Branding is incredibly important for a company, it’s what sets you apart from your competitors. It’s all part of how your clients feel when they engage with your business, and how they value your product or service. The key to building and developing any brand is to not stand still. You need to make sure you are a forward thinking company to keep up with competitors, and have a solid brand strategy. We put together some branding trends that you should look out for in 2018, that will help you with your uniqueness.
Personalise your Brand
This has become increasingly important over the last couple of years, and something that will be a main focal point for 2018. Prospective clients want you to do much more than push a sale, they want to get a fee for who they are before committing to a purchase. This means that you need to build a personal relationship with them. Give your brand some spice by adding the human element, it can make all the difference.
Massive Growth when it Comes to Video Content
It is no secret that social media channels such as Facebook have updated their algorithms to favour video content. They have introduced things such as Facebook lives, Instagram Stories and more. This gives you the perfect chance to engage and interact with your audience. You could do things such as offer product demonstrations, announcements on industry news – or if you feel like giving something away – you could even do some live prize draws. This gives you the opportunity to show your audience who you really are, and for them to get to know you.
Become an Influencer
The emergence and evolution of blogging, social media etc – has seen the rise of influencer marketing. This is where you can make yourself the authority in your field. This is why some businesses have decided to bring brand ambassadors on board to seal their position in the industry. You can create your own user generated content across social media channels to drive engagement. When people see your company as an expert, they are far m ore likely to use you.
Strong Colours and Large Typefaces
It’s always good to seek advice from experts in branding such as Design by Pelling when creating and building your brand. They can go over your vision and help choose colours that are going to stand out and suit the message you’re trying to get across. The trend for 2018 is vibrant colours to make your brand stand out. A lot of businesses are using bold primary colours, and others are trying out bright overlays and double exposure. The typefaces used are becoming bolder throughout the branding materials used, giving them more pop.
Keeping it Simple
In order to make your message clear, the trend for 2018 is to keep things simple and adopt a minimalist approach. It’s ok to have whitespace in terms of brochures and business cards. In fact, some instances logo designs have been reduced to simply typography. You don’t need to throw lots of information at the user straight away when it comes to marketing materials, let your brand speak for itself. Making things too busy can distract the user from what you want them to do.
Stand up for a Cause
Research reports show that millennials are increasingly likely to use a company who stand up for a particular cause. It links back in to making your brand personal, they want to know what you believe in. If you show that your brand actively cares about a specific cause – it can allow you to form an instant connection with your client. It makes you, and your company more human. It gives prospective clients the chance to understand you a little better, and the core values you have. Don’t be afraid to have a voice – it’s something that could work to your advantage particularly if it’s for a good cause.
Create an Online Community
Some bigger brands out there, use social media to create their own branded communities. They see this as a way to connect with their target audience. Social media has evolved so much that you can do this incredibly effectively. Using these tools, you can get feedback on products and services, and users can interact with one another. It also gives your clients to chat to one another about industry related topics depending on what your business is.
Branding is the way forward in a digital world and can’t be underestimated. There are more things to take into consideration than you may have first thought – but if you keep up with the trends, you can make your company stand out from the crowd.