How to Establish Your Visual Brand Identity Online
What do you think of when you hear the phrase “brand identity?” I think we often think of a brand’s logo or that one thing they do really well, but brand identity is so much more than that! We live in a highly visual world where everyone has some sort of visual brand identity. Brand identity encompasses a lifestyle; an image that we have in our minds of how our life will look when we purchase from a certain brand. If your brand lines up with that visual in their mind's eye, people won’t think twice about hitting that purchase button.
Here’s the point: Your brand identity is very closely tied to visuals, but not just a logo. We’re talking lifestyle brand photography!
So how do you establish a visual brand identity online? There are a few places where this becomes clear. Your online brand identity largely exists on your website and on your social media channels. I want to talk a little bit about how to establish your visual brand identity in these particular online spaces.
I think the most important way to establish your visual brand is to be consistent. Does your brand have light, bright, and airy vibes? Or maybe it’s a dark and moody brand? Does it have high contrast? Bright colors? Neutral tones?
Whatever you want your vibe to be, be consistent with it across all platforms!
And speaking of consistency, another highly important element to building a brand identity online is to have consistently high-quality brand photography of your products. And we’re not just talking in a studio setting on a white backdrop like you might see on an e-commerce page. No, we’re talking high-quality, well-lit, professionally staged and photographed, LIFESTYLE imagery of your products in use! These types of images are what create the idea that there is a lifestyle attached to your brand.
Lifestyle imagery should evoke the emotion that you want your brand to embody. To get to the bottom of this, think about WHY you do what you do and ask yourself what you are really selling below the surface. For instance, on the surface level, you may be selling candles, but underneath that, you’re selling comfort. Or you may provide a service that helps small business owners make more money, but really you’re selling security.
The takeaway here? High-quality, lifestyle brand imagery that evokes emotion will uplevel your online brand identity!
Another thing to consider when establishing your visual brand identity online, is how you can incorporate your brand colors consistently across all your visuals. For example, if you sell a product, you can use props in your brand colors to subtly incorporate your brand color palette. This could be a linen in your brand color that adds texture or a leading line, a notebook in your color that adds height and dimension, etc. If you are a personal brand and having lifestyle headshots done, you could wear a shirt in your brand color or have a throw pillow in your color on the couch you’re posing on, etc.
Color can tie everything together and give you a more cohesive brand look.
There are many elements that help establish your brand identity online, but I believe that visuals are the most crucial way to give your brand a recognizable visual identity.