How to Earn Trust On Your Website

One of the keys to cultivating a successful business brand is to retain relationships that are built on trust. This trust needs to be firmly anchored throughout all brand touchpoints – including your website.

In order for people to buy your products or services, they first must trust you. In addition to great design, navigation, content and usability, you can build user trust and credibility on your website through incorporating specific content known as trust signals. Trust signals are used to assure the user that the website is run by real people, is capable of handling their business, and is credible, established and trusted by other users. Trust signals are especially essential to e-commerce websites.

There are a number of different signals that can be used throughout your website to establish trust:

1. Through Testimonials/Reviews.  What better way is there to convert new users into customers than using an actual review from a satisfied customer? Video testimonials are the latest trend – and the most effective as they are difficult to fake.
   
2. Through Communication Options.  It's all in the details. Listing a physical address encourages visitors and gives more credibility to the business brand. Having a local phone number with an actual human answering the phone connects with the potential customer on a deeper level than hearing "press 2 for ....", plus it shows that the business is there to provide immediate, personable support. Even having live chat support shows that the website is being operated by humans.
   
3. Through Frequently Asked Questions, Questions & Answers, etc.  Questions that have been anticipated and answered by the business shows that the business cares about its customers and their needs. Questions that have been answered by other customers give an unbiased viewpoint of the services/products in question. Both scenarios build trust and influence the decision to purchase.
   
4. Through Affiliations.  Being associated with other successful, reliable companies shows that your website is also successful & reliable. Use the logos of those that you are affiliated with – credit cards, Better Business Bureau, groups that you belong to, current clients, etc. – and build trust and credibility through association.
   
5. Through Social Media.  Keeping up with the business social media accounts shows that you are in direct communication with and value your customers.
   
6. Through Terms & Conditions.  Having a terms & conditions page on your website shows that you have nothing to hide and gives the impression that you operate on structure and full transparency.

Incorporating a few trust signals throughout your website will help to solidify your brand, build customer trust and, ultimately contribute to an increase in sales. So which trust signals are you currently using on your website?

Using Video On Your Website

Websites have become very competitive in today's market, offering a multitude of media content choices for potential customers. One type of media content that is gaining the most popularity is the use of video.

Video can be a very cost-effective and powerful tool used to communicate with your customers, and when optimized for search engines correctly, it can also help to increase the traffic to your website.

There are a number of benefits to using video on websites. However, when it comes to business and building your brand, we feel that there are 5 key motives to consider when adding video content to your website.

5. Use Video to Set Your Business Apart from Competitors

Despite its growing popularity, not all industries have caught onto using updated, optimized content – let alone using video. Chances are, you'll be able to get your brand in the spotlight by being one of the first in your industry to use video content. This will position you as an industry leader and drive more viewers to your website – and those viewers could potentially convert into more customers.

4. Use Video to Drive More Traffic to Your Website

When providing strategic, quality video content on a regular basis, you will get more traffic to see your new content via repeat visitors and social media shares. Plus, search engines love video content. In a study by Marketing Week, 70% of the top 100 search listings contain video content – as search engines tend to rank websites with video content higher than those without video. Being listed near the top of search results increases your chances of finding new customers.

3. Use Video to Explain the Customer Benefit

Educate your potential customer about your products, services or expertise by using video. Think about it – "How-To" videos are some of the most sought after videos on the web. Plus, videos provide the viewer with a 74% increase in the understanding of a product (http://www.hyperfinemedia.co.uk/blog/7-reasons-to-use-video-on-your-website/). Explaining the customer benefit of your products/services using video will help to build brand trust. 

2. Use Video to Create an Emotional Connection with the Viewer

People tend to look for visuals over written content when searching the web. When video is used correctly on a website to explain the customer benefit, the viewer can read the body language of the subject of the video, which will in turn create an emotional connection that could very well influence the decision to buy the product or services. It makes your brand more personal. 

1. Use Video to Enhance and Build Your Brand

Engage the viewer further with contests or promotions that are geared to promote your products, services and brand that encourage repeat visits to your website. Get your viewers involved with your brand via video testimonials or provide a virtual tour that will enable the viewer to feel as if they are in your location. The real estate industry has been using this technique for years and has proven it to be a very successful tool. This will further the developing relationship and emotional connection, as well as build your brand.

Need more stats? Here's a link to a great infographic about using video for your website.

http://www.quicksprout.com/2013/11/27/if-a-picture-says-1000-words-than-video-is-priceless/?display=wide

Here at Identity Brand + Design, we recently launched a new and improved website. We have some new video content that is in the process of being developed, and we're looking forward to sharing them with you real soon!  

So what's new for 2015?

Pantone is the world-renowned leader of color and provider of color systems and technology in the design industry. Every year, Pantone releases it's anticipated choice for Color of the Year. Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. For 2015, Pantone has chosen Marsala, PMS 18-1438, as its Color of the Year, saying that it "is a naturally robust and earthy red wine that enriches our minds, bodies and souls".

To read more, please visit http://www.pantone.com/pages/index.aspx?pg=21163&

We think Marsala is a beautiful shade of wine that shows great depth, warmth and sophistication. This color will be prominent in the beauty, fashion, and home design industries... especially for kitchens and dining rooms... and is sure to be a hot trend-setter for 2015. If you like wine, you're sure to love Marsala.

So what are your thoughts about Marsala?

Emotional Marketing

Identity Brand + Design's Top 5 Emotional Marketing & Advertising Campaigns of 2014

It's that time of year again where we choose our top 5 on-air campaigns that use emotional marketing to promote and sell the brand, product or service of the campaign. If you missed last year's post, here's a refresher on emotional marketing...

Emotional Marketing is used to create a bond between a brand and a consumer by engaging an emotional response in the consumer for the brand... in which the brand is hoping to fulfill a specific need. Storylines, symbolism and imagery, cinematography, music integration, product placement, etc., need to all work together to produce the desired emotional response from the consumer. Elicited responses can range from love, joy, security, elation, reassurance, gratification, and empowerment, to name a few. 

Emotional Marketing also creates a personality for the brand, in which the consumer will recognize and gravitate towards, further developing the bond between the brand and the consumer. Developing a personality for the brand is critical in emotional branding... and it is established over time.

There have been some amazing emotional marketing & advertising campaigns over the past year, and I've managed to compile my top 5 for the year – mostly focusing on animals and family. Hang onto your seat... and bring a few boxes of tissues this time!

#5. St. Vincent's Healthcare – "Holiday"

This spot continues to get a lot of air time despite the fact that it debuted last year at Thanksgiving. An extremely warm and touching piece that focuses on the blessings of the year and how the main character is so very thankful. It's a gift to give someone a second chance at life. Take note of St. Vincent's fantastic tagline – Above. Beyond. Because.– and how it is woven throughout the voiceover.

#4. Mass Mutual – "Check"

Mass Mutual has been running a fantastic campaign, "Who Matters Most", the past year or so with a few different versions. In this piece, this father and son matter most to each other.

#3. Budweiser – "Friends Are Waiting"

Budweiser has had some amazing success the past couple years with their Super Bowl puppy commericals, and this adorable spot for Global Be(er) Responsible Day was met with the same success while communicating an incredibly important message.

#2. St. Vincent's Healthcare – "Cardiology"

St. Vincent's Healthcare makes another appearance on the list with a spot for their cardiology department. A somewhat somber start with the dramatic music and storyline, the tone shifts to a more upbeat, happy ending. Interesting how they incorporated some shots from the dog's point of view to elicit a more emotional response.

#1. Chevrolet – "Maddie"

Our top spot belongs to Chevrolet this year for their piece "Maddie". I honestly cannot watch this spot without tears streaming down my face, and I'm sure all animal lovers can relate. Beautifully crafted and delivers that incredibly emotional response. A Best Friend For Life's Journey. 

When viewing these commercials on the air, do you automatically think of the brand associated with the spot? 

Build Brand Trust Through your Website Using the Case Study

Let's face it – in this day and age, business websites are extremely competitive and often analogous within industries. From creative content writing, SEO/ social media tactics to an infinite supply of stock photography options, how does a business gain the edge over their competitors?

While it is true that client testimonials, actual product and service reviews, professional affiliations, white papers and client lists will boost your online integrity and reputation, one of the most overlooked methods in building brand trust through your website is the case study.

A case study, per Wikipedia.org, is a descriptive, exploratory or explanatory analysis of a person, group or event. An explanatory case study is used to explore causation in order to find underlying principles. Case studies may be prospective, in which criteria are established and cases fitting the criteria are included as they become available; or retrospective, in which criteria are established for selecting cases from historical records for inclusion in the study.

Basically, a case study will tell your clients' story – define the problem or challenge, detail the methods chosen to reach a solution, and show the tangible and intangible results derived or benefits gained from the solution. They start out as questions or surveys, using photography, graphics, charts, and statistics to support the results. The final summary can be written in a question and answer format, bullet points or in paragraphs. You can also choose to do a video case study with a client… keeping the content short and to the point (:30-:60) to hold the viewers' interest.

Be sure to post the final case study to your website to gain the brand credibility and trust of potential clients and to influence their decision making when it comes to your products and services.

A great example of a case study was done by Google Analytics/Viget for Puma.

Taglines vs. Slogans?

When it comes to brand development, I am often asked what the difference is between a brand's tagline and a slogan. Are they the same thing? Are they different? Do they work together? Sometimes, yes, maybe – the answers to these questions can be somewhat confusing… especially for the small business owner. However, understanding these nuances will make all the difference in building your brand and promoting it effectively.

What is a tagline?

A tagline is a short (usually 7 words or less) and powerful phrase that is associated with your brand. It encompasses your brand's values, mission and identity that is used to reinforce the brand and differentiate it from the competition. It lives with the brand's logo and should be visible in all marketing efforts. The only time it would change is when and if you choose to redefine your brand. Your tagline should be memorable and instantly recognizable.

One of the most iconic taglines in the history of branding is Nike's "Just Do It"… which started out as a campaign slogan in 1988 (more on that later…). Other significant examples are Subway's "Eat Fresh" and Apple's "Think Different."

All logos/taglines are registered trademarks of their respective brands.

So what is a slogan?
A slogan is similar to a tagline in that it's a short catchy phrase. How it differs is that it is used to represent and promote a specific product/service of the brand. Slogans have a shorter "shelf-life", meaning they are more temporary – depending on the length of the campaign.

Apple recently (2014) used a great slogan to promote it's iPad products: "What will your verse be?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiyIcz7wUH0

Nike produced a moving, emotional advertising campaign, "Find Your Greatness," to inspire people's personal achievements – this one focusing on Nike+Running – that launched during the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JnYcuRW_qo

When using slogans and taglines, slogans are generally woven throughout a campaign (print, radio, tv, web) to support the product being promoted via graphics, voice-over, jingles, music, etc., depending on the media. Taglines come into play briefly at the end of the campaign in conjunction with the brand's logo.

Since 2008, Subway has had a successful series of the "$5 Footlong" promotions and is a good example of how slogans and taglines are used together in a campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xcvke30lxI

Can a tagline and slogan be one in the same?
This is where the confusion comes in. Short answer – yes, sometimes they can. Case in point – Nike "Just Do It" started out as a campaign slogan in 1988 to promote their products (shoes & apparel). The slogan was so successful that it quickly evolved into one the the core components of Nike's brand and has become one of the most iconic taglines in history.

Innovation

We are fortunate to live in a time when innovation occurs on an almost daily basis. Turn on the evening news and there will be at least one story devoted to a medical breakthrough, a technological advance, or some type of new, fascinating discovery. The corporate world wants employees that are cutting-edge, innovative thinkers to keep them successful and profitable, and will do what it takes to keep that competitive edge.

Innovation, simply defined, is the introduction of new things or methods.

So what makes someone innovative? Think back to the greatest innovators in history: Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, The Wright Brothers, Albert Einstein, Philo T. Farnsworth, Walt Disney, Neil Armstrong, Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak… and what do they all have in common? What brought them to innovation?

1. They followed their dreams, no matter how "unconventional" they were.

2. They immersed themselves in the process.

3. They listened to their intuition.

4. They used creative techniques.

5. They tried and failed until there was success.

In that regard, aren't we all a little innovative in one way or another?

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are … I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things.” - Steve Jobs