In the Digital Age: Rethinking Branding

A few years ago, hardly anyone thought that a brand must exist in the online space. If it’s not there, it’s almost as if it doesn’t exist at all. Why is that?

A new space, new challenges

The digital world has taken over the modern consumer, who spends a significant part of the day in front of a phone or laptop screen.

The latest media are competing for the top spot in effectiveness with other communication channels, offering entirely new – and not yet fully understood – touchpoints in the brand–customer relationship. They undeniably bring enormous opportunities, while at the same time posing a considerable challenge.

Are you wondering whether, in today’s world, a brand can still capture attention for longer and earn genuine trust? Of course, it can! But it requires answering a key question…
How can we do branding that meets the demands of our times?

Goodbye, Old World

New technologies keep surprising us. They’ve also shaken up branding, which isn’t having an easy time in today’s digital era.
Gone are the days when outdoor billboards reigned supreme, and we learned about promotions from thin paper flyers dropped into our mailboxes.
Well, those times are over — and as painful as that may be, we have to accept it.

Welcome to websites, Instagram posts, reels, and TikToks.

Perhaps you’re sweating over new formats, trying to reach customers in the most modern and eye-catching way possible.
And while this battle may seem uneven, it’s far from lost!
There are ways to avoid failure and thrive in the now-ubiquitous digital space.

Digital Branding: What Your Brand Needs

Digital branding is the way your brand is built online — for example, through websites, apps, or social media.
It’s a combination of digital marketing and online branding — all aimed at growing your brand in the online world.

Why is it so crucial?
You’re probably reading this article on your phone or laptop, right? Exactly.
Online is now the brand’s to be or not to be. That’s the mindset to adopt.

6 Pillars of a Strong Digital Brand

LOGO

A logo is what sticks in the consumer’s memory.
In digital branding, it’s important that your logo defines your brand while also looking impressive and aesthetically pleasing across all communication channels — especially the newest ones.
Keep in mind that digital platforms require specific sizes and formats.
Design a logo that looks great on profile pictures, cover photos, email headers, app buttons, and more.

WEBSITE

Your website is like your digital storefront.
Customers want to know what your company does, the products it offers, or even its opening hours.
Rest assured, they won’t call to ask — they’ll Google your website hoping to find all that information there.
A clear, modern, and aesthetically appealing website is an absolute must-have for any digital brand.

BRAND COMMUNICATION

Brand communication is what your company says and how it says it.
Your messaging should reflect what your company does, what it stands for, and speak concisely to your customers’ needs and expectations.

An effective brand message should answer these questions:

WHAT? HOW? WHY?

SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ensures your brand and its offerings are easily discoverable in search engines.
The goal is to position your website well by using keywords relevant to what potential customers are searching for in your field.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Something that practically everyone has these days.
The idea is simple: if your customers are present in this space, you and your brand should be there too.

A Few Practical Tips:

• Plan ahead and design consistent, visually appealing posts
  (don’t forget that the text is just as important as the graphic elements)

• Tailor your posts to each specific platform

• Schedule clear publishing dates and times for your content

• Engage with your customers — respond to comments and private messages

DIGITAL BRAND BOOK: CONSISTENCY FIRST

Both branding and digital branding should be built on the same principle: consistency of identity and communication.
In the digital space, however, maintaining consistency is more challenging. There are many communication channels and often many departments involved in managing the brand. Each department may have a slightly different vision of the brand and its image. That’s why having a brand book is so important.

We usually think of a brand book as a large PDF file containing all the necessary guidelines: the logo, along with an explanation of what it represents, possible compositions, sizes and placements, typography with different typefaces for both digital and print use, brand colors, and examples of various possible applications.

How does the digital version differ?
Among other things, it is more accessible to everyone. Consistency is undeniably key to building a successful brand. That’s why it can be so important to share all brand identity guidelines with the entire community, globally.

One of the many advantages of creating a digital brand book in this way is that it can be easily shared and updated. This remains true even after it has been passed on to external partners or clients. Any changes can be implemented quickly and smoothly. This is much more difficult with a traditional PDF version of a brand book.

That’s why the digital brand book is definitely the right direction to take!

Summary

As a brand, you will have to come to terms with the digital world. Who knows, you might even grow to like it and walk hand in hand with it.
If, at the moment, the rapid changes in new media keep you up at night, you don’t know what to post on your company’s Facebook page, or you’re out of ideas for a new Instagram reel — don’t worry. You’re not alone. Read, catch up on trends, and seek help from experts.

Digital isn’t as scary as it seems!