Think about the brands you trust most. I bet you can picture their logos, recall their slogans and even describe how they make you feel. In essence, these are the key building blocks of every brand identity.
Regardless of your industry, brand identity is more important than ever. It’s a psychological tool that influences how customers see your business and whether they consider you trustworthy.
If you’re wondering how much of an impact this can have, consider this: research shows that 81% of people need to trust a brand before they’ll consider buying.
In this article, I’ll show you how brand identity shapes customer psychology and ultimately drives loyalty. You’ll also find actionable tips that you can put into practice.
The psychological power of brand identity
When you see a familiar logo, color scheme or font, we process it in milliseconds. Next, we associate them with past experiences, emotions and expectations.
These associations basically become the foundation people use to figure out how they feel about a brand.
One of the best examples is the golden arches at McDonald’s. If you’re driving down the road and see the arches in the distance, you may instantly start thinking about fast food, childhood memories and a familiar experience, no matter where you are.
You feel this way because McDonald’s has done a fantastic job building a strong identity over the years.
For you, this means if your brand presents itself differently across platforms, for example, using different colors for your logo, this interrupts these little cognitive shortcuts. As a result, it’s hard to make an impression, which you want to do if you hope to generate leads and turn them into customers.
Key elements of brand identity
Let’s explore a few specific factors you should consider if you’re working on building a strong identity.
Colors and design
Even if you don’t consciously know it, you make assumptions about brands based on the colors in their logo. If you’d like more context, consider that research shows using consistent brand colors can improve recognition by up to 80%.
Check out a brand color guide from ThriveThemes so you can see for yourself how different colors are perceived.
By choosing the right colors, you can create an emotional connection with your visitors, which influences their behavior. Think about what you’re selling and how you want your audience to feel when they see your brand.
Typography and visual style
The font and visual style of your brand logo also can have a big impact on your brand identity.
You would expect a doctor’s office, for example, to have a clean, professional-looking font. Imagine for a second how you would feel if you walked up to a new doctor and saw a logo in this font (See Esther image below from Seahawk).
You’d probably be a little weirded out and want to look for another doctor, and for good reason!
When you’re deciding on the font you want to build your identity around, make sure it aligns with your values and how you want people to see you.
Tone and messaging
Your brand voice sets the tone for how customers see you. If you want people to see you as helpful and kind, this should be a common theme across everything you say and do.
Nike, for example, is about boldness and motivation, so its “Just Do It” messaging makes perfect sense. It appeals to people who are driven and want to achieve their goals.
Maintaining a consistent tone across your website, social media, and marketing is one of the best ways to build trust and familiarity.
Brand storytelling
We are hard-wired to respond to stories. So, it makes sense that a compelling brand story can make your company feel more relatable and memorable.
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to include your brand story somewhere on your site. You want to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask yourself what elements of your authentic story would resonate with them.
Here’s a great example from SmashBalloon.
When you use this type of storytelling as a part of your brand, you give customers a reason to emotionally invest in your company, which means they’re more likely to stick with you.
Emotional connection and brand loyalty
It may not be top of mind, but people don’t just buy products. Many of us choose to buy because of the experiences, emotions and identities attached to the product.
I’m sure you can think of someone who needs a Starbucks coffee in the morning. No other brand will do. This is exactly what I mean by buying emotions and identities. They’re connected to Starbucks, and that’s how they’ve started every workday for years. It would feel wrong to buy coffee from anywhere else.
And, it’s not just with Starbucks, over 65% of people say they’ve formed an emotional connection with brands.
Actionable tips for strengthening brand identity
Now that you know about the psychology behind brand identity, let’s look at a few actionable strategies that will help you on your journey.
1. Develop a brand style guide
Consistency builds trust. A brand style guide is the best way to make sure your logo, colors, fonts and messaging stay consistent across all platforms, reinforcing brand recognition.
Create a guide and share it so anyone on your team can use it. Taking this seemingly small step will make it super easy for anyone, from support to graphic designers, to capture your identity in their work.
2. Engage directly with your audience
People are more likely to trust brands when they feel like they’re talking to real people instead of a faceless business. Interacting with customers helps bridge this gap and makes you more approachable and trustworthy.
Here’s how:
- Use social media to engage with your audience. Reply to tags and comments, share user-generated content and join in on relevant conversations.
- Showcase social proof. Since 97% of shoppers check reviews before making a purchase, displaying testimonials and case studies can significantly boost credibility.
- Personalize customer experiences. This is super important, especially when 81% of people expect content to be personalized. Use customer names in emails and recommend products based on past purchases. Such processes can be automated through AI-powered tools, encompassing everything from CRM platforms to free email marketing services.
3. Let your brand personality shine
Customers are drawn to brands that feel real and unique. Don’t be afraid to showcase your personality. One way to do this is by livestreaming. You can use this opportunity to share behind-the-scenes content and even tell your brand story to a live audience.
You’ll also want to highlight your company values and mission so people see what you’re about so they can figure out if your values align.
4. Audit your brand presence
Things change over time, including your brand identity. You shouldn’t do a complete rebranding if you can help it, but it’s always good to audit what you’re doing to see if there’s room for improvement.
I recommend starting by reviewing your website and social media accounts so you can be sure people are resonating with the identity you’ve built.
You’ll also want to consider gathering customer feedback so you can better understand how people see you.
If you decide to do something major, like update your logo, ensure the change is made everywhere so you don’t confuse your audience.
Conclusion
Building a strong brand identity will take time, but it’s time well spent. Once people start to recognize your logo, they’ll be more inclined to engage with you.
This could be something like them seeing your logo on social media and deciding to hit follow. But it could also become much more. As people get to know your company, they may eventually choose to buy from your site.
Win them over the first time and they’ll remember you in the future the next time they see your logo or brand name in their inbox.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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