaking to and what their viewpoints and expectations are. You also gain an understanding of your readers’ needs, allowing you to create content that will be valuable to them.
• Is it mobile-ready? Not offering a mobile-optimized website can reflect very poorly on your brand’s identity to individuals attempting to browse via a smartphone or tablet. 48% of customers say a website that works poorly on mobile is an indication of a brand that “doesn’t care.”

Your website is the most important component of your online presence. The impression that your website leaves with visitors has a lasting impact on your ability to win and retain customers, as well as high-quality employees. It’s where your brand identity should come through in full force, and if it isn’t, there’s no better time than the present to hop on the best practices bandwagon.

Whether you don’t yet have an online presence, or your online presence needs a major facelift, BatesMeron is here to help bring it up to par with everything your brand stands for. Don’t waste one of your best marketing tools—give us a call today.