It's becoming harder than ever for customers to get the information they need online. Digital branding is the answer, not more marketing.

Online has become the new battlefield for consumers' attention. Instead of lining up in shopping malls with advertising posters or cramming magazines and mailboxes full of ads, we now shout at each other via our customers' tablets, smartphones, and computers.

We send out email campaigns on either a weekly or monthly basis. Regular advertising campaigns are run on websites, social media channels, search engines, and other platforms. We also market our products via Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other influencers.

Consumers have become so accustomed to digital noise that they are starting to tune out marketing messages. They label many of them as pushy, insincere or irrelevant. Your marketers and salespeople can find themselves in difficult situations as they must still capture leads and convert those leads into customers.

The solution is simple. You just need to incorporate digital branding in your strategy.

What is Digital Branding?

Digital branding refers to the use of digital assets to establish a brand online. This can include your website, social media profiles and content marketing. Digital branding can help you create more powerful digital marketing campaigns and establish a strong presence in the digital space.

What is the difference between digital marketing and digital branding?

Many people find it difficult to distinguish between digital marketing and branding. There are many similarities. Here it is:

Digital marketing is used to generate leads and sell products. Digital branding is used to create relationships and engage customers.

Both cases have the same goal: to increase customer base and keep sales at a healthy level. Digital branding is a different approach. It does more than just highlight the benefits of the product. It also highlights the brand's impact as a whole. It shows the brand's culture and values, and establishes an implicit connection between these core elements and the products that it is in business to sell.

How does digital marketing and digital branding work together?

However, there is a point when digital branding and marketing can overlap and influence one another.

Your digital brand is created and maintained through digital marketing. You can share your brand's values and identity online, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

To make digital marketing as effective as possible, you must first create your digital brand. Digital branding gives your company a face and an identity. Your customers will see more than just an advertisement when they encounter one of your social media campaigns, or Google ads.

It creates a stronger connection between your brand's customers and you. Customers are more likely to listen to what you have to offer, rather than clicking the "skip ads" button every time your ads interrupt their YouTube videos. Their patience may not last for long, but they will pay attention for a few seconds.

Three examples of digital branding that fuels digital marketing

It can be hard to see how it might look in practice, even with the framework. We've compiled a few examples that show how digital branding can impact and even elevate digital marketing in real life.

1. Adidas

Adidas is a well-known brand for its top-of the line gear. It has been a staple in the lives of athletes across all sports for decades. But, the number of its loyal customers is growing exponentially. It's simple. In the past five years, the company has undergone a dramatic digital transformation in order to offer customers a more cohesive brand experience.

Adidas is no longer content with producing product ads like their smaller competitors. Instead, they produce thoughtful, engaging campaigns that "on-brand", which are created to connect deeply with their customers.

Adidas, for example, launched the #hometeam marketing campaign in early 2020 to establish relationships with customers while they worked from home.

The company believed that teamwork can make a difference and was deeply embedded in the campaign. They opened their training apps to everyone who wanted to work out. They shared inspiring success stories from athletes around the world. Their employees were even encouraged to become brand advocates by sharing the Adidas "Ready for Sport” video on their social media channels and tagging the initiative in their own Twitter or Instagram posts. They also wore Adidas gear! ).

Adidas' new brand-centric approach has produced remarkable results. Their #hometown campaign is now one of Adidas' most popular and successful campaigns.

2. Amazon

Amazon is a digital company that promotes their brand via digital channels and sells their products ecommerce-style. However, they have not become lazy or sloppy over the years.

Amazon has actually improved its ability to connect with customers by enhancing its digital brand. Amazon posts videos that highlight their charitable work during crises. These videos show Amazon's brand through logo placement, product placement, and Amazon voice. They also make implicit connections between the initiative's values and Amazon's. This is evident in the language used and the background music.

Amazon is not all serious and professional. Amazon created designated accounts to allow customers to enjoy funny posts and have lighthearted conversations with Alexa (Amazon’s AI).

This has created a loyal following for all Amazon-related social media accounts and also allowed Amazon to keep a loyal customer base for both their marketplace and their products.

3. Apple

Apple has been a leader in tech for years. Apple is loved by almost all their products, including the iPhones, iPads and iPads as well as Macbooks and smart devices. Apple isn't content to just provide cutting-edge technology. Apple embraces and infuses their brand into all they do.

They perfectly combine a modern, clean style with vibrant colors in their ads. They also make use of popular trends in new ways, thereby demonstrating their "Think Different” slogan.

They are also committed to building strong relationships with customers by validating their needs and offering targeted solutions in their advertisements.

This is evident in the privacy ad Apple posted on YouTube to address concerns about data privacy. The narrator of Apple talks about privacy in a way that most people might understand. He highlights personal data that people would like to keep private and acknowledges that they should not be seen by prying eyes. In less than five words, the ad explains that Apple respects customers' privacy and works hard to protect it. This is exactly what people want.

Apple has managed to maintain a loyal customer base by addressing their concerns and fears in a compassionate way and distinguishing themselves through branding.

Conclusion

You must meet customers where they are, digital spaces. You need a digital brand to connect with customers and avoid being blocked or turned off by them through digital marketing. There are many companies that you can learn from. All you have to do is look for them.