Branding

A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or services from the rest. Branding is the work of creating and developing that distinction: from the name and logo to the voice, the promise and the buyer's experience.

In plain words

By the definition Wikipedia gives, a brand is "a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers". Brands exist so they can be recognized, and to create and accumulate value, called brand equity (Wikipedia, Brand).

Brand equity is the measurable total value of a brand. It is high when buyers know the brand well or prefer it to competitors (same source).

What a brand consists of

Brand elements, per the same source: name, logo, slogan, graphics, shapes, colors, sounds, smells, taste, movements, voice. For an online store it also includes what is visible on the site: texts, photos, tone of communication, delivery and return rules.

Different sources distinguish between:

• Brand identity: what the owner creates, how they want the brand to be perceived (brand identity).
• Brand image: how the buyer sees the brand based on their own experience and beliefs. Owners try to narrow the gap between the two (Wikipedia, Brand).

Why an online store needs a brand

For a store with a similar range to everyone else's, the brand is one of the few things that set you apart from a competitor selling the same product. On a marketplace the buyer often remembers the platform, not the seller, so your own brand in your own store is built separately (e-commerce).

A brand affects metrics indirectly: repeat purchases and LTV, direct visits to the site without ads, trust at checkout. There are no figures for the Ukrainian market confirmed by open research.

How different sources see it

There is no single definition of a brand: Wikipedia gives the definition "a feature that distinguishes a seller" and separately treats branding as a marketing practice (branding of a product, an employer, a place). Practitioners often broaden the concept to the customer's whole experience. For an entrepreneur it helps to keep two levels: the signs you create (name, visual style, voice), and the image in the buyer's head, which you only support through your actions.

Common mistakes

• Confusing branding with a logo: a logo is just one element.
• Making a strong promise that delivery and service do not back up.
• Changing the style from page to page: the buyer does not recognize the store.
• Postponing the decision on name and style while the store is already growing under a random name.

FAQ

What is branding in plain words? The work of making your store distinguishable and memorable: name, style, tone and promise.

How is a brand different from a logo? A logo is one element of a brand. A brand is the whole set of signs and the buyer's impression.

How is branding different from marketing? Marketing brings in the buyer and sells; branding makes sure you are recognized and chosen again.

What is brand equity? The measurable total value of a brand: the better buyers know it and the more willingly they choose it, the higher it is.

Related terms

• Brand identity
• Content marketing
• Target audience
• LTV (customer lifetime value)

Sources

• Wikipedia, Brand — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand
• Wikipedia, Branding (disambiguation page) — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branding