How to Integrate Your Visual Brand Into Your Business on Digital Platforms
One of the many reasons I love working with branding clients is because when I'm able to present them with a logo that looks just right, they get SO excited. Creating a visual representation of a brand is something I get so excited to do, and it's a thrill when someone tells me I was able to understand their vision, and create exactly what they were imagining.
But beyond that initial thrill, I'm just as excited when I'm able to follow along with my clients and see how they weave the visual brand throughout their business. I have grinned so many times when a client newsletter pops in my inbox using the colors I handpicked for them, or when I see a social media post with a typeface and photo direction I recommended.
Although some clients hop right into the brand integration process, it can be equally overwhelming, and I've had plenty of clients who just don't know where to start. Here's a quick list of some of the best places to integrate your visual brand for any business on all of your digital platforms:
- Website
This is number one for most organizations. Your website is where your primary audience usually discovers you, and is a huge platform to focus on. There's also plenty of ways to personalize and make your website your own. Outside of uploading your logo, you are also able to choose a font for all of your headlines and body text, and can also change the backgrounds and text colors on every page (pro tip: every website uses hex codes for this, and you can find that color value in your brand guide).
Outside of your logo, colors and fonts, there's a huge opportunity to implement your visual brand in the photos and other graphics you use on your site. We live in a hugely visual world, and this is an opportunity to convey what your organization is all about through visual means. What emotions do you want your viewers to feel when looking at your website, and what message do you want to get across? Make sure all of your visual brand elements are getting that across.
- Social Media
All of your social media accounts are a gateway for your followers to find out more about your organization. Because of that, it's a huge opportunity for you to properly represent your company visually -- especially because of the highly visual nature of these platforms. It's important to think about your social media audience, how they different from your main website audience, and how you can use your visual brand to engage them.
Again, photos and graphics are huge here. Additionally, there's an opportunity to use fonts and colors to make social media shares with quotes, sales, blog post titles, and the like. Canva is an amazing resource for making personalized social media shares quickly and easily.
- Email Newsletters
I love newsletters, because you know that anyone who is subscribed to your email list is likely pretty invested in your business. Anyone who opens your email newsletters wants to hear what you have to say.
I also love email newsletters because marketing automation platforms have made it super simple to visually personalize your emails. You can plug in your logo, colors, and customize fonts in a matter of a few minutes, and can also add your own photos and graphics. All of these are super important to help your email readers recognize your brand.
But perhaps the most important thing to remember is brevity, and being clear in your message. Impactful visuals are huge, as is text size and providing a clear call to action. Make sure your audience knows what to do with the email, and keep the text short.
- Email Signatures
That's right - be sure the bottom of your emails shows off who you are and who you work with! You can personalize this with an email signature that's an embedded image, or by changing some text and adding subtle color - and of course, always link your website and social media accounts.