If a face could launch a thousand ships, a brand can deliver millions in sales, thanks to a robust internet environment.  The mere mention of Amazon, Google, Yahoo, Ebay will definitely elicit admiration.  These companies have developed world famous brands that basically exist only online.  They have carefully created a strong web presence and build up a recognizable brand not only online but offline as well.  So, what then is online branding?

Online branding refers to the concept of creating and maintaining a brand’s identity using online tools such as web presence through the website, advertising, games, etc.  When people talk of branding, they associate it with a logo, advertising, the product, the “look and feel”, the creative side of the business.  Online branding is much more than all these.  Branding, be it online or offline, is the entire user experience.  It is the relationship between the company and the customer – how a company makes a customer feels. 

It is the sum total of the perceived value of a brand in the eyes of the customer.  Any form of contact or communication that a company experiences with the customer is part of branding.  The website is where the entire experience or relationship between the company and the customer starts or ends.  Nowadays, a big number of consumers make purchases online.  If companies provide positive experiences for these consumers through their websites, they’ll make purchases which translate to sales.  Disappoint them and they leave within seconds.  Simply put, a website is an effective brand building tool.

Think Branding, Think Website

An effective website can build lasting relationships with customers.  With this in mind, it is not enough to make a website and put it online.  Careful thought and planning goes into the making of a successful website.  Visitors should have a reason to patronize the website again, make a purchase or avail of its service.  The web is an ever changing entity, thus an effective website is one that continuously embark on improvements to satisfy customer needs.  In this day and age when almost everybody lives a hurried life, a site should be built on speed.  It should load instantly between 10 to 30 seconds to capture a prospective customer’s attention. 

A website should also cater to the needs of its target market.  If the target market is professionals, then the site must be clean-cut and business-like.  If the product or service on offer is for young adults, a more relaxed or informal site will be better suited.  A site should be built around its market preference.  An effective website should also provide clear and correct articles focused on the subject of the site.  This builds credibility.  Another important factor is the physical appearance of the site.  As in real life, first impression counts. 

A visitor’s first impression will determine if he is going to linger and check what the site has to offer.  To have a successful website, it has to be aesthetically appealing, well-organized and navigation-friendly.  Time is money.  Visitors do not have the luxury to navigate through the whole website to find what they are looking for.  Navigation should be simple and intuitive.  A website should also be interactive allowing for two way communication between the company and the customer.  This can be done thru feedback forms, e-mails or even live chats.  Another equally important key ingredient to a successful website is up-to-date and quality content. 

Online branding through an effective website can yield amazing results.  It can transform a passive viewer to a potential customer and ultimately a valued client.  The moment the website is online, advertising follows.

Think Branding, Think Advertising

Online advertising is a powerful way to build a brand.  The goal of online advertising is to acquire new customers with the least of expenses.  Placing ads in front of prospective clients is one of the best ways to advertise.  Targeting ads to these potential buyers is quite simple.  Keyword advertising is the easiest way to target ad buys. 

Advertising on Google Adwords with geographical banners is a quick way to reach targeted customers.  The Adwords program allows businesses to purchase certain keywords.  When a user goes to Google to perform a web search to look for information regarding a specific product or service, he types in the keywords , Google then displays the search results and also short ads from businesses using Adwords.  Adwords are paid advertisements that show up on the right side of Google search results under “Sponsored Links”.  Google adwords with geographical banners appear on many business and personal pages as a means for web publishers to earn money. 

These advertisements typically carry the heading, “Ads by Gooooogle” at the top.  Similar to other paid search engine advertising programs, Google Adwords apply the cost-per-click pricing method.  This means that Google will charge the advertiser each time an Internet visitor clicks on his advertisement and visits his website.  The advertisements do not just appear on Google pages but also on other search engines including America Online, Netscape.com, Lycos.com, Shopping.com, among others.  Google Adwords allows advertisers to create their own target area by designating geographic boundary.  Google Adwords with geographical banner is a good example.  It is advisable to limit an advertisement’s reach to a selected area to see the effect it will have on sales without spending so much money.  If the effect is positive, then the advertisement can expand to reach other regions, or other countries.

Tradedoubler, a leading European provider of performance-based advertising solutions and affiliate programs also carry out online advertising campaigns to promote products and increase brand awareness.  Tradedoubler runs online campaigns over a specific time frame.  Tradedoubler works with publishers and advertisers to achieve results.  Advertisers can place their ads or banners on a publisher’s website and allowing the latter to get a percentage of the revenues earned from visitors who visit the site.  If a visitor clicks an advertisement and makes a purchase, the publisher gets a pound or two.  Tradedoubler has hundreds of merchants in its wing.  Most of them name brands such as John Lewis and Dixons.  Signing up with Tradedoubler is a good decision.  Having links to Tradedoubler can improve website traffic besides allowing a publisher to earn hefty referral commissions.