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essentials of online brand management

| brand management online

Brand management is very complex. It is decisions made in the past, extending into the present, it is happening at this moment but at the same time is getting shaped for the future. It is the sum of all actions taken, plans drawn up and executed, all necessary decisions made, for one purpose only: to keep the brand on track, loyal to its brand image and brand personality. It is consistent and persistent attending to the needs of the specific market segment and responsibility for the category profitability.


Brand management tasks

Two dimensions are essential to manage a brand successfully:

  • Internal communication programs for employees and business partners for the purpose to create the culture and atmosphere needed to develop or maintain the own brand identity.
  • Consistent Brand communication to all loyal users, partners, affiliates and the target group.
  • Measurement tool kits to track brand performance.

Tracking brand performance on the Internet

When we say measure, we refer to your sales, profit, traffic and the visitors click through rate or bounce rate, plus the steady clients or registered members of your web site. Do these visitors actually make use of the information or services the web site offers, do users buy or book online in a percentage wise satisfying number? If a web site does not contribute on these levels to a business, a >> web site brand analysis and a review of the >> online marketing strategy should be conducted, to find the cause and then eliminate the reasons for failure.

Measure the "feel good factor" on hand of your returning visitors and the rising or declining number of members and find out how they judge the quality of the web site. Depending on the industry you are in questions like: "do you provide best support and have software/drivers upgrades available for download for hardware you might sell?" or "Are shopping processes transparent and comprehensible for the users and do they correspondent with your own back office processes?" and another: "Is there enough information to inform users about the accommodations they might be able to book, if you are active in the travel industry?" Answering these questions clear and concise should give you a good idea about the brand equity of your web site. The user experience is a great part of how the brand is perceived and determines the value of a web site.

The most important result these measurements have is that a decline is noticed in time and therefore can be corrected before the brand is damaged. There is no doubt that a web site lacking brand management can damage the brand in its total. All actions necessary to keep the web site true and loyal to its brand image and brand personality need to be executed without compromise. The >> web site management page informs about the practical steps needed to be taken, to manifest the brand successfully online.

Covering all electronically communication exchange

Besides the web site, there is the management of all electronically exchanged communication. There are guidelines to develop of how the e-mail exchange is handled. Employees need to be informed which templates to use when exchanging information with clients, internally, affiliates or third parties.

The e-mails should be clearly recognizable as coming from your company. A signature respecting text mail settings of receivers e-mail programs should be considered.

The newsletter requires to be professionally designed it vibrates the brand personality and leads clients to the web site. Content that interests the users is written and notifications are sent to the subscribers of the mailing list on a regular basis. The future is pointing into the direction of a paperless office, getting a grip on these communication tools is essential when not being left behind.

From banner advertisement to podcast

There are many ways to promote and advertise online. The design, the catching slogans and on which web site the banner is placed determines the conversion rate. Banner advertisement can range between USD $100 to $500.000. Podcasts are a way to communicate in a very direct way but is not interactive, however it saves you lots of money when you think of the rates a TV channel would charge you. The attention should never decrease that all these elements should clearly deliver the brand message.

Fact: the web site is a company asset

The web site is a company asset and must be protected and nurtured. It requires a long-term commitment and work. There are web sites online being worth as much money as the total of an industrial park of a medium sized manufacturing company.