By Maciej Duraj
Source: Forbes
I have recently covered branding in terms of digital linking of company name and products to specific links related to a company brand domain or URL. However, I covered the topic in tandem with digital asset management and in a way branding is a topic all onto itself deserving more of an analysis. Branding, including link building and other digital practices, is also an innovative way for companies to stand out digitally in the competitive online marketplace of today. Many people also confuse branding with marketing and vice versa.
You may be asking yourself: what is the difference between branding and marketing and which of the two should my company be focusing on? The answer is that they are similar in the sense they are about getting a company noticed, but different implementations of recognition. This includes different practices in the entire process of keeping a company competitive, unique and customers coming back.
Branding deals more with an image or the quality and assets that go along with it. These may include a company logo, company values, a message that should resonate with a desired company audience and things of this nature. Marketing, on the other hand, deals with tasks and activities in terms of communicating with an audience or making the company’s presence felt. It is getting a message out there to prospective audience or customers. It is also about capturing leads and includes aspects such as social media coordination or email campaigns.
Both of these aspects are important for successful companies to thrive and expand their customer bases. A successful or thriving company should have a message that resonates with an audience and makes its values known through branding. It should also have assets, such as a logo, that become part of this message and image. However, it also needs effective marketing to showcase its brand to new audiences and expand in reach. Once branding and marketing is done in an effective fashion, the third step in the process takes place and that is sales.