How are eCommerce DTC brands building their brand image online?
Creating an online store doesn’t just mean you’re selling products - though that may be the initial goal, you’ve got to start by selling yourselves. Who are you as a brand? Why should your customers shop with you and not one of your competitors?
It may seem that brick-and-mortar stores may have an advantage over online-first brands, in the sense that once the customer has physically entered the store, they are diving deep into the brand’s world and values. Being an eCommerce DTC brand shouldn’t stop you from developing this important part of your company. The questions being asked for these two strategies are the same - what is relevant for your customer, and what will they relate to?
Why is creating a brand image important, and even more so online? Creating a brand image creates trust and a unique customer experience. You remember where you have shopped from the look and feel, the navigation and the experience, whether it is positive or negative. It also helps create a community of like-minded people, your target audience. No brand is truly “for everyone”. You can target several age ranges or genders for example, but there will still be a common interest or personality trait that will bring them together.
Getting acquainted
Although in-store, getting to know your customers is easier, as they are right in front of you, there are techniques to get to know your target audience better. Though this is a challenge in eCommerce, it’s worth trying out:
Surveys: But not just any surveys, open-ended questions are needed to have solid results for a thematic analysis
Webinars
A/B testing
Comparing audiences (different age groups, genders, locations)
This will help you work out the similarities between different types of customers and create your brand marketing strategy around your results.
Don’t forget to look at what your competitors are doing, as this will help you make comparisons, and see what you can do differently. Studying the market is important to ensure that you truly stand out!
Finding something to talk about
Once you know who you’re talking to, how do you talk to them, and what about? To start off with, create a brand pack explaining the tone of voice and the story behind the brand to ensure that the tone of voice and designs are consistent throughout your various channels.
Another important point is to find your unique selling points, and continuously push them. What makes your products different? Is it the choice of fabrics, where they’re made, or the person who has designed them? Telling these USPs' stories will draw customers in and make them want to be part of the adventure. Your pieces need to excite your audience and bring them joy, you decide how you do that! Another reason why the tone of voice is important to determine is that the way you express these USPs will make or break your marketing.
Creating brand values will be another strength of your brand. Are you sustainable? Are you a women-owned fashion brand? What causes are you championing? This will help your audience relate to the brand more and create an emotional connection. Your goal is to inspire and create meaningful messages.
When it comes to socio-political events, brands often wonder if it is worth “getting involved”. Is it good for the brand to say something? Is it damaging to say nothing? The real question that needs to be asked is, “Does this align with my brand’s values?”, “Is this authentic for us?”. If not, then it’s just a gimmick or a marketing ploy. Decide what you’re going to do - and we’re not just talking about a social media post. Are you going to donate proceeds to a charity? Are you going to create an event? People will be touched by a sincere effort to change things rather than jumping on a bandwagon.
Improving UX
Many brands make the mistake of thinking that flashy website designs and brand image go hand-in-hand, however, sometimes, you need to find a compromise. Visual identity is important - it’s how a customer will remember you, but a complicated website will not make them want to come back, no matter how “design” it is! A website design should reflect your brand image, but not at the expense of your conversions. Instead, invest your budget into what makes your customer’s experience easier, this could be bespoke marketing/personalization, events or email activations.
Creating a website that performs well can be done by analyzing the customer’s behavior and how they will navigate around a website. A/B testing is a great way to see if changes need to be made to your website and if the variations you put into place are helpful and increase conversion. Changing a CTA, or making the header sticky for easy navigation, are just a few of the ways you could give your customers a stress-free experience when ordering with you. If you’re wondering if you should A/B test functionality, you need to ask yourself if the current functionality is satisfying. Does it create seamless navigation throughout the website? Even the slightest hesitation means that you should try out other alternatives.
Customer Support
How you react to a customer after their purchase is also part of the brand image. Whether they’ve sent a message via Facebook Messenger or posted a comment on social media, what you say publicly and by private message is important. Creating various social channels and means of contact for your customers proves that you’re here to listen and help.
Building a FAQ page will also help with this - clear instructions on the different processes, from ordering to returning products, will help the customer not feel “caught out” and to trust the brand fully. Though text messages were once just for informing customers about the latest offers, innovative techniques are being used to forward customer service queries sent via SMS to a representative.
Content
Last but not least, content plays a huge role in the brand image. Now you’ve established the tone of voice and look, it’s time to work it! Email marketing is one of the ways you can sell your brand and create engaging content. A personalized experience via email will attract customers to your website, and make them feel involved - use a first name variable in the subject line to grab their attention! Newsletters can also be used to inform them of the latest news and offers, as well as help you push more editorial content you may be working on. However, SMS is blowing up when it comes to keeping in touch with your customer because it’s guaranteed that the customer will read the text message, and drop rates are significantly lower than via email.
Blog content is another way of working on your brand image. Not only will it help you optimize your SEO strategy, but it will also open the door to the brand’s world. Blog content helps you attract like-minded customers through interesting and relatable topics that correspond to your audience’s centers of interest.