Discover top guides, trends, tips and expertise from AIO Writers

How to Build & Grow a Brand Online: 9 Key Steps

Julia McCoy

Monday, 22nd Jul 2024

Want to create a killer online presence that sets you apart from the competition? Then, you’re in the right place. We’re diving into how to build a brand online that resonates with your target market, captures their attention, and keeps them coming back for more.

These days, it doesn’t matter if you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or a big corporation — if you don’t exist online, you might as well not exist at all. 97% of consumers search online for local businesses.

This isn’t about throwing things at a wall and hoping they stick. It’s about having a solid brand strategy, understanding your audience, and making choices that showcase your brand personality in a crowded online space.

Let me share with you some insights from how I built my brand from the ground up and turned it into a million-dollar enterprise.

Why Branding Matters for You

Simply put, branding is the secret sauce that sets you apart from competitors.

Imagine scrolling through Instagram, and suddenly your eyes lock onto a post. But it’s not the product — it’s the vibe, the story the brand is telling.

Think about this: 77% of customers connect with brands because of shared values. Yes, you read that right – shared values.

When someone “gets” your brand — your mission, your vision — they’re not just buying a product, they’re joining a community.

How to Build a Brand Online: The Basics

Building a brand online is more than just a catchy logo (though that definitely helps).

It’s about establishing your brand identity and brand voice that resonates with your potential customers.

Here are 9 proven strategies on how to create a strong brand identity online.

1. Know Your Audience (Like, Really Know Them)

Picture this: You’re throwing a party, right? Are you serving burgers to your vegan friends?

Your brand should cater to your target audience’s specific needs and preferences. This is where having a defined target market is key.

46% of Gen Z feel connected to brands with a conscience — sustainable, strong ethics, and all that good stuff.

Knowing what matters to your audience is important to build a strong brand.

Let’s start with the basics.

Who is Your Audience?

The first step in building a strong online brand is knowing who you are serving.

Ask yourself:

Who are my ideal customers?
What are their goals, values, and motivations?
What are their pain points, and how can I solve them?

Identify Demographics, Interests, and Pain Points

To get started, create a list of demographics, interests, and pain points that describe your target audience. Consider the following:

Demographics: Age, gender, location, occupation, income level, education level, etc.
Interests: Hobbies, passions, favorite brands, social media platforms, etc.
Pain points: Challenges, frustrations, or problems that your audience faces, and how your brand can solve them.

Create Buyer Personas

Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience, create buyer personas to guide your branding efforts. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer, based on real data and research. This persona should include:

Name: A fictional name that represents your ideal customer.
Profile: A summary of the demographics, interests, and pain points identified earlier.
Goals: What your ideal customer wants to achieve, and how your brand can help them.
Challenges: The pain points and challenges that your ideal customer faces, and how your brand can solve them.

No idea how to start? Read this step-by-step guide from HubSpot on how to create detailed buyer personas for your business.

Conduct Market Research

Market research is an essential step in understanding your target audience. There are several ways to conduct market research, including:

Surveys: Online or offline surveys that ask questions about demographics, interests, and pain points.
Focus groups: Small, structured discussions with a group of people who represent your target audience.
Online analytics: Analyzing website traffic, social media engagement, and other online data to understand your audience’s behavior.

Analyze Competitors and Industry Trends

Finally, analyze your competitors and industry trends to stay ahead of the game. Research your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and branding strategies, and identify gaps in the market that your brand can fill. Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, and adjust your branding efforts accordingly.

By following these steps, you’ll gain a deep understanding of your target audience and be able to create a brand that resonates with them.

2. Create a Brand Identity

Once you know your people, create a personality they can’t resist — this is your unique fingerprint.

This means picking a name that embodies your brand: memorable, relatable, and easy to spell (and pronounce!).

Take, for example, Lemonade Dolls, a lingerie brand on a mission to challenge industry norms by embracing body positivity and offering a size-inclusive product line.

Another example? Pepper, which snagged the domain name wearpepper.com to drive the name association home. Pepper is a brassiere company that seeks to empower women by ensuring they feel confident and well-supported, no matter their bra size.

Let’s break down the steps of creating an amazing brand identity.

Define Your Brand’s Mission and Values

Your brand’s mission and values are the core of your brand identity. They define your purpose, guide your decision-making, and inspire your audience. To define your brand’s mission and values, ask yourself:

Mission: What problem do we solve for our customers, and how do we make their lives better?
Values: What do we stand for, and what drives our actions and decisions?

Crafting a clear and concise mission statement and values will help you stay focused on your goals and attract like-minded customers.

Craft a Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Your unique value proposition (UVP) is what sets your brand apart from the competition. It’s the unique benefit that only your brand can offer to customers. To craft a compelling UVP, ask yourself:

What makes our brand unique?
What benefits do we offer that our competitors don’t?
What problem do we solve better than anyone else?

A strong UVP will help you differentiate your brand and attract customers who are looking for what you offer.

Develop a Brand Voice and Tone

Your brand voice and tone are the personality traits that shine through in your communication. They help you connect with your audience, build trust, and create an emotional connection. To develop a brand voice and tone, consider:

Voice: The personality traits that define your brand’s communication style (e.g., friendly, professional, humorous).
Tone: The emotional tone of your communication (e.g., serious, light-hearted, empathetic).

A consistent brand voice and tone will help you build a strong brand personality that resonates with your audience.

Visual Branding: Logo Design, Color Palette, and Typography

You’ve got about 15 seconds to hook your audience online. That’s where visuals come in.

Visual branding is a critical aspect of your brand identity because it’s what people see first, and it can make or break their impression of your brand.

To create a strong visual brand, consider:

Logo design: Your company logo should be simple, memorable, scalable, and truly represent your brand.
Color palette: Color is your best friend, boosting recognition by up to 80%. Choose a consistent color scheme that evokes the right emotions and resonates with your audience.
Typography: Select a consistent font style and size that reflects your brand’s personality and tone.

A well-designed visual brand will help you build recognition, consistency, and professionalism across all platforms.

Here are 14 examples of beautiful brand identity designs to inspire you.

Keep a Consistent Visual Identity Across Platforms

Consistency is key to building a strong online brand identity. Ensure that your visual brand is consistent across all platforms, including:

Website
Social media
Advertising
Email
Mobile

By following these steps, you’ll create a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience, sets you apart from the competition, and drives business success.

3. Build a Stunning Website (Seriously, It’s a Big Deal)

Think of your website as your digital storefront that’s open 24/7. In the online world, your website IS you.

A stunning website can elevate your brand’s reputation, drive engagement, and convert visitors into customers.

Let me show you how to build a website that truly represents your brand and provides an exceptional user experience.

Website Design and Development

A well-designed website is more than just a pretty face. It requires a solid foundation, careful planning, and expert execution. When designing and developing your website, consider the following:

Custom design: Even if you’re using a design template from a tool like Canva or Wix, the look of your website should reflect your unique brand personality.
Responsive design: This isn’t 2005 — you need a responsive design. With 57% of all internet traffic coming from mobile devices, this is an important step to build brand awareness and make a memorable brand identity.
Development: Build a robust and scalable website on a reliable platform, using the latest technologies and best practices.

Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

A Content Management System (CMS) is the backbone of your website, allowing you to create, edit, and manage content with ease. Popular CMS options include:

WordPress: A versatile and user-friendly CMS with a vast community of developers and plugins.
Joomla: A robust and feature-rich CMS with a strong focus on security and scalability.
Drupal: A powerful and flexible CMS ideal for complex and custom projects.

When choosing a CMS, consider your technical expertise, content needs, and scalability requirements.

Design With The Reader in Mind

A user-friendly website is essential for providing an exceptional user experience. Consider the following design principles:

Simple navigation: Make it clean, intuitive, and a joy to browse. Nobody likes a cluttered website. Navigation should be intuitive and easy to use to help visitors find what they need quickly.
Clear typography: Fonts should be readable and consistent — not too fancy or heavy on the eyes, with enough white space.
Visual hierarchy: Create a clear visual hierarchy that guides visitors through your website.

Optimize for User Experience (UX)

Optimizing for UX involves creating a website that is both functional and enjoyable to use. Consider the following:

Site speed: A fast-loading website that ensures visitors don’t get frustrated and leave.
Mobile-friendliness: A website that adapts seamlessly to mobile devices, providing an optimal experience on the go.
Accessibility: A website that is accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create a stunning website that not only looks amazing but also provides an exceptional user experience, drives engagement, and converts visitors into customers.

Check out these 25 stunning corporate websites collated by HubSpot.

4. Unleash the Power of Content Marketing

Let’s be real. The heart of how to build a brand online is content. Blog posts, videos, infographics, the works.

This is how you share your knowledge, show your expertise, and give people a reason to stick around.

77% of brand managers believe that building an audience is more critical than directly selling. That is where valuable content comes in handy.

Think about it: It will take 5 to 7 touchpoints just for someone to recall your brand.

Content Ideas:	Benefits:	Engagement Tips:
Behind-the-scenes glimpses	Builds trust & authenticity.	Insta Stories, quick videos.
Tutorials/How-To Guides	Positions you as an expert, offer value.	Blog posts, YouTube videos, downloadable checklists.
Customer spotlights	Builds community and showcases your impact.	Social media takeovers, blog interviews.

Here at BrandWell, we’ve made content marketing easy. To help you build — and grow — your brand, we put all your content creation tasks on autopilot.

From just one subscription, you get all of these goodies:

WriteWell™

AIMEE (our super smart chatbot exclusively trained in marketing)
40+ AI Agents (social media writers, advertising copywriters, book writers, e-commerce experts, etc.)
Advanced AI Detector
Advanced Plagiarism Checker
Advanced Image Detector
Undetectable Rewriter

RankWell™

Premium SEO Blog Post Writer (undetectable, 100% original, research-backed content at the click of a button)
In-app SEO Scoring
Automated AI Detection Pass
Automated Links
Automated Plagiarism Check
Automated Grammar Check
Entity Analysis, NLP & Salience Scoring
Automated Metadata
Content Calendar and Planner
Website Integration
Content Intelligence Insights
Keyword Research
Content Briefs
Optimization Audits
Topic Clustering

If you’re a startup with a one-man marketing crew, you don’t have to build a marketing team right now: just use BrandWell to start growing your brand.

5. Show Off Your Expertise

People buy from those they know, like, and trust – it’s human nature.

As a business owner, establishing yourself as an expert in your industry is crucial for building trust and credibility with your target audience. When you demonstrate your expertise, you position yourself as a go-to authority in your field, attract high-quality leads, and ultimately drive business growth.

Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader

Thought leadership is about sharing your unique perspective, insights, and expertise to educate and inspire your audience. To establish thought leadership, consider:

Speaking engagements: Share your expertise through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops.
Industry events: Attend and participate in industry conferences, trade shows, and meetups to network and share your knowledge.
Social media: Share your thoughts, opinions, and expertise on social media platforms to engage with your audience and build your brand.

Guest Blogging and Contributing to Industry Publications

Guest blogging and contributing to industry publications are also excellent ways to demonstrate your expertise and reach a wider audience.

Guest blogging: Write guest posts for reputable industry blogs and websites to share your expertise and build backlinks to your website.
Industry publications: Contribute to industry magazines, journals, and online publications to establish yourself as a subject matter expert.

Create Valuable Resources

Creating valuable resources such as eBooks, whitepapers, and webinars is an effective way to showcase your expertise and provide value to your audience.

Here are a few content ideas that are proven winners:

Write guides or ebooks on topics related to your industry to educate and inform your audience.
Publish in-depth reports and white papers that establish authority in your niche.
Share thought leadership on platforms like LinkedIn.
Host live or pre-recorded webinars to share your knowledge and provide training on specific topics.

Long-form content is where BrandWell shines. Leave all the research, writing, and publishing tasks to AI so you can focus on brand building and connecting with your target audience.

Watch how we created an entire ebook with BrandWell in just 25 minutes:

Share Your Story and Showcasing Success

Sharing your story and showcasing your success can help build trust and credibility with your audience.

Case studies: Share real-life examples of how your product or service has helped clients solve a problem and achieve success.
Testimonials: Encourage satisfied clients or customers to share their experiences and feedback about your services.
Customer reviews: Showcase customer reviews and ratings on your website or social media profiles.

Highlight Awards, Recognition, and Credentials

Another way to demonstrate your expertise and build credibility is to highlight your awards, recognition, and credentials.

Awards and recognition: Showcase any awards, recognition, or certifications you’ve received from reputable organizations.
Credentials: Highlight your educational background, certifications, and licenses to demonstrate your expertise.
Industry certifications: Obtain industry-specific certifications to demonstrate your knowledge and skills.

By showcasing your expertise through these methods, you’ll establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry, build trust and credibility with your target audience, and drive business growth.

6. Embrace Social Media

Social media is one of the best platforms to build and grow your brand.

Everyone is on social media nowadays and you have the perfect opportunity to reach your audience in online spaces where they often hang out.

Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms

So which social media platforms should you be on? Here’s a quick rundown of the most popular platforms:

Facebook: The OG social media platform. Great for building a community and sharing longer-form content.
Instagram: Visual heaven! Perfect for businesses with strong visual identities or products.
Twitter: Fast-paced and real-time. Ideal for customer service, news, and trending topics.
LinkedIn: Professional networking at its finest. Great for B2B businesses and thought leadership.
YouTube: Video central! Perfect for product demos, tutorials, and vlogs.

To know where your audience is hanging out, do some research and find out:

Where your potential customers are most active
What platforms are they using the most
What type of content they are engaging with

Create a Social Media Strategy

Okay, you’ve got your platforms and audience. Now it’s time to create a strategy and content calendar. This will help you stay organized and ensure you’re posting consistent, engaging content.

Content themes: What topics do you want to cover? (e.g., industry news, product updates, behind-the-scenes)
Posting schedule: How often will you post, and at what times?
Content types: Will you post videos, images, or written content?

Think beyond likes — we’re talking about building email lists.

92% of US adults use email. Use that to your advantage by giving your social media audience valuable reasons to hand over their email addresses.

Run Social Media Contests and Giveaways

Everyone loves free stuff! Hosting contests and giveaways is a fun way to boost engagement, increase brand visibility, attract new followers, and generate excitement around your products or services.

Here are some ideas:

Photo contests: Ask followers to share a photo with your product using a specific hashtag.
Caption contests: Ask followers to come up with a caption for a photo or video.
Giveaways: Partner with other businesses to give away a prize package.

Click here to get 12 unique ideas for social media contests and giveaways from Sprout Social.

Share your content. Chat with your followers. Build those all-important relationships.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a killer social media strategy that drives engagement and grows your business.

7. Engage With Your Audience

Want to build a strong brand identity? It’s time to go beyond broadcasting your message and start a two-way conversation.

Engaging with your audience is crucial for building a loyal following and establishing your brand as a trusted voice in your industry.

Here’s how to cultivate meaningful interactions and foster a sense of community:

Create a Submission Process: Make it easy for your audience to submit their content, stories, or feedback.
Respond to Comments and Messages: Show your audience you’re listening by responding to comments and messages promptly and thoughtfully. Address the person by name and show empathy. Acknowledge their feedback, answer their questions, and address their concerns.
Ask Questions: Encourage your audience to share their opinions and experiences by asking open-ended questions. This shows that you value their input and fosters a sense of community.
Share User-Generated Content: Give your audience some love and feature their content on your social media channels, website, or newsletter.
Go Live: Live video is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience in real time. Use it to answer questions, showcase behind-the-scenes content, or host Q&A sessions.
Create a Forum: Build a dedicated space for your audience to discuss topics, ask questions, and share ideas. Use platforms like Slack or Discord to build a community around your brand.

Engaging with your audience is all about building relationships, creating valuable content, and fostering a community. By following these tips, you can build a loyal following that will promote your brand for you.

8. Collaborate With Other Brands And Influencers

Building a strong online brand requires expanding your reach and building credibility within your target market. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through strategic collaborations with other brands and influencers.

Think of it as a digital partnership where both parties benefit. By collaborating with complementary brands or influencers who share a similar target audience, you can tap into their existing follower base and expose your brand to a whole new pool of potential customers.

For example, if you have an online clothing store specializing in sustainable fashion, you could collaborate with a sustainable living influencer on Instagram. They could feature your products in their posts or stories, driving traffic to your website and increasing brand awareness.

Here are a few tips for successful influencer collaborations:

Identify influencers that align with your brand values and target audience. Authenticity is key. Your audience can spot a disingenuous partnership a mile away. Look for influencers who share your values, target audience, and content style.
Research Their Audience: Check their engagement rates, audience demographics, and content quality.
Reach out and propose mutually beneficial collaborations. Send a personalized message or email proposing a partnership. Be clear about your goals and what you can offer in return.
Track the results of your collaborations and measure their impact. This will help you refine your approach and identify what resonates best with your audience.

Partnering with Other Brands

Partnering with other brands can help you tap into new audiences, create co-branded content, and even develop new products or services. Here’s how:

Identify complementary brands and industries: Look for brands that share your target audience, values, or mission.
Research their strengths and weaknesses: Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and goals to find common ground.
Propose a partnership: Reach out and propose a collaboration, such as a joint webinar, product launch, or social media campaign.

Co-Create Content, Products, or Services

Co-creating content, products, or services with other brands can be a game-changer. Here are a few tips on how to make this happen:

Brainstorm ideas: Discuss potential projects, such as a joint ebook, webinar series, or product line.
Define roles and responsibilities: Outline who will handle what tasks, such as content creation, design, or distribution.
Launch and promote: Jointly launch and promote the collaboration to your respective audiences.

By partnering with the right brands and influencers, you can leverage their established audience, build credibility, and accelerate your online brand growth.

9. Consistency is Key

You’ve created a stunning online brand, but don’t drop the ball. Remember the importance of staying top-of-mind? In this fast-paced world, it’s so easy to be forgotten.

Did you know brand consistency increases revenue by up to 20%? Or that consistent branding contributes to 33% higher revenue?

Your brand style guide is a great way to keep your branding consistent. It’s like a bible for your brand, ensuring consistency across all platforms from social media to your website to your advertising.

Here’s what to include in your brand style guide:

Brand voice: Define the tone and language you use to communicate with your audience.
Brand tone: Determine the emotions and attitude you want to convey.
Visual identity: Establish a consistent look and feel for your brand, including logos, colors, and typography.

Refer to your brand style guide whenever you create new content or update your website, and educate your team to make sure they understand the importance of sticking to your brand style consistently.

FAQs: How to Build a Brand Online

How long does it take to build a brand online?

Building a strong online brand takes time, effort, and consistency, and can take anywhere from a few months to several years, depending on your goals, resources, and marketing strategy. With a well-planned approach, you can start seeing results in as little as 3-6 months, but sustained success requires ongoing effort and adaptation.

Remember how we said 81% of consumers purchase based on trust? Trust is earned. Deliver on promises. Show your value.

What are some common branding mistakes to avoid?

Lack of Consistency: Failing to maintain a consistent tone, voice, and visual identity across all platforms and communications.
Inauthenticity: Trying to be someone you’re not or making false claims to appeal to a wider audience.
Ignoring Your Target Audience: Failing to understand and cater to your target audience’s needs, preferences, and values.
Poor Brand Positioning: Failing to differentiate yourself from competitors and clearly communicate your unique value proposition.
Inconsistent Messaging: Sending mixed or conflicting messages across different channels and communications.
Neglecting Online Presence: Failing to establish a strong online presence, including a website and social media profiles.
Lack of Storytelling: Failing to tell a compelling brand story that resonates with your target audience.
Overemphasis on Features: Focusing too much on product features rather than the benefits and value they provide to customers.
Ignoring Customer Feedback: Failing to listen to and respond to customer feedback, leading to a negative brand reputation.
Lack of Adaptability: Failing to adapt to changing market trends, customer needs, and industry developments.

Conclusion

Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Stay true to your vision. 45% of people will quickly unfollow brands if the content isn’t serving them.

People appreciate brands with a clear vision. Pay attention to your competitors to find a way to differentiate your company from others in the market. What can your company provide that others cannot?

Branding is more than just your logo and brand colors; it also encompasses your brand values and story.

Building a brand online is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort, creativity, and strategy. And that’s where BrandWell comes in – the ultimate tool for growing a brand online!

With BrandWell, you can access a suite of powerful tools and resources designed to help you build, grow, and scale your brand online. From website analytics to content creation, BrandWell has got you covered.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for BrandWell today and start building the brand of your dreams!

Written by Julia McCoy

See more from Julia McCoy