Simple Brand Identity Mistakes to Avoid

We understand that when it comes to your business, the thought of brand identity and brand strategy is a familiar term but an unfamiliar concept at the same time.

There is a lot that goes into branding and it can definitely become more complicated the more you look into it.

However, this is a concept in every business' mind. We find a lot of businesses make simple brand identity mistakes that can easily be avoided.

Just by fixing or avoiding these very simple mistakes with your brand identity, we guarantee this will launch you miles farther than your competitors in terms of branding.

Basing your brand positioning off another business

How many times have you seen a business say “We are the [x business] of [x industry]” or “ We are [x business’] top competitor”. This is the best way to have the worst brand positioning in your industry. Positioning yourself this way will only help your audience understand what you do (but not by much). Do not compare yourself to your competitors. There is nothing that describes what you are as a business and what makes your brand. You want your audience to see you as the only choice in your industry.

Tip

Instead of comparing yourself to a business, compare yourself to a concept. Ex. “We are the Lo Fi music of personal finance management”. This way, your audience can get a better understanding of your brand without needing to mention your competitor. (Bonus points because you are attaching a feeling to your brand).

Videos to on your website

Our biggest pet peeves when it comes to a business’ website is when there is a video that you play to explain what you do as a business and show off your brand.

We are not talking about a silent video that automatically plays that either shows off your work or brand identity; we are talking about a full- on video that you have to play that talks about what you do, who you are, etc.

If you need a video to explain all that, and your audience cannot understand or comprehend your message from reading the first sentence on your website, then it may be time to start redesigning your website.

Your website should be able to easily communicate everything your video is explaining in a couple of sentences. As for your brand identity, that should be conveyed through your visual identity and the tone/voice of your copywriting.

Lean Hard

With a brand identity, we always stress the fact that if you are going lean in a direction with your visual identity and/or conceptually, then lean hard and do your best to go 100% in that direction.

If you want to go for a minimal look for your visual identity, then be extremely minimal with anything visual about your business. Or, if you want the personality of your business to be playful and fun, then do so throughout by expressing that with your business.

Your brand will be much more receptive to your audience if you are strong in your branding elements as well as consistent with them.

Don’t try to fit in

Depending on your industry, there is always an aesthetic and/or archetype associated with a business in that type of industry.

In your branding, you should always be looking to break out of the mold that is set by the industry and try to find a new approach that disrupts the monotony in your industry. This may be visually, personality based, or just by the way you advertise.

However, not every industry allows for a lot of creativity and requires a level of professionally. A law firm isn’t going to have a cartoon mascot and cute drawing around their website as their brand identity. But even with heavy restrictions, your business should look for any avenues that you can disrupt even if they are small.

Using the colour blue

On a daily basis, we see at least 5 businesses that use only blue in their colour palette for their brand identity. We understand that blue is used to represent trust, but when every business is using blue and only blue, it is extremely monotonous to your audience.

Pair blue with a different colour to set yourself apart.

Your Brand Photography

This is the biggest one we see. Many businesses will have the most generic brand photography when it comes to their brand. It seems as if every business uses the same 10 stock photos for their website or the same aesthetic.

Brand photography is an exceptional way to create a strong brand identity. There is nothing wrong with using stock photos, just use stock photos with a different aesthetic and ones that are not generic within your industry.

You position yourself to everyone

Unless your business is selling the air that every human on earth breathes, then your business is not for everybody.

By saying you are for everybody is spreading your branding positioning thin. You can’t build an audience when your audience can’t look at your business and say, "That business is for me and my company”.

To have effective brand positioning, you need a specific niche of audience. This may involve people with a specific problem or even a specific personality of your audience. If you do not have a set idea of the personas of who your audience is, then you are shooting in the dark when it comes to your branding and marketing.

Fix these simple mistakes and we guarantee you that your brand identity and strategy will be so much better.