Going into 2022, it is important to reflect on your business’ current brand identity and determine if any changes need to be made. No matter how big or small your company, it is vital to adapt with the times.
If you are noticing signs of your brand identity becoming out of style, then you must act fast to ensure you do not lose customers as a result. Below are 10 top tips for developing an exciting new brand identity for your business in 2022.
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Assess your current brand identity
As mentioned above, before overhauling your brand identity entirely it is always recommended to look at the current state of your brand. Elements that make up your brand include:
- Logo
- Colour palettes
- Typography
- Brand message
- Packaging (if you are selling products)
- Website design
Try to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your current assets. Does your logo accurately reflect your brand ethos? Will your current typography appear attractive to your target demographic? Most importantly, does your brand look modern and presentable compared to your competitors?
If you find yourself doubting any aspect of your current brand, you should look to refresh it, and ensure it still matches up with the rest of your brand identity.
Research what your target audience wants in 2022
As a business owner, you should always listen to your customers. Research who your target demographics are. What age groups tend to visit your brand the most? Does your business focus on attracting consumers or businesses? Once you have formed an idea of what appeals to your targets, you can then start optimising your brand identity to fit this.
To help with brand identity research, study your competition and see what works for them. Note what communicates well, and what could be improved. You can use this information to help enhance your own brand identity and give it an edge over your competition. Make sure to never copy your competition directly – your brand will lose its unique identity and will not help you stand out from the crowd.
Determine your new direction
Once you have assessed your current brand and determined what will appeal to your target audience, you can start aligning your brand with the direction you want to kick off 2022 with.
Ask yourself some questions to clarify your vision for the brand. These include:
- What are the key ‘traits’ you want to convey to your audience through imagery and text?
- How will your visuals help convey your brand’s ‘mission statement’?
- What emotions do you want your brand identity to evoke in your customers?
Compile your ideas into a branding brief, which should answer all of the questions above, as well as ideas for your brand’s themes and motifs. This will form the basis of your brand redesign, which will help you in the next step.
Update your new visuals
You can now start to develop an updated brand identity. A few tips on how to implement this:
Your logo is the centrepiece of your brand identity – it is usually the first thing customers will see and the most recognisable asset. Your logo should be unique and eye-catching to your target demographic. Keep it simple enough for customers to recognise, but make sure it is not too basic and boring.
Once you have your logo, derive a colour palette that will enhance your brand identity’s visual appeal. Your colours should not only be complementary to your logo, but also your website, product design and advertising content. A good place to start is to decide on one or two ‘main’ colours, followed by a couple of ‘accent’ colours to add flair to your palette.
For typography, stick to just two or three fonts. All fonts should differ in appearance so that there are no style clashes. Use them consistently across your logo, website and advertising so users grow accustomed to the feel of your brand.
Review the type of language you use to convey information to customers. If you are appealing to the general consumer, it is best to use simpler, less verbose messaging. For ‘premium’ brands, use more professional language.
Harness the power of social media
In this day and age, you can expand your brand without spending a penny through the utilisation of social media. Apps such as Twitter and Instagram can help your business reach a swathe of new potential customers, so if you have not yet put your brand on social media, 2022 is the time to do so!
To develop an effective social media presence, ensure that all branding is consistent over your social media accounts, including logos and colour schemes. It is also important that the message you convey is consistent – do not alter the kind of language you use across your accounts. Make sure to upload content regularly.
Track performance metrics
Once you have implemented a new brand identity, you need to maintain your image. This can be achieved by tracking a variety of key performance indicators (KPIs) on your brand website and social media accounts. Some good examples of this include the use of surveys to gather customer feedback and online analytics services such as Google Analytics.
Web traffic is a great way to measure your brand’s effectiveness. If people are visiting and staying on your website, it is a sign that they are interested in your business – this is known as keeping a low ‘bounce rate’.
It is also a good idea to track a collection of key search terms related to your business. If your brand is not ranking highly on search engines, it is unlikely that new customers will come across your brand. You need to ensure that your brand’s content is consistent and contains plenty of useful keywords.
Most social media platforms offer analytics tools for you to measure customer engagements with your content. This includes impressions, likes and shares, as well as how many people have clicked on links leading to your main site.
If you are in need of a new brand identity, then Reactive Graphics can help. Get in touch with us today to see how we can get your project off the ground!
