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  • 80+ food blog name ideas

    Ready to share your ideas with the world? Start your blog → Your food blog  can focus on food trends, travel and local cuisines, or your own recipes and tips. Either way, it’s a way to express your love for food and connect with others who feel the same. If you’re starting a blog  and making a website , your blog name is one of the first things to decide. A good blog name  makes your site easier to remember, helps define your style and sets you apart in the crowded blogosphere. Here’s how to pick a name that fits you—and makes readers want to stick around. Naming your food blog just got a whole lot easier . The Wix Blog Name Generator gives you custom, on-brand ideas fast—along with the tools to bring your idea to life. 80+ food blog names When you’re figuring out how to make a website , your food blog’s name matters. It sets the tone, supports your food marketing strategies  and gives people a reason to click. Here are some name ideas—some polished, some quirky, all worth exploring. Professional food blog names Quirky food blog names Funny food blog names Unique food blog names Professional food blog names 1. GourmetGazetteer 2. CulinaryChroniclesHub 3. EpicureanEssentialsBlog 4. The GastronomicGuru 5. TasteTravellerTales 6. SavorySymphony 7. EpicureElegance 8. FlavorFusionBlog 9. CulinaryCraftsman 10. GourmetGastronaut 11. Success in Savor 12. CulinaryCharmers 13. FoodieFinesseBlogger 14. ElegantEpicureans 15. PoshPalate 16. CulinaryCatalystHub 17. EpicureanExcellence 18. GourmetGleamBlogger 19. CulinaryCraftDaily 20. SavvySavorerStyle Naming your recipe blog starts with knowing what you cook and who you’re cooking for. Use words that hint at your style—cozy, bold, playful or niche-specific like plant-based or regional cooking. To make your name stand out, try combining unexpected words or adding a personal touch, like a favorite ingredient or cooking habit. For example, names like Simple Spoon , Everyday Feast , Heirloom Hearth  and One Pot Wonder  capture different styles and moods. Quirky food blog names 1. WhimsicalWokWonders 2. The QuirkyCuisineChronicles 3. FunkyFlavorFiesta 4. OddlyOliveOfferings 5. WhimsyWokWavelength 6. QuirkyQuinoaQuests 7. PeculiarPlatesParade 8. ZestyZestZara 9. QuizzicalQuirkQuests 10. OffbeatOvenOdyssey 11. WhackyWaffleWhimsy 12. BizarreBanquetBliss 13. EccentricEpicureEase 14. UnusualUmamiUtopia 15. FunkyFoodieFiesta 16. QuirkQuotientCuisine 17. CuriousCulinaryChronicles 18. WhimsicalWineWave 19. QuizzicalQuinoaQuests 20. KaleidoKaleidoscopeKitchen Funny food blog names 1. LaughterandLettuce 2. Chuckles & CheeseChow 3. GigglesGastronomyGazette 4. The SassySpiceSpoonful 5. ChuckleChopChic 6. HahaHotpotHaven 7. GuffawGourmetGlam 8. SnickerSizzleStyles 9. JestJunctionintheKitchen 10. WittyWokWhimsy 11. LaughLagoonLunches 12. HumorHarvestHavens 13. QuipQuestQuarters 14. SassySnickerSauces 15. JestfulJiveintheKitchen 16. PunnyPalatePulse 17. GrinGroveGastronomy 18. HilariousHarvestHabits 19. ChuckleChaseChef 20. ComicCrazeCulinary Naming your baking blog captures the warmth and creativity of your kitchen. Use words that evoke texture, flavor or baking rituals and try blending them in fresh ways. Adding a personal detail like a favorite tool or ingredient makes your name stand out. For example, Crumb & Keepsakes , Batch & Bloom , The Flaky Parade  and Butter & Whisk  give different vibes and invite readers in. Unique food blog names 1. BohoBiteBlissBlog 2. EtherealEdibleEdges 3. SereneSavorSequences 4. VelvetVignettesVegan 5. KaleidoKuisineKraze 6. SatoriSipsandSnacks 7. VelvetVistaVegabites 8. QuillQuestQuinoa 9. LyricalLunchLuminary 10. EmberEpicureEcho 11. ZenithZestZestfulZest 12. PonderPaletteofPalates 13. EtherealEssenceEdibles 14. VerdantVeganVirtuoso 15. EnigmaEpicureanElegance 16. WhimsyWokWavelength 17. MystiqueMingleMeals 18. CelestialCharmCuisine 19. EclipticEdibleElysium 20. NebulaNectarNosh Starting a blog should feel exciting, not overwhelming, right? With the Wix Blog Maker, you get everything you need to create, design and grow your blog from scratch–without needing a tech degree. Use Wix’s intuitive tools to share your ideas with the world.  How to choose a food blog name Naming your food blog means considering several factors to ensure that your chosen name authentically represents your brand and resonates with your target audience. These include: 01. Take into account your blog niche Start with your blog's niche , the specific area or food topic you're be focusing on with your blog. This could be vegan recipes and restaurants, gourmet and fine dining or the ever-popular budget-friendly cooking tips; Once you've clearly defined your food blog's niche, you'll be ready to think of food blog names around it and which reflect your specific niche. Naming a kids food blog is all about keeping things fun, simple and parent-friendly. Choose words that feel playful or comforting without sounding too childish. Think about how kids eat—snacks, finger foods, picky moments—and how parents cook—quick meals, healthy swaps, clever ideas. Try combining familiar words with a creative twist to keep it fresh. For example, names like Tiny Table , Snack-a-saurus , Little Bellies  and Crumbs & Capes  strike the right balance of fun and trust. 02. Understand your target audience Next clearly identify and understand your target audience as you'll want to tailor your blog name to resonate with their culinary interests. Consider whether they are home cooks, foodies, or health-conscious individuals as this will influence the name you choose. 03. Use a blog name generator A blog name generator can be a useful tool if you need inspiration for your food blog name. These online tools are able to generate a variety of names based on keywords related to your food niche and can help you choose the best name for your blog. Naming a healthy food blog is about clarity, personality and trust. Avoid buzzwords and instead focus on how you approach healthy eating—simple meals, plant-based food, gut health, clean ingredients or a balanced mindset. Use natural, grounded language and skip anything that feels overly clinical or preachy. For example, names like Root & Ladle , Glow Fuel , Sprout Ritual  and Bright Pantry  feel fresh and honest while hinting at different styles of healthy cooking. 04. Brainstorm ideas Whether you use a name generator or not, it's always a good idea to brainstorm words and concepts related to your food blog's theme. You can practice combining them and using them in different ways to come up with a unique name. 05. Don't neglect your branding and social media Check that your chosen blog name is available across various social media platforms before confirming is as you'll want to make sure your branding is consistent across all of your online assets. 06. Register your food blog name Once you've decided on the perfect name, register it to establish your online presence. Check domain availability and register your domain through a trusted domain registrar . If you create your blog with the Wix blog maker , you can secure a domain name , hosting provided is included and you can start a blog for free. A good name for your restaurant review blog should feel like a mood. Tap into what it’s like to walk into a new place, scan the menu, taste something surprising or regret the bill. Use words from everyday dining moments, not just foodie jargon. Try mixing tones—something polished with something raw, or warm with a hint of bite. For example, Table Notes , Fork First , Napkin Score  and The Place With the Lights  bring out different angles of the dining experience without sounding generic. Food blog name examples (built on Wix) Nourished by Mads The name Nourished by Mads  fits a healthy recipes blog perfectly. Nourished  suggests more than just eating well—it hints at feeling cared for, balanced and energized through food. It’s a word that feels calm and thoughtful, not restrictive. Adding by Mads  makes it personal and approachable, like you’re getting trusted recipes from a real person Simply Mamá Cooks The name Simply Mamá Cooks  feels warm, inviting and true to its roots. Simply  sets the tone—no fuss, no ego, just real food from a real kitchen. Mamá  brings in heart and culture, instantly creating a sense of comfort and family. It’s a name that reflects home cooking made with love, with room for cultural influence and creativity. Paired with vlogs, blogs and everyday stories, the name captures the spirit of a home cook who blends tradition, personality and inspiration in every dish. It’s honest, approachable and full of heart—just like the meals she shares. Ask ChatGPT LA Foodie Panda Eating Out  instantly tells you it’s about restaurant experiences, not home cooking. LA  grounds the blog in a specific city known for its diverse food scene, which adds local flavor and relevance. Foodie Panda  brings a fun, memorable twist—it’s approachable and friendly, not overly serious or polished. The name suggests curiosity, joy and a love for discovering hidden gems, making it a great fit for a blog that explores everything from dim sum to fine dining across Los Angeles. Learn more: How to make money as a food blogger Naming a drink blog comes down to capturing the mood behind what you sip—calm mornings, bold nights, wellness habits or playful experiments. Focus on the vibe you want to build—maybe it’s craft cocktails, smoothies, coffee rituals or a mix of everything. Use words that suggest texture, rhythm or feeling—not just ingredients. For example, names like Velvet Sip , Glow Drizzle , Tall Order  and Cheers, Maybe  offer different tones that still feel original and easy to remember. Food blog name ideas FAQ What makes a good food blog name? A good food blog name is clear and easy to remember. It reflects your style and what readers can expect, like quick recipes, restaurant reviews or food stories. It should feel authentic to you, stand out from others and be simple enough to spell and say. What is another name for a food blogger? A food blogger can also be called a culinary content creator, recipe developer or food writer. These terms highlight different focuses like creating recipes, sharing food stories or reviewing restaurants. What is a foodie blogger? A foodie blogger shares personal experiences around eating and exploring food culture. They often focus on tasting new dishes, restaurant visits and the joy of food beyond just cooking. Should I use my own name in my food blog title? Using your own name can make your blog feel personal and authentic, especially if you plan to build a brand around yourself. But if you want to focus more on a specific niche or style, a descriptive name might work better. What are some good food blog ideas for Instagram? Choose fun and quirky names to appeal to an Instagram audience: 1. TastyTableChronicles 2. FlavorfulJourney 3. GourmetGrazings 4. CulinaryCanvas 5. NomNomAdventures How important is the blog name for SEO? A blog name alone won’t guarantee good SEO, but having relevant keywords can help. More important is creating quality content and building authority. Choose a name that’s easy to remember and type, so visitors can find you again. Can I change my food blog name later? You can change your blog name later, but it can confuse your audience and affect branding. If you do decide to change it, plan carefully to update your website, social media and any backlinks. How do I check if a food blog name is available? Start by searching for the name on Google and social media platforms. Then check domain availability. Make sure no one else is using the same or a very similar name. How long should a food blog name be? Keep your blog name short and simple—ideally under three words. Short names are easier to remember, type and fit well on logos or social profiles. Avoid long or complicated phrases.

  • Does Wix offer free domains? Here’s what you need to know

    The perfect domain is just a click away: claim your domain →   Yes, Wix does offer free domains , but there’s a bit more to the story. When you sign up for a yearly or multi-year Premium Plan, Wix provides a free domain  voucher for the first year. This means you can secure a custom domain  name,like yourbusiness.com ,without paying extra upfront. After the first year, standard renewal rates apply. Let’s dive into the details to help you decide if this offer is right for you. New to domains? Start with what is a domain  to learn the basics and find the perfect one for your needs. What’s included with the free domain? Wix’s free domain offer is more than just a name. It’s part of a package designed to make your website launch as smooth as possible. Here’s what you get: A wide range of extensions: When considering how to choose a domain name , explore popular types of domains  like .com , .net, .org, and even niche extensions like .shop  or .xyz . Seamless integration : Your domain is automatically connected to your Wix site, so you don’t have to worry about technical setup. Reliable hosting : Every Wix site comes with free web hosting , ensuring your website is secure and always online. Learn how to get a free domain name  and start building your website today. How to claim your free domain Getting your free domain is straightforward. Once you’ve purchased a qualifying Wix plan, you’ll find a voucher in your account. From there, you can search for your desired domain, check its availability, and register it—all within Wix’s platform. Just make sure to redeem your voucher within two months of purchasing your plan. Learn more: How to register a domain name . What’s not covered? While the free domain voucher is a great perk, there are a few things to keep in mind: Privacy protection : If you want to keep your personal information hidden from public WHOIS directories, you’ll need to pay an additional fee for domain privacy  protection. Renewal costs : After the first year, you’ll need to renew your domain at Wix’s standard rates. Eligibility : The voucher is only available with yearly or multi-year plans, not monthly subscriptions. Does Wix offer free domains FAQ Is a free domain worth it? Absolutely, especially if you’re just starting out. A free domain gives you a professional website without the upfront domain name cost , allowing you to focus on building your website and growing your brand. Plus, with Wix’s all-in-one website builder, you get everything you need to manage your site in one place. Can I use the free domain voucher for any domain extension? The voucher covers a wide range of domain extensions , including popular ones like .com, .net, and .org, as well as niche options like .shop and .xyz. Check Wix’s full list of eligible extensions  to find the one that fits your needs. Does the free domain voucher include privacy protection? No, privacy protection is not included with the free domain voucher. However, you can purchase it separately to keep your personal information hidden from public WHOIS domain  directories. What happens after the first year? After the first year, you’ll need to renew your domain at Wix’s standard rates. Wix will send you reminders about domain expiration  to ensure uninterrupted service. Can I use the voucher for a domain I already own? No, the free domain voucher can only be used for new domain registrations. It cannot be applied retroactively to domains you’ve already purchased. What if I don’t redeem my voucher in time? The voucher is valid for two months after purchasing your plan. If you don’t redeem it within that timeframe, you’ll lose the opportunity to claim your free domain.

  • 7 best domain registrars to buy from and how to choose

    The perfect domain is just a click away: claim your domain →   Your domain name is undoubtedly one of the most important elements of your entire online presence and your website infrastructure . Not only does it act as the link between your audience and site, it also plays a crucial role in your branding and marketing efforts. And while you might put a lot of effort into brainstorming the best name to use for it, finding the best domain registrar to purchase it from, however, might prove to be slightly more challenging. Not only are these platforms riddled with jargon and acronyms you’re most likely not familiar with, their offerings also appear incredibly similar on the surface. To help you succeed in this search, we’ve put together a curated list of the best domain registrar options to buy from in 2025, as well as a series of tips on how to find the perfect match for your unique needs. 7 best domain registrars Wix Name.com Domain.com Namecheap Bluehost NameSilo HostGator 01. Wix Best for : Bundling with free web hosting and SSL certificate If you need a free web hosting platform in addition to a domain name, then choosing Wix is a no-brainer. On top of a long list of templates and Wix features for building a professional online presence, you’ll get access to powerful domain management tools, such as privacy protection (WHOIS protection), easy transfer, subdomains and a business email address. Furthermore, Wix will also provide you with 24/7 security monitoring, HTTPS and SSL protection, which are essential when you're learning how to make a website . Learn more about how to secure a domain name with our guide. The platform’s robust domain search tool helps you choose a domain name based on the availability of your name idea within hundreds of domain types . Any of these options can be registered as a free domain name for the first year with the purchase of a premium plan for your website. The pricing for each domain without a free voucher appears next to each option and depends on the type of domain extension, local currency and local tax laws. Afterward, you can extend your domain subscription for up to three years, with significant discounts applied for each additional year. Key features: Integrated WHOIS lookup and protection 24/7 customer support Free domain name for a year with premium plan Wix supports over 75 domain name extensions , some of the most popular include: .com domain , .de domain , .xyz domain , .co domain , .ch domain , .be domain , .store domain , .info domain , .tv domain , .tech domain , .company domain , .digital domain , .ca domain , .fr domain , .nl domain , . email domain , .gifts domain , .group domain , .live domain , .me domain , .media domain , .net domain , .today domain , .top domain , .org domain Learn more: Web host vs domain registrar Domain name management What is a domain name registrar? 02. Name.com Best for: Small businesses and solopreneurs Name.com helps you find domains that get you found. Launch your business online, all with tools that make every step simple. You can build a cohesive and memorable brand, drive qualified traffic to your site, and create a secure, stable foundation for your business. Name.com’s platform is designed with solopreneurs and small teams in mind. You can find a short, memorable name that catches eyes and wins customers, develop your brand with trusted products like Wix and Google Workspace, and enjoy peace of mind as your business grows. Key Features: On-trend, memorable domains Best-in-class add-on products and services like Google Workspace and Wix Great customer support–Trust Pilot 4.3 rating 03. Domain.com Best for: Straightforward use, long-term registration Domain.com is the best domain registrar choice for those looking to register a domain name for several years and who don’t require web hosting. The beginner-friendly platform offers the most popular top-level domain extensions as well as numerous country code top-level domains, all of which can be purchased for up to five years. This registrar provides a wide array of domain management tools, including bulk registration, transfers, live chat support and DNS management, among other additional services. Pricing for a .com extension starts at $9.99/year, but you’ll need to pay an additional $8.99/year if you want to add WHOIS protection. The registration process is noticeably fast, taking just a couple of minutes overall. Key features: Fast, beginner-friendly registration process Multi-year domain name purchase Complete DNS control 04. Namecheap Best for: Cheap domain name registration As you might have guessed by its name, Namecheap stands out as one of the best domain registrar choices in terms of domain name cost . The platform provides a streamlined process that allows searching for individual domains or batches of up to 50. Furthermore, you’ll be able to see the WHOIS record of unavailable domains and make a bid for them through the site via DomainAgents. In spite of this lower pricing, with .com domains starting at just $8.88/year, Namecheap’s service holds strong against other domain registrars. All registrations include WHOIS protection, a user-friendly management system and an account panel. Additionally, the platform offers a handful of upsells such as G Suite integration, customizable email and web hosting. Key features: Low-cost domain name registration Free WHOIS privacy Live chat support 05. Bluehost Best for: Pairing with web hosting As one of the leading web hosting platforms, Bluehost offers domain registrar services in order to allow website owners to manage all of their site’s elements within a single platform. This makes it an especially attractive choice for new site managers, as well as those who are not planning to buy additional domains over time. This domain registrar offers hundreds of domain extensions, with pricing for .com domains starting at $12.99/year, and WHOIS privacy protection costing an additional $11.88/year. All domains can be registered for free in the first year when registering for one of Bluehosts’ web hosting plans. The platform includes access to a complete DNS control panel, domain locking, auto-renewal options and 24/7 customer support. Key features: Domain locking High-value hosting pairing deal Intuitive domain management platform It's common to ask can I buy a domain name permanently?  We explain why that isn't an option and how to use a domain long term. 06. NameSilo Best for: Affordable pricing and free extras NameSilo offers a simple and straightforward platform, making it a great choice for those looking for affordable domain registration without hidden fees. This is a top option for anyone seeking budget-friendly pricing with valuable free perks. Every domain purchased through NameSilo includes free WHOIS privacy, domain management tools and email forwarding. NameSilo’s pricing is competitive, with .com domains starting at $17.29/year. You can also register multiple domains at once and take advantage of bulk discounts. Another benefit is that NameSilo supports customers worldwide, with no restrictions based on billing address. Key features: Free WHOIS privacy protection Transparent pricing Bulk discounts for multiple domains 07. HostGator Best for: Old-school domain extensions Primarily known for its web hosting services, HostGator also offers a substantial selection of domain extensions and management tools as part of its one-stop shop for website owners. This includes a powerful DNS management dashboard, web hosting bundles and optional WHOIS privacy protection for an additional fee. Unlike other domain registrars on this list, HostGator focuses on 15 of the most traditional TLDs, such as .org .com and .net . With this in mind, you’ll need to search elsewhere if you’re looking for more out-of-the-box domain extensions. In terms of pricing, the registrar offers significant discounts when pairing a new domain with a web hosting plan: a .com domain starts at $12.95/year without hosting and costs as little as $2.99/year with a web hosting plan. Key features: Domain locking One-stop shop for website owners 24/7 live chat and phone support What is a domain registrar? A domain registrar helps you register and manage the unique domain name your website needs, like www.wix.com. Think of it as your website’s online address. Domain registrars act as a bridge between you and domain registries (the organizations managing extensions like .com or .org). When you purchase a domain, the registrar takes care of reserving your chosen name and linking it to your site. Beyond registration, many domain registrars offer tools to make managing your domain simple. You can renew your registration, update contact details or connect your domain to your website and email hosting. Choosing a reliable registrar is key—they’ll ensure your domain stays active and securely in your control. How to choose the best domain name registrar As you come to understand what is a domain name and the nuances of choosing the perfect one for your site, you'll find yourself in front of an endless list of options to purchase. When it comes to choosing the best domain registrar, you need to understand the main differences that set them apart. Even though they might all seem the same at first, a closer look shows that not all domain registrars offer similar extensions, management tools or privacy features. Now that we looked at the best domain registrar options of 2025 and their offerings, let's take a look at the main features you should keep an eye on: Privacy: Some platforms include WHOIS privacy protection (meaning your private contact information is not publicly available) in their offering, while others require an additional purchase for this feature. With Wix you can opt for domain privacy  for no extra fee when you register your domain. Add-ons: Check what additional products and services the domain registrar offers and pay attention to whether they’re trying to upsell you without your knowledge. Bundling options: Purchasing a web hosting plan and a domain name from the same vendor will allow you to manage everything within a single platform, and likely result in a significantly lower cost. Security:  Consider the infrastructure the registrar has in place to ensure your domain is secure.  Look for security monitoring, HTTPS and SSL protection. Attacks specifically targeting domains include domain hijacking, DNS spoofing , DDoS attacks , typosquatting, domain squatting  and malware distribution, so make sure to protect your domain. Pricing: Each domain name registrar offers different prices depending on several factors, such as type of extension and registration duration. Hidden fees: Many domain registrars offer aggressive pricing for first-time registrations that result in a much more expensive option upon renewal. Customer support: For your peace of mind, aim for a platform that offers live customer support 24/7. Expiration grace periods : Renewing your domain within the grace period after expiration ensures you don’t lose it, protecting your traffic and brand authority while keeping your online presence secure. ICANN accreditation:  Domain registrars are accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) , which is the nonprofit organization that oversees the global Domain Name System (DNS) . Choose an ICANN-accredited registrar to ensure they meet industry standards and operate reliably.   Management tools : You need simple, reliable tools for DNS and settings to keep your site running smoothly. Transfer policies : Check how easy it is to transfer your domain to another registrar if needed. Some registrars have restrictive or costly transfer policies. Domain locking : Look for registrars that offer domain locking to prevent unauthorized transfers or changes to your domain. Reputation and reviews : Research the registrar's reputation and read user reviews to ensure they have a history of reliability and good customer service. Key features to compare to choose the best place to buy a domain name Feature What to look for Privacy Make sure the registrar includes WHOIS privacy protection so your personal contact info stays private. Some, like Wix, include this at no extra cost. Add-ons See what extra services they offer and check if they’re upselling things you don’t really need. Bundling options Consider getting your domain and web hosting from the same place. It’s easier to manage everything in one spot and can save you money. Security Look for solid security features like domain locking, HTTPS and protection against domain attacks. Pricing Compare prices based on your domain extension and how long you’re registering it for. Hidden fees Watch out for cheap first-year deals that jump in price when it’s time to renew. Customer support Choose a platform with reliable 24/7 live support so help’s there when you need it. Expiration grace period See if they offer a grace period after your domain expires so you can renew it before losing it. ICANN accreditation Stick with ICANN-accredited registrars to be sure you’re working with a trusted, industry-approved service. Management tools Make sure you get simple, reliable tools for managing your DNS settings and keeping your site running smoothly. Transfer policies Check how easy it is to transfer your domain to another registrar if you ever need to. Domain locking Look for registrars that offer domain locking to help prevent unauthorized changes or transfers. Reputation and reviews Do a quick search to see what other customers say about them. A good track record makes a big difference. How much does a domain name cost? The cost of a domain name varies depending on a number of factors, including the domain extension (e.g., .com, .net, .org) the popularity of the domain name and the registrar you choose. In general, you can expect to pay between $10 and $20 per year for a new domain name with a popular extension, such as .com or .net. However, some domain names can be much more expensive, especially if they are short, memorable or relevant to a popular keyword. For example, the domain name cars.com sold for $872 million in 2014. And in 2021, the domain name insurance.com sold for $38.5 million. Once you have registered a domain name, you'll need to renew your registration. Renewal prices are typically higher than the initial registration price. If you're on a budget, there are a few ways to save money on domain names: Choose a less popular domain extension, such as .net or .org. Register your domain name for a longer period of time, such as two or three years. Look for discounts and promotions from domain registrars. There are also a few ways to get a free domain name. For example, some web hosting providers offer a free domain name when you purchase a web hosting plan. And some domain registrars offer free domain names to students and non-profit organizations. Sometimes, when looking for a premium domain name, it can be worth considering using a domain broker, although for most businesses a domain registrar is more than capable of helping you choose and register a domain name. How to choose a domain name Choosing a domain name is a crucial step in establishing your online presence. A well-chosen domain name can enhance brand recognition, improve search engine rankings and attract visitors to your website. While shorter domains can be easier to remember and type, it's not essential for your domain to be super short. What matters most is that your domain accurately represents your brand and is memorable. Einat Shafir, Product Manager Here are some guidelines for selecting an effective domain name: Keep it memorable: Aim for a domain name that is easy to remember and spell. Shorter domain names are generally more memorable and less prone to typos. Reflect your brand: Choose a domain name that aligns with your brand identity and conveys the essence of your business or website. It should be relevant to your target audience and the type of content you offer. Use relevant keywords: Consider incorporating relevant keywords into your domain name, but avoid keyword stuffing or forced phrases. Keywords can help improve search engine visibility and attract visitors who are searching for specific terms related to your website. Choose the right TLD: The top-level domain (TLD) is the extension at the end of your domain name, such as .com, .net or .org. If possible, opt for a .com TLD, as it is the most recognized and trusted extension. However, newer TLDs like .co can also be effective if they fit your brand and purpose. Check for availability: Use a domain name search tool to check if your desired domain name is available. If not, consider alternative spellings, variations or different TLDs, or explore other options with a domain name generator . Once you've chosen a domain name, register it with a reputable domain registrar and ensure it's properly configured for your website. Your domain name is your digital identity, so choose wisely and make it a memorable representation of your brand. Learn more: What is a parked domain? I have a domain name, now what? What is a .com domain? What is a .net domain? Best domain name registrars FAQ What is the Domain Name System (DNS)? The Domain Name System (DNS) is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. IP addresses are the unique addresses that computers use to communicate with each other on the internet. When you type a domain name into your web browser, the DNS system looks up the IP address for that domain name and then directs your browser to the correct website. How long does domain registration take? Domain registration usually takes a few minutes to complete. However, it can take up to 24 hours for the domain name to be fully propagated and available to the public. Do I need a domain for a website? Yes, you need a domain for a website. A domain name is the address of your website on the internet. Without a domain name, your website will not be accessible to the public. Does it matter which domain registrar I use? In most cases, it doesn't matter which domain registrar you use. However, there are some factors that you may want to consider, such as the price, the features offered and the customer service. What is WHOIS privacy and do I need it? WHOIS privacy hides your personal info from public WHOIS database and prevents spam and identity theft. It's highly recommended and helps maintain domain ownership rights. Wix offers free WHOIS privacy. Do all registrars offer the same TLDs (Top-Level Domains)? No, TLD offerings vary although most offer the common TLDs (.com, .net, .org). Some specialize in country-specific TLDs or new ones. Wix supports 80+ TLDs. Do registrars offer additional services like SSL certificates? Yes, many registrars offer additional services such as : SSL certificates Website builders Email hosting Domain privacy DNS management How secure are domain registrars? Domain registrar security varies by provider. And might include two-factor authentication, domain locking and secure payments. Wix uses industry-standard security measures to protect its users domains.

  • 15 content marketing tips to build a successful strategy

    In a world where consumers are bombarded with endless ads and promotions, how can businesses stand out and capture their attention? The answer lies in content marketing, a powerful content marketing strategy that not only attracts and engages audiences, but also builds lasting relationships and drives profitable customer action. Create a website with Wix so that you have a hub for all of your content small business marketing . 15 content marketing tips In this article, we’ll offer some content marketing tips that’ll help you put together a strategy that fits your business. To contextualize the tips, we’ll discuss a few content marketing examples along the way. Get to know your audience Set SMART goals Track your performance and analyze the results Research your competition Make a content calendar Employ multiple distribution methods Repurpose your content Aim to serve instead of sell Retarget your audience with your content Optimize the user experience Follow SEO best practices Stay consistent and relevant Offer email marketing subscribers exclusive content Update old content instead of only creating new content Keep your brand voice consistent 01. Get to know your audience Creating personalized content that your audience will love becomes easier as you gain a deeper understanding of your audience’s needs and interests. While it’s impossible to speak to each of your potential customers, it can help to create buyer personas that put you in your customers’ shoes. Buyer personas can help you make sense of the data that you gather. They should include details about your buyers’ interests, pain points and behaviors as well as demographics and spending power. You can find this information by speaking with your internal teams (such as your customer support team that regularly interacts with customers), sifting through any existing content analytics and consulting outside sources (like forums where your target audience is active). 02. Set SMART goals When setting goals for your content strategy , make sure they’re SMART—i.e., specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. That way, you’ll be able to determine at any point if you’re on the right track or if you need to go back to the drawing board. For example, if your objective is to grow your mailing list, a SMART goal might look like this: “We want to get 1,000 new mailing list sign-ups by the end of the quarter.” With this goal in mind, you can begin planning content that drives this particular action, like adding more CTAs to your posts, incentivizing new sign-ups or releasing exclusive content in your newsletter. 03. Track your performance and analyze the results By tracking the performance of your content strategy, you can identify what's working well and what needs improvement. Then, you can make data-driven decisions to optimize your content strategy. Use tools such as Wix Analytics to monitor metrics like page views, unique visitors, time on site, bounce rate, conversion rate and traffic sources. Using the example from the previous section, you can use Wix Analytics to determine if your email subscribers are increasing at a steady rate. If they’re not, you know that you need to tweak your content strategy. Once you have data, analyze it to identify patterns and insights. Look for trends in traffic and engagement to understand what types of content are resonating with your audience. Identify your top-performing content, and try to replicate its success with future content. Look for areas of improvement, such as high bounce rates or low engagement rates, and use that to inform changes to your content. Learn more: What is an infographic ? 04. Research your competition Whether you’re building a content strategy or launching a new campaign, it’s critical to know what your direct competitors are doing before distributing your own content. Look at the type of content that your competitors are producing, the topics that they’re covering and the channels that they’re using to distribute their content. This will help you identify gaps in the market and opportunities to create high-quality content that stands out. To conduct this research, start by making a list of your top competitors in your industry or niche. Then, take a deep dive into their content marketing strategy by reviewing their website, social media accounts and other online channels where they share content. You can also use tools—like Semrush for SEO, Buzzsumo for social media and SimilarWeb for traffic sources—to get deeper insight into their performance. While you’re performing this audit of your competitors, try to answer the following questions: What topics are my competitors covering? What content resonates with their audience the most (based on shares, likes, comments and other indicators)? Is there an area that my competitor isn’t covering that I can focus on? What questions or complaints does my competitor receive? Which channels are my competitors most active on? Once you have a good understanding of what your competitors are doing, look for ways to differentiate yourself and offer something unique to your audience. This might involve covering topics that your competitors haven't explored, using different content formats or distributing your content on new channels. 05. Make a content calendar Creating a well-planned content calendar can help you make sure that your content is consistently relevant, timely and valuable to your audience. Plus, content marketing can get overwhelming really quickly. By planning your content in advance, you can create a more efficient workflow. If your content marketing strategy is complex and involves multiple people, consider investing in a project management tool to keep track of tasks, set due dates and move things around with ease. For example, you could use Monday.com to manage your content calendar, as well as keep track of what still needs to be done for each post. To keep things simple, you can build your own calendar on Google Sheets using many of the free online templates available. Read also: How to make a content calendar with AI—and other marketing 'shortcuts' you can master with Gemini for Google Workspace 06. Employ multiple distribution methods Using multiple distribution methods doesn’t just mean promoting content on different platforms. It also means using different types of content to promote one another. For example, if you publish a new blog post up on your website, you can promote it on social media, include it in an email or even use paid advertising to reach a larger audience. Similarly, if you release a new video on your YouTube channel, you can share it on social media, embed it in a blog post or include it in an email. To ensure that you’re distributing your content effectively, use your content calendar to keep track of your distribution plans. Make sure you’re thinking strategically about each distribution decision. Take the time to consider which channels will be most effective for reaching your target audience, and tailor your distribution strategy accordingly. 07. Repurpose your content Using multiple distribution methods and repurposing your content go hand-in-hand, but they’re not the same thing. While employing multiple distribution methods involves promoting a single piece of content on different channels to drive traffic back to it, repurposing content involves transforming it into a new format to maximize its reach and engagement. For instance, if you have a blog post that performed well and received positive feedback from your audience, you could repurpose it into a webinar or a podcast to cater to those who prefer watching or listening to content over reading it. Alternatively, you could use the same blog post to create social media posts or different types of infographics to reach audiences on platforms like Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Utilizing tools like AI content generators or AI writing tools to alter blogs for other purposes content can make this process even more efficient. Repurposing your content can help you reach new audiences and save you time and resources. Instead of creating new content from scratch, you can leverage what you already have and adapt it to different platforms and formats. In doing so, you can maximize the value of your content and keep your audience engaged across multiple channels, just by changing the way you deliver your message. 08. Aim to serve instead of sell A common mistake brands make with content marketing is only creating content that’s designed to generate sales. Although sales may be the end goal, the real value of content marketing is that it gives you the opportunity to build relationships with your target audience and earn their trust over time. Therefore, the primary goal of your content marketing strategy should be to inform, educate or entertain your audience—as opposed to pitching your product left and right. If you run a video creation agency, for example, you might start by posting samples of your best work and sharing expert tips on filming techniques. This type of content will help your audience see you as a trusted authority in your field, making them more likely to choose your agency when they’re in need of video services. Once you’ve established a foundation of trust with your audience, you can start to share content that more directly promotes your products or services. 09. Retarget your audience with your content If you’ve managed to engage your target audience with content marketing but haven’t gotten them to convert, then retargeting could prove useful. Retargeting is a strategy in which you serve ads to users who have interacted with your content in the past but have not taken a specific action. By reintroducing the same or similar content in a different format or channel, you can increase the chances of converting those users into customers. You can set up retargeting campaigns on advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads. To build your audience, you’ll either need to provide a list of existing contacts or install a pixel on your site. Afterwards, you can create ads that borrow from your existing content and reiterate messages that appealed to your audience the first time they landed on your site. Because you work hard on creating content, it’s worth allocating some money to a retargeting campaign to make sure that it reaches its full potential. 10. Optimize the user experience One reason users might have bounced from a page or glossed over a piece of content you posted is that you didn’t take the user experience into consideration. If content is king, then user experience (UX) is queen. When the UX design of a site is poor (meaning that it’s not easy or enjoyable to use), users may bounce from your page without giving your content a chance. Therefore, it’s just as important to optimize the quality of your site as it is to optimize the quality of the content itself. At its core, the purpose of UX design is to make a site easy to navigate, read and interact with. Check that your webpages load quickly, buttons are easily clickable, links lead to the correct destination and the navigation menu is as streamlined as possible. Optimizing your page for multiple screen formats is also crucial. Studies show that we spend around 81% of our online time on mobile devices , so ensure that any piece of content you create is also tailored to the mobile experience. Another critical element of creating a positive user experience is making your content accessible to people with disabilities. Adding alt-text to images on your page, or descriptions of visual and aural content in social media captions is a good start. Evaluating the structural hierarchy of your site content is another important step. By taking these measures, you can make your content available to a wider audience and increase its impact. 11. Follow SEO best practices Rather than thinking about search engine optimization (SEO) as a distribution tool, think of it as the foundation for your entire content marketing strategy. SEO research can not only help you optimize your content for search engines but also provide valuable insights into your target audience’s search behavior, preferences and pain points. Therefore, SEO research can inform your decisions about what sort of content to create, how to structure it and how to make your site as a whole more user-friendly. A good place to start would be to research keywords using a tool like Semrush or Google Trends to see what people are searching for and what keywords are attracting viewers to competitor sites. Long-tail keywords—which are longer keywords with a lower search volume and a more narrow focus—are typically the easiest to rank for, so choose from one of those for your first piece of content. Review the top 10 articles on the keyword’s search engine results page. What topics do they cover? What questions do they answer? How are they structured? Once you have the answers to those questions, try to improve upon what’s already there with your own content. For more SEO tips, visit the Wix SEO Hub . 12. Stay consistent and relevant Consistency is key when it comes to building trust and authority with your audience. If your publishing schedule is inconsistent, your audience will be less likely to rely on you as a source of valuable information. A regular publishing schedule allows your audience to anticipate and expect new content from you, plus keeps your brand top of mind. At the same time, it's crucial to ensure that your content remains relevant and up-to-date. Keep your eye on industry trends, analyze user feedback and engagement metrics on a regular basis and update your content to reflect any changes or new information. 13. Offer email marketing subscribers exclusive content Email marketing is still one of the best content marketing strategies for conversion, with marketers receiving around $36 in return for every $1 spent . Sending subscribers exclusive content is a great way to retain existing email marketing subscribers and encourage new sign-ups. To boost engagement and conversions even further, try segmenting your mailing list based on your subscribers’ interests, needs or pain points. By doing this, you can offer personalized and highly relevant content that resonates with each group. This strategy will show your audience that you truly understand their specific needs and interests. Plus, it's a great way to show that you value their time by providing them with content that's tailored to their individual preferences. 14. Update old content instead of only creating new content Updating existing content is arguably just as important as creating new pieces. We at the Wix Blog revisit our most important articles on a yearly basis to make sure that they’re accurate and up-to-date. We ask ourselves questions like, is an article’s position on the relevant SERPs stable? Is the content still accurate and as complete as it can be? Are all the links inside a blog working and leading users to fresh content? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then we know that the piece is due for refresh. Don’t update all of your old content at once. Instead, perform a content audit to identify the posts that are worth updating. Tend to a few of them each month and leave the rest of the calendar open for new content. Remember, refreshing your old content doesn't mean neglecting new content creation. By keeping a balance between the two, you can ensure that your content is always fresh, relevant and engaging for your audience. 15. Keep your brand voice consistent While there may be many moving parts of your content marketing strategy, the best way to tie them all together is to make sure your brand voice is consistent across all of your content. If your blog uses a professional and elevated tone, but your social media is casual and informal, your audience may get confused about your brand identity. Consistency builds trust and improves brand awareness, allowing your audience to immediately recognize your brand through your unique voice. Whether it's a social media post, a blog post, a podcast or a video, ensure that your voice always embodies your brand. Learn more: Blogging vs content marketing

  • Candle dropshipping: products and suppliers

    Start generating business ideas with the Wix Business Launcher → Candle dropshipping is a business model that allows you to sell products without the risk of buying and holding bulk inventory. You partner with suppliers who handle the storage, packaging and shipping of candles directly to your customers. Thinking about starting a business ? Wondering if dropshipping is worth it ? With the continuous growth of eCommerce  and the increasing popularity of unique, specialty candles, dropshipping  candle products can be an excellent choice. Customers simply make an order on your website, this order is forwarded to your supplier and then that supplier ships the candle directly to your customer.  Why choose candle dropshipping  Dropshipping eliminates the need for investing in inventory or warehousing, significantly reducing initial expenses and risk. Candles have a global appeal, providing a broad market and starting a candle business  allows you to cater to specific segments of the market. Candle enthusiasts often make repeat purchases, offering opportunities for ongoing sales from a loyal customer base. Not to mention, the flexibility of running a candle dropshipping business from anywhere with an internet connection definitely adds to the appeal. Still on the hunt for the right business idea? Use the Wix Business Launcher to discover various business ideas based on skill match and profitability. Simply chat with AI to receive a full market analysis, earning strategies and launch kit that helps you take any idea from concept to reality.  10 candle dropshipping products When starting a dropshipping business  for candle dropshipping products , prioritize variety and quality to stand out in the market and attract a diverse customer base. Here's a list of 10 high-demand candle products and dropshipping business ideas .  1. Scented jar candles 2. Beeswax candles 3. Floating candles 4. Decorative pillar candles 5. Handmade soy candles 6. Flameless LED candles 7. Essential-oil infused candles 8. Customizable photo candles 9. Aromatherapy candle sets 10. Seasonal and holiday-themed candles 01. Scented jar candles Fragrant candles poured into glass jars. They're great for: Relaxation Home decor Gifting Masking odors Romantic settings Meditation and yoga. Seasonal celebrations 02. Beeswax candles Candles made from natural beeswax, known for clean and long-lasting burns. They're popular because of their benefits for: Air purification: Beeswax candles release negative ions that can help cleanse the air of pollutants. Allergy sufferers: They produce less soot and fewer toxins compared to paraffin candles. Eco-conscious consumers: Beeswax is a renewable, biodegradable resource. Long-term cost savings: Their longer burn time means fewer replacements needed. 03. Floating candles Candles designed to float on water, adding an elegant touch to décor or events. 04. Decorative pillar candles Cylindrical candles, available in various sizes and designs. Perfect for enhancing the vibe. 05. Handmade soy candles Candles crafted from soy wax, often hand-poured and appreciated for their clean burning properties. 06. Flameless LED candles Battery-powered candles designed to mimic the look of real flames without actual burning. They're a popular type of candle because of their: Safety record: They eliminate fire hazards, making them ideal for homes with children, or pets. Convenience : No need for matches or lighters. Longevity : They last much longer than traditional candles and don't melt away. Versatility : Can be used in places where open flames are prohibited, like hospitals or dorm rooms. Low maintenance: No wax drips to clean up, no smoke damage, and no need to trim wicks. Cost-effective : While initially more expensive, they're more economical in the long run. 07. Essential-oil infused candles Candles infused with essential oils for aromatherapy or added fragrance benefits. 08. Customizable photo candles Personalized candles featuring custom images or designs embedded into the wax. They're a popular product because of: Personalized candles featuring custom images or designs embedded into the wax are popular because of their role as: Unique gifts Lasting keepsakes Conversation starters: Unique designs spark interest and discussion among guests. 09. Aromatherapy candle sets Sets of candles specifically curated for aromatherapy purposes, promoting relaxation and wellness. 10. Seasonal and holiday-themed candles Candles designed with thematic elements tailored for specific seasons or holidays. They're a popular candle product because that contribute to: Festive atmosphere: Seasonal decor Gift-giving Collectibility Candle dropshipping suppliers Selecting the right supplier is crucial for a successful candle dropshipping business. Consider these three prominent dropshipping suppliers known for their service quality and suitability for candle products: Modalyst Focuses on high-quality suppliers and unique products. Ideal for branding yourself as a quality candle dropshipper. Easily integrates  with popular eCommerce platforms  like Wix. Spocket  Spocket  connects you with top suppliers from the US and Europe, ensuring premium candle products and fast shipping. Perfect for branding your candle dropshipping business with high-quality, customizable options. Spocket integrates seamlessly with Wix, allowing you to automate order fulfillment effortlessly. Printify Great for custom or private-label candle-related products. Offers a network of suppliers worldwide for faster shipping. User-friendly platform for easy integration  when you start an online store . AliExpress Provides access to a wide range of candle products and accessories. Competitive pricing for higher profit margins. Allows you to start without initial investment or inventory costs. Also integrates  with leading eCommerce website builders, such as Wix .  Creating and selling custom products has never been easier. With Wix’s on demand printing , powered by Printful, you can design and launch personalized apparel, accessories, home goods and more—made to suit any style, niche or need. No extra tools, no complex setup. Just pick a product, upload your design and start selling—all from your Wix dashboard. With seamless Printful integration, you get a streamlined way to build, brand and sell—without ever leaving Wix. How to get started dropshipping candles Embark on your candle dropshipping venture by following these 5 steps to get started.  01. Choose an eCommerce platform Select an eCommerce platform or eCommerce website builder  like Wix to build your eCommerce website . In addition to pricing, make sure to review key offerings such as customizability, business capabilities, security, reliability, online store themes and support availability. → Get started with these eCommerce website templates . 02. Decide on your candle products Identify trending candle products with high demand. Then choose between offering a variety to appeal to different customer preferences. 03. Choose a dropshipping supplier Look for dropshipping suppliers with positive reviews and reliable services. Ensure they provide high-quality candles and efficient services. You can do this by ordering them yourself and testing the system. 04. Market your products and online store  Use effective marketing strategies  such as social media, influencer partnerships, SEO and paid ads. Also consider your branding, including your candle business name and logo. 05. Customer service Prioritize excellent customer service to build trust and encourage repeat business. Listen to customer feedback to enhance your product offerings and service. The quality of your customer service can make or break your dropshipping business, so prioritize it.  Candle dropshipping FAQ What are the expected profit margins with candle dropshipping? Profit margins vary based on the type of candle and supplier costs. Set competitive prices, considering factors like shipping and platform fees to improve your profit margins.  How can I make sure the candles are good quality? Place test orders to assess candle quality firsthand. Check reviews and ratings from other dropshippers. Can I also dropship candle accessories? Yes, selling candle accessories like holders and snuffers can complement your offerings. They can also boost average order value and enhance the overall customer experience. How to handle customer complaints and returns? Establish a clear return policy with your supplier and communicate it to customers. Address complaints promptly to maintain customer satisfaction. What are some innovative ways to differentiate my candle dropshipping business in a saturated market? Sell unique candle shapes or containers Explore niche markets like literary-themed or astrology candles. Provide personalized candle labels or gift wrapping services. Offer candle subscription boxes with curated scents. Consider eco-friendly options like soy or beeswax candles to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. How do I handle potential shipping issues specific to candles, such as melting or breakage? Always work with suppliers who use appropriate packaging for candles, including heat-resistant materials and cushioning. Consider seasonal shipping policies to avoid melting in hot weather and offer insurance options for valuable or fragile candles. Clearly communicate handling and storage instructions to customers alongside a fair and responsive policy for replacing damaged items. Regular communication with your supplier about shipping concerns can help minimize issues as well. Other dropshipping ideas and products to consider Coffee dropshipping Tea dropshipping Branded dropshipping Automated dropshipping B2B dropshipping Sticker dropshipping Pet dropshipping

  • 24 best businesses to start with little money

    Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → Starting a business with little money doesn't have to be a blocker to profitability and success. With a strong business idea and the right tools, you can start a business without investing too much money upfront or investing into heaps of inventory. Here are 24 business ideas  to start with little money to help get your creative juices flowing. From eCommerce business ideas  to service-focused businesses, there are a plethora of opportunities to break into the eCommerce business world. 24 of the best business ideas to start with little money Dropshipping Print on demand Selling online Move your brick and mortar store online Video creation Subscription boxes Interior design business Start a podcast Write a book Provide consultation services Sell second-hand or vintage goods Start a candle business Sell arts and crafts Affiliate marketing Monetize a blog Sell shoes online Sell books online Home staging Freelance writing Tutoring Pool cleaning Self-publishing Event planning Pet sitting 01. Start selling with dropshipping In traditional retail models, manufacturing, acquiring and warehousing inventory can cost a pretty penny—and that’s excluding the cost of packaging and shipping your products. Fortunately, dropshipping  has revolutionized the game. Under this model, you can avoid typical startup costs by trusting a third-party supplier to create, package and ship items directly to your customers. Dropshipping offers a fast way to start an eCommerce business by providing access to thousands (if not millions) of ready-to-ship products. It’s also a low-cost way to test product-market fit and/or experiment with trending products. Get started with Wix’s dropshipping solution  today. 02. Print on demand Print on demand  (POD) works similarly to dropshipping; it’s another way to outsource fulfillment to a supplier and a great business to start with little money because of this. POD, however, allows you to create and sell unique products that feature your own designs. Using POD, you could: Start a t-shirt business  featuring your own branded designs Add cat photos to novelty socks Create stickers for dog lovers Sell merchandise with original artwork that you've created Alternatively, you could hire and collaborate with freelance artists through sites like  Fiverr ,  99Designs or  DeviantArt . Once you're ready to sell, simply connect your online store to a platform like Modalyst ,  Printful or  Printify . All of these POD companies integrate with Wix eCommerce , allowing you to easily list POD products for sale on your site and route orders to the right suppliers. 03. Selling online Marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and Etsy already attract millions of shoppers. While it's essential to have your own fully branded store, a multichannel selling  strategy allows you to reach a wider audience faster—and at a relatively low cost compared to traditional advertising or retailing. Wix eCommerce makes this a business to start with little money worth exploring because you can automatically import existing product listings to marketplaces like Amazon. You can also manage all of your orders and inventory from one place, minimizing the amount of time needed to manage multiple sales channels. That said, each channel has its quirks, so you'll want to be selective of where you sell. Take the time to understand buyers' values, motivations, and personalities to anticipate the types of products they're looking to find on each site. 04. Take your brick and mortar store online If you run a brick-and-mortar business, you can expand your reach by selling online while avoiding a large increase in your business costs. Case in point: Angel Gregorio, owner of  The Spice Suite , took a leap of faith when she quit her day job to become a “full-time spice girl.” What started as a brick-and-mortar store (an interactive spice bar featuring spice blends from across the world) evolved into an online empire. With the help of Wix's  eCommerce website templates  and back-office tools, she was able to take her business online and sell spice boxes, which served as a core revenue stream during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of a successful shift to a hybrid online model, The Spice Suite made over $2 million in sales, with their online store representing the most successful part of the business. If you've got a physical store and are looking to make more money without a huge investment, this is one way to do that. In the same vein, eCommerce has been a welcome addition to several other businesses in the food and restaurant industry. Catering company  Cleverchefs   shifted online by selling and delivering restaurant-standard food boxes to customers’ homes. Single-malt whiskey retailer  Bimber Distillery  was able tap into a global market by offering ready-to-buy products, tour bookings, and other perks online. Whether you’re looking to sell food boxes, clothes or car parts, eCommerce can be a wise business to start with little money. 05. Video creation Create cooking videos, workout videos, kid-friendly content—wha1tever floats your boat. The revenue potential is massive if you're able to engage and nurture a loyal audience. There are various ways to make money with digital video content. You could charge a monthly channel subscription that gives customers full access to exclusive content. Or, if you work with video hosting platforms like YouTube, you could monetize your content based on the number of viewers. Another option:  sell or rent your videos , allowing viewers to download your video or access it over a 24-48-hour cycle. Whichever pricing model you pursue, consider offering some of your content for free to give customers an idea of your product and nudge them to make a purchase. Host live streaming or webinars with Zoom, Vimeo and YouTube that focus on building an engaged community. 06. Subscription boxes eCommerce has seen a boom in the product subscription service industry, with big names like Netflix and Ipsy amassing large followings throughout the years. Part of the reason for that has been the fact that subscription boxes are a popular business to start with little money. Within this sector, three types of subscription services have emerged: Replenishment  - Recurring purchases of frequently used items, like toilet paper, coffee beans, toothpaste, or razors Curation  - Boxes of themed items, like apparel, beauty, books, food, and wine Access subscriptions  - Discounts or premium member perks, typically in industries like food, beauty, and apparel There are various ways that you can start a subscription box business . The most important step is to define a clear niche. It helps to pick a niche that you know well. For example, do you already sell a product that you can turn into a subscription? Maybe you have a hobby like soap-making, hot sauce recipes, or homemade sanitizers with essential oils? Create a gift box of your products and set up tiered memberships for premium access. 07. Start an interior design business An eye for design is a fantastic asset when it comes to  home business ideas.  Home decor company  Kaekoo , for example, hit it big selling handcrafted textiles online. Part of their success can be attributed to: Strong branding.  Through their website, Kaekoo expresses their devotion to ethically sourced, handcrafted goods. Their products additionally use “ancestral techniques celebrated across generations.” Purposeful and unique.  “Each pillow is sewn with a custom leather tag with the name of the Pillow Lady design you chose,” writes Kaekoo on its site. “Just like your home, each of our pillow designs comes with its own story.” Gift cards.  Gifts cards are available for purchase through Kaekoo’s site, allowing customers to refer their friends to the brand. (Did you know: 69% of customers spend more than the value of their cards when redeeming them online, according to data from across 700,000+ Wix Stores.) Make the most of this business to start with little money by selling home decor, whether it involves interior design , woodworking, macrame pieces, painting (see how to start a painting business ), candle-making, indoor plants, or custom mason jars. Go the extra mile by sharing your home art, craft ideas and decorating tips on your shop to inspire customers as they look through your products. 08. Start a podcast Podcast ad revenues are expected to reach closer to $3 billion by 2025 . Outside of ads, you can use your podcasting platform to offer courses, publish premium content, or host events. If this tickles your fancy as a business to start with little money, start by picking a topic that you personally find interesting. Look for ways to entertain, inform, and inspire using your topical expertise. Team up with friends, invite special guests, and/or work with influencers to add value and increase your exposure. You can also try volunteering on someone else's podcast before you launch your own to get a true sense of what it really takes. You can record your podcast using audio hosting sites like SoundCloud or Libsyn. When you finish recording, use the  Wix Podcast Player  to showcase and stream podcasts from your site. Once you have enough listeners, you can find sponsorship deals on sites like  Ad Results Media ,  Adopter Media , or  True Native Media . Pro tip: to give you revenue an additional boost, think of ways to complement your podcast brand with print-on-demand merchandise like branded tees, socks and other accessories. 09. Write a book Have you always dreamed of writing your own book? Make this the year you finally get your book published. You can self-publish your own eBook and promote your book through your own online store  or a marketplace like Amazon. This is a creative way to start a business with little money. For inspiration, take a page from Ashley Antoinette, New York Times best-selling author and founder of  thebooklovers.co . Antoinette uses her website as a platform to promote her immensely popular Butterfly series, as well as her upcoming Book Lovers App. Her homepage features a countdown for the next book drop. Unsure of what to write about? Create a story out of real-life events Repurpose your old blog posts as an eBook Narrate an audiobook Make sure to take advantage of Wix’s website templates  that are specially designed for authors and publishers. Collect royalties by distributing your eBook or paperback through  Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing . 10. Provide remote consultation services Just as expanding online allows brick-and-mortar stores to reach larger audiences, shifting to an online model for consultation services enables you to reach a global customer base. There are multiple avenues you could take. For example, build and design websites  for other folks who aren’t as familiar with Wix eCommerce  or other site builders. Or, offer virtual tutorials and coaching sessions (see how to start a coaching business ) to share best practices and tips with other business owners. Do you work in the medical industry? If you’re a general physician, nutritionist, or therapist, you could provide consultations by phone or video. Start by setting up a website where patients can schedule and manage their meetings, then integrate your site with Zoom. 11. Sell second-hand or vintage goods If you love rummaging and finding deals on vintage clothing or second-hand goods, then creating a business out of doing it for others may be the perfect business idea to start with little money. Begin by selecting a niche for your vintage store. Some examples include: Clothing or goods from a particular decade Vintage formalwear A hip young adult vintage trend Vintage home decor It pays to focus on a value or style that you love. For example, Henny Penny Vintage , a spunky vintage shop, is committed to “giving fast fashion the middle finger” and promoting sustainable fashion through its store. Meanwhile, I Can Tell By The Moon Vintage  sells more romantic, antique clothing and home decor. Once you determine your niche, start sourcing, repairing, and reselling a few pieces to start. By keeping your initial inventory small, you can keep your costs low and spend time getting familiar with how to sell vintage clothing  online. 12. Start a candle business The candle industry is expected to reach $9.9 billion in annual revenue by 2028, according to Vantage Market Research . If you’re a craft lover or someone who already makes candles as a hobby, then the candle-making business could be your calling as a new business owner with limited startup capital. Starting a candle business  offers several unique advantages: Low startup costs  - You can find basic candle-making kits and supplies at your local craft store or online Tons of free resources  - You can find plenty of free tutorials, recipes, and walk-through videos online Healthy profit margins  - The average candle business can expect to sell their candles at a 25% to 50% markup Of course, you’ll first want to master the craft of candle-making before putting your items up for sale. Test various aspects of your products, like smell, safety, and burn time. Decide whether you want to brand your candles as high-end, luxury candles or fun, playful scents offered at a more affordable price. As an example, Coal and Canary  focuses on creating “hand-poured luxury wood wick candles for every occasion – and for everyday…each candle is hand poured with the highest attention to detail and lovingly housed in a beautiful re-usable glass vessel.” 13. Sell handcrafted goods If candles aren’t for you, there are a variety of other things to make and sell  that work as business ideas to start with little money. You could sell knitted accessories or hand-painted art, to name a few. Wix merchant, Sena Runa , made a business out of selling beautiful, paper-based artwork online. In addition to selling various framed art pieces, Sena Runa offers YouTube tutorials and downloadable templates for other aspiring artists. As with any business, begin by choosing a niche and your target market. Then, select a primary platform for selling your products. For example, many crafters start by selling crafts online  through a third-party marketplace such as Etsy, Amazon, or eBay. However, to retain complete control of your brand, costs, and your customer's shopping experience, it’s wisest to build an online shop to serve as your flagship location. You can always expand to marketplaces afterwards (e.g., Wix’s multichannel campaigns  allow you to automatically upload your products to Amazon, eBay, and other channels). 14. Participate in affiliate marketing Affiliate marketing  is ideal as a business to start with little to no money. As an affiliate marketer, you’ll be promoting another company’s product or service through your channel of choice. Be it a YouTube channel or social media, you can bring awareness to your brand partner’s products and, in return, earn a commission for every sale that you influence. Roughly 80%  of brands offer an affiliate program, so finding one that complements your interests is certainly doable. To find a product to promote, start by checking your favorite brands and seeing if they offer affiliate programs. Another option is to check affiliate marketing networks like ClickBank, ShareASale and Affiliate Future, which offer thousands of affiliate opportunities. Look for a program with a commission structure that you’re comfortable with. And, most importantly, find a product that you actually use and enjoy. Do not risk your credibility by promoting brands or products that you’ve never tried before. "Once you decide to become an affiliate marketer, it's essential to focus on products you believe in. Your affinity for the product is crucial, and it's better to choose an unsaturated market with few players. Have you already chosen a competitive niche? Ensure there is profit potential that justifies your investment." - Guy Josipovich, Online Partnerships Manager at Wix 15. Monetize your blog A blog is not only an outlet for creativity. It can also serve as a powerful money-making vehicle. But before being able to monetize your blog , you first need to understand the fundamentals of building a blog with high-quality content and an engaged audience. Learn more: How to make a blog Note: building a great blog takes time and a lot of TLC. Still, once you’ve created a solid foundation, you can explore the many ways to make money from your hard work. Here are a few ways that bloggers are getting paid for their time: Offer paid membership plans: Set aside some of your content exclusively for paid subscribers. With Wix, you can easily create a subscription plan and flag select posts for subscriber-only access. Become a freelance blogger: Reach out to brands with active blogs and inquire about freelance writing opportunities. You can additionally search for freelance writing gigs on job boards or LinkedIn. Make money from online ads: Display ads on your site using Google AdSense  and collect revenue each time a user clicks an ad from your site. AdSense allows you to specify which types of ads are most relevant to your audience to increase their chances of clicking. 16. Sell shoes online Do you consider yourself a sneakerhead? Or perhaps you simply have a stockpile of shoes collecting dust in your closet? The shoe business could serve as a good side hustle, given that the average yearly shoe volume is expected to grow by 14% in 2023, according to Statista . Not to mention that you could get started in a variety of ways. Sell good-as-new shoes from your closet and local thrift store, or collect and resell trendy kicks. Advancements in print on demand and dropshipping even allow you to sell custom or branded shoes, without shooting up your startup costs. List your shoes for sale through an online store that features your full collection of shoes. Supplement this with other sales channels, such as eBay, where 15 pairs of sneakers are sold every minute. There’s also StockX, GOAT, TheRealReal, and many other marketplaces—each with its own unique customer base that you can tap into. 17. Sell books online Do you love immersing yourself in the world of books? What if you could share that passion with others as an online bookseller? Interested? Consider exploring these business to start with little money for yourself. Similar to selling shoes, you can start selling books online with very little upfront expenses. Sell books off your shelf, including old textbooks, popular classics, or children’s books. Online tools like BookScouter  can help you estimate the value of your books. Alternatively, source used books at second-hand stores, library book sales, estate sales, and flea markets. Or, source new books from book distributors, publishers, and local writers. To maximize your chances of success, decide what kind of bookseller you want to be. Do you want to: Specialize in a specific genre (i.e., comic books, graphic novels, biographies, etc.) Sell used, rare, or vintage books Focus on books pertaining to a particular topic (i.e., cooking, sewing, crafting, boating, remodeling, etc.) Curate books for a specific audience (i.e., children, teachers, entrepreneurs) Create a collection where each book has a history or story of its own (i.e., books owned/written by influential people, banned books, books written by women posing as men) 18. Home staging If you possess a talent for interior design, a staging service could be your ideal professional pursuit when looking for a business to start with little money or investment. This idea involves transforming homes to enhance their appeal and create an inviting atmosphere for potential buyers.  To get started with minimal initial investment, you can stage homes using the owner's existing furnishings and décor. Be resourceful and strategically decorate and arrange properties to avoid the need for extensive purchases. As you gain experience and connect with local realtors, you can gradually expand your inventory of furniture. Once you secure your first clients and develop a robust portfolio, you can showcase your designs on your home-staging website. This gradual approach allows you to build credibility and visibility in the field. 19. Freelance writing Freelance writing is a flexible, low-cost way to start your own business–all you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started. Plenty of websites act as a marketplace where writers can connect with clients, making it easier to find your first gigs.  You can offer all kinds of writing services, like creating engaging blog posts, writing informative articles, crafting persuasive marketing copy or even exploring technical documentation.  Focus on building your personal brand and honing your skills in specific niches. Over time, a strong and diverse portfolio can help you land consistent, high-paying projects. The best part? You’re in total control–you set your rates and create a schedule that fits your life, making it easier to achieve steady income and meaningful career growth.  20. Tutoring If you have a knack for a particular subject, tutoring can be a fantastic way to start a business with minimal upfront costs. Whether you’re a math expert, a science enthusiast or fluent in a foreign language, you can share your knowledge and connect with students around the world. By promoting your services online or within your community, you can attract a diverse group and build a reliable source of income. But tutoring is more than just a way to earn money–it’s an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping students grow confidence, master a new skill and reach their potential.  21. Pool cleaning Starting a pool cleaning business might involve some physical effort, but it’s relatively low-cost to get started. With just a skimmer, some nets and essential cleaning supplies, you can offer services to clients who need their pools maintained regularly.  Getting the word out through local ads, social media or community boards can help you establish a loyal customer base–especially during the warmer months. As your reputation for reliability and thorough work grows, so will your referrals. You could even expand by hiring staff or adding more services, like full-service pool maintenance packages.  22. Self-publishing Self-publishing is a modern, cost-effective way for aspiring authors to bring their stories to life. With platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, you can sell your work in both digital and print formats without worrying about costly upfront print runs.    This approach gives you creative control over your content and the potential for higher profits, since books are only printed when purchased. You can also experiment with marketing strategies–like using social media or hosting book launch events–to build your audience and establish your brand as an author.  23. Event planning Event planning is an exciting and creative business that thrives on your organizational skills rather than a big budget. If you’re great, or think you’d be, at coordinating weddings, corporate events or parties, start by helping friends and family to build your confidence and experience.  As you gain expertise and grow your client list, you can take on bigger events. Positive word-of-mouth and testimonials will naturally bring in more clients. You can also use platforms like Eventbrite and social media to show your work, attract leads and simplify event management.  A strong portfolio of successful events will grow your reputation and open the door to even more opportunities.  24. Pet sitting If you’re an animal lover, pet sitting could be the perfect low-cost business for you. Platforms like Rover a nd Care.com m ake it easy to connect with pet owners looking for trustworthy care while they’re away. Pet sitting includes dog walking, overnight stays or daily check-ins and offers plenty of flexibility–and the joy of working with furry friends. To build a steady income, focus on delivering excellent care and earning glowing word-of-mouth recommendations. Over time, you might even expand your services to include pet training, grooming or fun extras like pet photography. Low-cost business ideas with high profit High-profit low-cost businesses share a few traits: low startup costs, minimal expenses and strong demand with premium pricing potential. Focus on digital products, specialized skills or high-ticket services instead of physical inventory. Customers are often willing to pay more for convenience, exclusivity or expertise. Businesses that save time, offer luxury or provide specialized services can charge far more than standard options. Targeting a niche audience is a smart way to maximize profits. Recurring revenue models like subscriptions can also boost long-term earnings with less effort. Online and digital businesses with high earning potential AI-powered resume writing : Use AI tools to create standout resumes and charge premium rates for your expertise. Online course bundle creator : Curate and sell online courses on niche topics like productivity hacks or passive income strategies. Handmade digital assets : Design and sell products like templates, social media presets or organizational dashboards. E-commerce automation consultant : Help businesses set up automated online stores and monetize your expertise. Luxury personal branding expert : Craft high-end branding strategies for entrepreneurs and influencers. Creative and artistic ventures with high profit margins Print-on-demand store : Sell custom-designed apparel, accessories or home decor without managing inventory. Custom video editing service : Deliver polished social media content for influencers and businesses at premium rates. Subscription-based art lessons : Host exclusive online art classes with simple monthly memberships. High-end portrait photography : Offer luxury branding, engagement or maternity shoots for upscale clients. NFT consulting & digital art sales : Help artists succeed in the NFT market or sell your own digital artwork. Affordable local and service-based companies with strong revenue Luxury picnic business : Rent stylish themed picnic setups for birthdays, proposals or Instagram-worthy moments. Mobile car detailing : Provide premium car cleaning services at clients’ locations for convenience and great margins. Surprise event planning : Create high-end surprise proposals or private parties with premium packages. Eco-friendly cleaning service : Offer all-natural non-toxic cleaning for eco-conscious clients at higher price points. Specialized and niche high-reward businesses Luxury pet services : Deliver personalized pet concierge offerings like high-end grooming or pet photography. Car flipping for beginners : Buy, repair and resell high-demand used cars for solid profits. Elite matchmaking service : Connect exclusive clients with premium dating opportunities. High-ticket affiliate marketing : Promote luxury digital products with big commission payouts. Drone-based photography & videography : Capture real estate, events or commercial footage with high-end pricing. Tips for starting a business with little money If you're looking to start a business with little money, you'll want to make sure you do your research and set it up properly. Here are some steps to follow to do just that: Choose your business idea and write a business plan Start by identifying your own passions and skills. Move onto researching market needs, assess any potential competition and consider low cost business ideas with growth potential. Your business plan should include your mission statement (the why behind your business), a definition of your target market (are you going to sell online by  making an eCommerce website , or some other way?), your marketing plan and your  marketing strategies , full details on how to fund your business. Decide on the best business structure and register your business You can choose from,  Sole proprietorship ,  Limited liability company (LLC)  or a  Corporation , as just some examples. Then you'll need to  obtain a business license ,  obtain an EIN number  and open a  business bank  account. Secure funding When it comes to starting a business with little money some of the most popular and accessible funding options include, bootstrapping,  Small Business Administration (SBA) loans  and crowdfunding. Promote your business This means developing a strong brand identity, learning how to  create a website  and building out a strong social media presence. You'll need to plan and run marketing campaigns as well. Hone your business management Some best practices for effective business management include, keeping track of your finances, complying with all government regulations, collecting feedback from customers, amongst just a few.  What are the best types of business ideas to start with little money? There are many different types of businesses that can be started with little money. Here are a few examples: S ervice-based businesses These businesses provide services to customers, such as a   dog walking business , house cleaning, or web design. Service-based businesses typically require little start-up capital, as you don't need to purchase much inventory or equipment (except for a good vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies for the house cleaning business). Freelance businesses These businesses allow you to sell your skills and expertise to clients. Freelance businesses can be started with little money, as you don't need to purchase inventory or equipment. However, you may need to invest in marketing and advertising to find clients. eCommerce businesses These businesses sell products online. eCommerce businesses can be started with little money, as you can use a free website builder to set up your store. However, you may need to invest in marketing and advertising to drive traffic to your store. Best businesses to start with little money FAQ What are some unique businesses ideas to start with little money? Looking for unique low cost businesses to start? Think about unique niches within popular low cost business ideas — for example, within pet sitting, how about specializing in house sitting exotic pets? Be a personal trainer but develop your own fitness regime for people that is unique to your experience and style. What are some great businesses to start with little money, from home? Consider business ideas that require little equipment or inventory — dropshipping and print on demand are both low investment business ideas that can be run from home, or anywhere with a computer and internet connection. Running your own business as a virtual assistant also makes for a great at home low cost business idea. There are many low cost business ideas that can be run successfully from home — including social media management, consultancy, freelance work of any kind, baking and many more. Which small businesses are the most successful? Success online comes down to choosing the right niche, marketing effectively and keeping your customers engaged. Some of the most successful small online businesses include e-commerce stores (especially for niche products or dropshipping), digital marketing agencies, social media management services, online course platforms, freelance writing and design, virtual assistant services and SaaS businesses that solve specific problems. The key is to offer real value, solve a need and build a connected online community. With the right approach, your business can thrive

  • Get inspired: 25+ business card ideas (and how to create your own)

    Some may say that business cards are a thing of the past, but unlike phone books and fax machines they are here to stay. Not only are they still relevant, they’re an important part of your branding efforts. A business card is an opportunity—a tangible piece of paper that preserves all your essential information, while also highlighting what your business is all about. This small memento that neatly organizes all your particulars (name, job title, website, social handles, brand logo etc.) in one place is a powerful networking tool, a great way to add an authentic personal touch and leave a lasting impression. Looking for a little inspiration? Whether you plan to work with a designer, or create your own using a business card maker , we’ve compiled some business card ideas to get your creative juices flowing. 25+ business card ideas Strikingly bold business cards Colorful and fun business cards Sleek and black business cards Functional and fashionable (and French) business cards Lighthearted and playful business cards Photographed in black and white business cards Green and grassy business cards The power of white space in business cards Round edges on business cards Luxurious and refined business cards Humorous and fun business cards It’s hip to be square Engaging illustrations Soft-hued pastels Creative and cool business cards Be a boss with your business card Clean and simple business cards Artistic and authentic business cards Serene and elegant business cards Creative shapes Cheerful and cheeky business cards QR codes Glittery and gold business cards A bright delight Retro style business cards Uncomplicated elegance Cleverly captivating Eye-catching and abstract Make a name for yourself with your business card Strikingly bold business cards Medellin-based urban clothing brand TRUE i s all about community, diversity and the impact that small actions can have on the world. Just like their brand identity , TRUE’s business card is powerful and perfectly captures their freedom of spirit. Using bright bold colors and graffiti-style typography on one side, juxtaposed with black on the other, this business card gets your attention, and piques your curiosity to know more. Business card design by brand strategy & design studio and Wix user invade design Business card design (and brand identity example ) by brand strategy and design studio and Wix user Invade Design. Colorful and fun business cards As the saying goes—” A picture is worth a thousand words”, and when it comes to business cards you’ve got a chance to tell a story from just one look. Bright, fun and living out loud, these video production agency business cards perfectly embody the movement and color of the industry. They are playful, engaging and look good enough to be put in a frame on your wall. Business card design by Wix user Mad About the Brand Business card design by Wix user Mad About the Brand . Sleek and black business cards Minimalist yet powerful, the color black never goes out of style. These vertical black business cards for Fit Social are paired with a clean white logo and minimalist typography. Using black card stock is a great business card idea, but you need to pay attention to the details in order for them to stand out. For example, if you want your business cards to look sophisticated, printing on a thicker card stock will really make the black background appear richer. Additionally, black card stock is also ideal for business cards that are embossed, foil stamped or use metallic ink. Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Thank God It’s Monday Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Thank god it's Monday . Functional and fashionable (and French) business cards These business cards designed for Parisian boulangerie and café French Bastards are not only charming and refined, they are practical. The bakery’s philosophy is based on handmade craftsmanship which is echoed in the look and feel of the business cards that incorporate the brand colors , using brightly colored edge finishes. These stunning cards double as a customer loyalty card, where repeat customers receive a stamp for each visit. This is a great business card idea to build and maintain customer loyalty, build brand trust and keep them coming back for more (of course, having delicious chocolate éclairs and baguettes doesn't hurt either). Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Efi Kishon Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Eli Kishon. Lighthearted and playful business cards Designed for Logical Toys and Gifts , an educational toy company in New Zealand, these business cards are playful and inviting, capturing the essence of childhood through color and typography. The thoughtful logo design uses lettering that emulates the soft glow and reflecting colors of a light table, a common staple in preschool classrooms around the world. The card’s lettering is also slightly imperfect and whimsical, wonderfully on-brand for the child-centric company. Business card design by design studio and Wix user Creative Philosophy Design Studio Business card design by design studio and Wix user Creative Philosophy Design Studio . Photographed in black and white business cards Captivating and classic, these business cards were created with the concept of “back to basic” and a focus on natural elements. They simply let the photographs do all the talking, while giving all the necessary contact info. Using photography is a creative business card idea that makes your cards more memorable and allows you to showcase your work. Additionally, sticking to a contrasting black and white color palette is timeless and professional. This design concept is simple, memorable and beautiful to look at, what more could you ask for in a business card? Business card design by brand & web design studio and Wix user Manu Branding Business card design by brand and web design studio and Wix user Manu Branding . Green and grassy business cards Using a color palette that works synchronously with the company and their brand image , this business card example is uncomplicated and stylish. When it comes to branding it is always important to consider color psychology and the impact it can have. In this case, green which is associated with nature, harmony, freshness and growth also expertly conveys what the company is all about. Created for a cannabis-friendly apartment rental service that pairs tenants with owners, the business card effectively communicates the brand in just one glance. Business card design by graphic design studio and Wix user Montilla Design Business card design by graphic design studio and Wix user Montilla Design . The power of white space in business cards When looking for business card ideas, sometimes less is more. Be sure not to overcrowd or clutter your card with too many elements, or too much text. This ride-share business card tastefully uses the concept of white space on one side of the card, highlighting the brand logo and a catchy question (need a ride?) to get their reader’s attention and highlight just the essential details. However, the other side of the card is the opposite, using punchy color and cute icon-style imagery of different cars to tie the design together. Business card design by graphic designer, illustrator and Wix user Gefen Benda Business card design by graphic designer, illustrator and Wix user Gefen Benda . Round edges on business cards Besides looking professional and sophisticated, round corners make business cards more durable since you don’t have to worry about the edges looking worn out after time. Beyond that, this subtle feature shows that you pay attention to detail, and can make your business card more memorable compared to others. The beauty in these business cards for Black Mari is in the stylish and minimalist details. Business card design by design studio and Wix user Siete Studio Business card design by design studio and Wix user Siete Studio . Luxurious and refined business cards Branding is all about evoking emotion and when you give out your business card, there is no exception. You want the receiver to immediately make a connection to your product or service, and give them a sense or a feeling of your brand. This sophisticated and elegantly designed business card for Art de Vivre Studio , an interior design boutique, mimics marble by combining exquisite silver foil with a natural liquid pattern. Pairing these two elements successfully highlights the unique region of the South of France where the business operates, as well as the aesthetic of their interior design style. Business card design by design studio and Wix user Alexandra Necula Business card design by design studio and Wix user Alexandra Necula . Humorous and fun business cards Pet Plate , a pet food delivery system, is all about serving canine friends chef-crafted dog food that is good enough for their human owners to eat. Pet Plate’s entire brand voice is fresh, humorous and fun, so it is no wonder that their visual brand identity incorporates the same lightheartedness. Creative agency &Walsh used bold and cheerful typefaces paired with a blue and white color palette (inspired by traditional style plates), and playful copywriting, to create a cohesive brand style guide which is easy to recognize. Learn more: Typefaces vs fonts Design lead and business card design by Wix user Ryan Haskins for &Walsh Design lead and business card design by Wix user Ryan Haskins for &Walsh. It’s hip to be square These gentle and muted business cards use a perfectly balanced shape (square vs standard size) along with a thoughtfully curated design which showcases a logo on the top right and a block of text on the bottom left to convey the identity of the business. Using a square business card instantly differentiates your card and still conveniently fits into wallets (or pockets) of prospective clients. Designed for Ima Doula, a doula/massage therapist/yoga teacher, these business cards use a warm and neutral color palette which is immediately comforting and inviting - just like the business owner. Business card design by brand design studio and Wix user Stylish Creative Business card design by brand design studio and Wix user Stylish Creative . Engaging illustrations Regardless of your industry, a business card is an extension of your brand, and besides sharing your contact info, you want it to highlight what you do in an intriguing way. Using illustrations can help to showcase what service you offer or what your business is, without needing any words. This creatively designed business card for Power in your Curl uses a delicate and stunning visual drawing to highlight the services of Kenya, The Curl Coach™, an expert natural hair educator. Additionally, the card design makes perfect use of color, connecting the brand colors through the typography and the illustration on both sides of the card. Business card design by design studio and Wix user Alexandra Necula Business card design by design studio and Wix user Alexandra Necula . Soft-hued pastels Whether you’re a consultant, a DJ, a lawyer or a makeup artist, it is important to use color effectively, in order to communicate right off the bat what you’re all about. This dreamy business card design for event planner BY.ELO uses a winning combination of soft pink and gold foil typography. Since pastel colors are less saturated, they instantly feel soft, calm and light, which can be effective in evoking a certain mood in your prospective customers. Pairing a gold typeface with these gentle hues creates delicate sophistication which emulates the same vibe of the events put on by the company. Business card design by Wix user Rose van der Ende Business card design by Wix user Rose van der Ende . Creative and cool business cards Letting your brand personality show through your business cards is one of the best ways to communicate to potential clients not only what you offer, but give them a taste of who you are. These fun business cards designed for musician Yael Feldginer are based on tarot cards, and were created in unison with her album covers to maintain a cohesive brand identity that genuinely represents her style. Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Efi Kishon Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Efi Kishon . Be a boss with your business card Here’s a business card idea that instantly makes your cards pop: embossing. Also known as debossing, this technique creates a raised or recessed image directly onto the paper. These luxurious cards for Delicious Smoke use an embossed pattern of the brand logo on rich black card stock. In this case, the branding style of the logo and the embossed technique mimics a meat stamp, which cleverly ties the brand and business concept together. Business card design by branding and design studio and Wix user Deezeye Business card design by branding and design studio and Wix user Deezeye . Clean and simple business cards Specific industries tend to stick to distinct color palettes, and for good reason. The Health Movement ’s card is a great example of this, as part of the health and wellness industry, it evokes healing, tranquility and understanding. This business card design effectively uses a light blue color palette to convey trust. A no muss, no fuss layout that clearly represents the brand persona is always a great business card idea. Business card design by Wix user The Paper Bakery Business card design by Wix user The Paper Bakery . Artistic and authentic business cards Besides being gorgeous, these business cards designed for SJLA jewelry perfectly embody the brand. A jewelry line created to tackle the issue of fast fashion, each piece is designed to empower and inspire whoever wears them, while bringing awareness to social and environmental issues surrounding conscious consumerism. The captivating illustration on the business cards highlights the jewelry pieces while also communicating the brand’s persona which is used across their social media and branding assets. Illustration used on business card design by Wix user Isabelle Feliu Illustration used on business card design by Wix user Isabelle Feliu . Serene and elegant business cards These tranquil business cards for Holism , a comprehensive wellness retreat, flawlessly create an instant feeling of relaxation. Their brand image is rooted in interconnectedness, which is echoed throughout the visual design of their branding assets. Using an earthy color scheme, rich texture and utter simplicity in the visual design, there is no mistaking the feeling of harmony of the wellness retreat. Business card design by illustrator, artist, designer and Wix user Nicole Onslow Business card design by illustrator, artist, designer and Wix user Nicole Onslow. Creative shapes If you're looking for a business card idea that is a guaranteed showstopper, why not try using a creative shape? While most of us think of business cards as the quintessential wallet-size rectangle, there are no hard and fast rules that say you can’t think outside the box—literally. These gorgeous business cards for Argentinian restaurant R40 play a part of the restaurant’s overall brand identity. Named for National Route 40 that stretches across Argentina, every detail of their branding from the menu to their coasters highlights a traditional Argentinian vibe with a contemporary style. Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Steve Wolf Designs Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Steve Wolf Designs . Cheerful and cheeky business cards Another great example of a square business card, this paw-some card for A Bark Idea puts the logo front and center, instantly letting you know what the company is all about. Printed on thick card stock (slightly thicker than a credit card) with bright yellow painted edges, these cards are warm and welcoming, and perfect for the furry friends that the business works with. Business card design by design collective and Wix user The Paper Bakery. Business card design by design collective and Wix user The Paper Bakery . QR codes Since business cards are all about sharing your essential information efficiently, adding QR codes (quick response) make it even easier. These computer-generated barcodes make it possible to share information like phone numbers, emails or website URLs and seamlessly close the gap between digital and print. Prospective clients just need to open their phone camera’s to the QR code, scan it and instantly receive all the details. See how these simple and elegant cards for NuFargo neatly integrate the QR code into their design without sacrificing style. Business card design by design studio and Wix user Limvi Studio Business card design by design studio and Wix user Limvi Studio. Glittery and gold business cards If you’re looking for a classic and sophisticated business card idea, here’s your golden opportunity—integrate metallic foil detail. These radiant business cards for Trish Johnston Interior Design draw your eyes in with a glimmering foil pressed logo that is boldly splashed across the soft-matte blush cards. When using foil accents it is recommended to use large text and/or shapes and select high-contrast colors to really make the finish pop. Business card design by Wix user The Paper Bakery Business card design by Wix user The Paper Bakery. A bright delight Using a variety of multi-colored amorphic shapes spread across one side of the card, this cheerful business card idea is both noticeable and fun. What makes this creative design so effective is the partnership between the bright pops of color on one side and the clean white layout on the other. The logo is also strategically integrated into both the front and back which makes it even more memorable and inviting. These cards were specially crafted for a design studio that creates origami, paper cutting, stationary and decorations, so their business cards are perfectly in line with their products and services and help to create brand recognition . Business card design by design studio and Wix user Siete Studio Business card design by design studio and Wix user Siete Studio. Retro style business cards Since branding is based on emotion, using nostalgic or vintage styles is a great way to trigger happy memories or conjure a feeling. By using rustic or retro color palettes together with old-school typography, you can create memorable business cards that are both eye-catching and heartwarming too. Just like the funky nail designs by t r these groovy business cards are charming and fun. Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Abi Design Business card design by graphic designer and Wix user Abi Design. It’s your turn to create your own business card Now that you’ve seen some amazing business card ideas, it’s time to design your own. If you need a few more tips on how to design a business card you can read our ultimate guide, or jump right into our business card maker . Below we’ll take a look at some of the best business card templates, all of which are totally customizable. You can create your own logo and use your brand colors to design a business card that is perfectly you. Uncomplicated elegance Keep it simple, elegant and to the point. These business cards focus on the most important information, more specifically their phone number. If you have a preferred method of communication or some information you’d like to highlight on your cards, play with the size and layout of your text, to draw attention to what you’d like to stand out. Get creative with this template to draw attention to your business. Business card designed using Wix business card maker Cleverly captivating This business card example uses visual cues in a clever way by integrating a purposeful photograph on one side of the card. Using everyday images in a creative way can be a simple yet effective design choice for business cards. Simply use this template , click customize and add an image. You can play around with the composition, color and placement of the photo to really make an impact. Business card designed using Wix business card maker Eye-catching and abstract Sometimes you don’t need a specific photo or image and just want to get people’s attention. Abstract art not only draws people in, it often makes them question the decisions or actions behind the visuals. If you are stuck for a business card idea, try using abstract design elements but make sure they are still in line with your brand identity. Check out this template and customize it however you’d like, playing with vector art and abstract elements. Business card designed using Wix business card maker Make a name for yourself with your business card Let’s face it, remembering names can be hard but with the right business card, your name will be unforgettable. Using bold color and striking typography, this business card template puts your name front and center. This is a great business card idea for solopreneurs, independent contractors, consultants, and freelancers who may not have their own logo or branding, but use the power of their name to conduct business. Business card designed using Wix business card maker

  • Brand reputation: strategies for managing and improving your own

    From the way you create a logo , to the words you use in your website copy—each element shapes how the public feels about your products and perceives your brand. Today, with more channels and outlets for customers to interact with your company—both positively and negatively—brand reputation is important to all business success, regardless if you run a large-scale corporation or have your own side hustle. A positive brand reputation—on and offline—means that customers not only trust your business, but they are likely to purchase your product or service. The key to a winning brand reputation strategy is recognizing that you don't have to wait for people to form their own opinions about your brand. Instead, by building your brand’s experiences around your target customers’ needs, wants, values and opinions, you can help shape how they perceive your company. In this article, we’ll dive further into why brand reputation matters, the benefits of having a solid strategy in place and tips for building and maintaining it. What is brand reputation? Brand reputation is the perception that customers, employees, partners and others have of a brand. The stronger the reputation is, the more that people will trust and advocate for the brand. This perception can be shaped by both direct and indirect experiences, and can also be influenced by factors outside the user experience. For example, people’s perception of a brand can be impacted by things like the company’s activism and philanthropy, internal employee policies, as well as its partners’ own brand reputations. Consumers can also be influenced by the buying behavior of their friends and family, or other influential people. Brand reputation can change over time, on both an individual and societal scale. This is why it’s so important for companies to closely monitor and manage it. The benefits of a strong brand reputation strategy Take it from the world’s most successful brands and individuals: building a strong brand takes a lot of work. Having a brand reputation strategy will not only help you on your goal of achieving your ideal consumer and employer perception, but it will also become incredibly handy when your brand inevitably runs up against a crisis. If that wasn’t enough, take a look at some of the additional benefits of having a strong brand reputation strategy for your business. Quickens your response to competition Having a brand marketing strategy allows you to best identify which marketing or sales levers to pull when your company is dealing with a competitive threat. For example, if another corporate bakery delivery service opens up across town, touting lower prices, your brand reputation strategy will help guide your decisions. You’ll know if it's a better idea to prioritize a new marketing campaign that focuses on selling your existing client base on your homegrown spirit, or if it's better to narrow in on acquiring new customers in an unserviced area. Stabilizes your employee growth Thinking about how you want your operation to grow can help you create and sustain the internal company culture that you'll need to reflect outward. If you articulate how you want your brand to be perceived, it's easier to hire for cultural fit/identify good hires. People look for jobs where they feel fulfilled and are able to make a meaningful contribution to something they believe in. Companies with a clear brand identity and a well-founded brand reputation are the ones that will offer these kinds of opportunities to prospective employees. With a great reputation both inside and outside, a company will have a more devoted workforce and lower levels of turnover and turmoil. Creates more loyal customers For many companies, the majority of their earnings come from a loyal and long-term customer set. By having a brand reputation strategy, you can more closely look at what marketing or sales avenues are more likely to generate brand loyalty . For example, Amazon is a brand loyalty leader in the US as both an online retailer and a video streaming service. With their loyalty program Amazon Prime , committed customers join an exclusive membership and receive free two-day shipping, plus extra perks like video streaming and music. This develops brand trust and the ability to attract repeat customers and helps avoid brand dilution . Ways to build and manage your brand reputation In order to reap all the benefits (and none of the consequences), your brand needs a reputation management strategy that is both proactive and reactive. Here are some tips and tools to guide you. Build your brand identity Establish your online presence Actively ask for and respond to reviews Listen to feedback Improve the customer experience Shape great company culture Create a brand style guide Have a public relations team and/or process 01. Build your brand identity Before you can even think about your reputation, you have to create a brand worth managing. Developing a strong and cohesive brand identity ensures that you have a clear understanding of what your company stands for, helps guide how to act in certain situations and enables you to grow your company with brand extensions without sacrificing integrity. For example, Corksicle , a line of innovative barware, canteens and tumblers understand their target consumer and communicates with a strong visual identity of bold colors and creative packaging. Corksicle’s clearly defined brand identity appears in every touchstone of their business, from their logo and packaging to their website copy and social posts. Your brand identity should include: A cohesive visual language, featuring branding elements like your logo, colors and imagery A consistent brand voice A well-defined company mission , vision and value statement Pro tip: Wix has a variety of business tools you can use to create a professional and impressive look for your brand and its visual assets. 02. Establish your online presence Your website may be the first place where people encounter your brand, so make sure to create a website that allows visitors to experience your brand identity and form an accurate impression of your business right off the bat. If you want your brand to be perceived as professional and straightforward, make sure your visitors' experience is too. For example, you might want to double check that there are no spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. If you want your brand to come across as more visually oriented than loquacious, substitute copy for big, high-resolution images that help show your message rather than tell it. Pro tip: Take your online presence one step further and create an app that maintains your logo and branding and syncs with your Wix site and dashboard, all in real-time. 03. Actively ask for and respond to reviews While you can actively shape your owned channels, like your blog and social media, your brand also has its own external online presence. People who feel passionately about your brand—good or bad—will find a public forum where they can share their thoughts. It’s clear that reviews on sites like Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor and Facebook play a huge part in shaping public perception, even in the minds of people who’ve never directly interacted with the brand being reviewed. If these platforms are relevant to your business, make sure to claim your brand’s profile and start collecting reviews. You can maintain some control over this by creating a space for customers to leave reviews and add customer testimonials to your site. If you sell products on an eCommerce website , make sure there’s an area for customers to rate and review their purchases. No matter where they appear, be sure to respond to all of your reviews as they roll in (with the exception of fake ones)—even the negative ones. If you address them quickly and honestly, many times you can turn a poor customer service experience around and retain their business. Not only that, it’ll show people reading the reviews that you care enough to listen and to resolve issues and complaints. Further reading: The dead internet theory and the silent surge of bots 04. Listen to feedback There are steps you can take to influence what people think about your brand. But keeping an eye on what people are actually saying about it is the key to great brand management. Start with adding a form builder to create custom feedback directly on your site. Whether you get beta testers for your products while you're building them, or you ask customers for feedback after they’ve used your product or bought something, the input is incredibly valuable. As your company grows, there are a number of platforms and tools you can use to keep tabs on what people are saying about your brand. Google Alerts , for example, allows you to set up as many alerts as you want and receive a notification by email whenever your keyword (in this case, brand name) shows up in Google. It’s wise to also set up alerts for common misspellings of the company name, popular product or service names or even key people in your company, like the CEO. You might also consider setting up Google alerts related to industry-specific news and trends, so you can stay on top of them and make your brand known for being ahead of the curve. Social listening tools provide you with monitoring software that can analyze online comments or conversations about your brand. Platforms like Sprout Social , Hootsuite and BuzzSumo will give you those Superman-like listening powers. These tools enable you to gain insights on your customers, understand their pain points and learn from your competitors. Other reputation management tools like Brand24 , BrightLocal and Mention will expand your listening skills to other websites, blogs and newspapers, review sites and more. You can also use Wix Analytics to look inwards and make data-driven decisions like reviewing your site traffic or the behavior of visitors to your site. To take the insights you’ve gleaned from your reputation management and social listening tools, here are some KPIs that will help you evaluate how to adjust your strategy going forward: Sources: Who’s talking about you? What does that say about your audience? Have you reached the right people with your brand and messaging? What has them talking the most about your brand—and is it a good thing? Consider going directly to the source and see how others are responding. For example, if your Twitter feed suddenly gets a lot of attention, stay on top of what people are saying and carefully determine how you will participate, or not. For example, take a look at how the Disney+ TikTok account acknowledged the overpowering popularity of the Encanto movie soundtrack. One song in particular, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the earworm we’re all humming, fueled its own TikTok trend among parents teasing an interrupted workday or task. Disney+ took note and followed suit, posting their own TikTok with the caption, “Us welcoming the Encanto soundtrack into every corner of our lives.” Also, are there opportunities you’re missing out on? If so, how do you build brand awareness and improve your reputation on other platforms? Mentions over time: Is this information moving in an upward trend? Is it all over the place? Does it align with certain events or seasons? By identifying trends in how your mentions change over time, you can better prepare your company for when the influx of mentions and feedback come in. Or to empower your team to adjust your strategy so that your brand stays on the tip of everyone’s tongues more regularly—and positively. For example, PlayStation is one of the most followed brands on Twitter. With 24 million followers, the brand uses Twitter to engage with the gaming community and interact directly with gamers. This includes answering questions, giving purchase advice and highlighting new products. What makes PlayStation’s Twitter account so engaging is their posting frequency, use of high-quality graphics and media, effective hashtags and retweeting game profiles. Sentiment: When your brand name and related searches are mentioned, what’s the overall attitude? Is it within a positive context? Is there a common emotional response people have to it? Is there a common reason why people mention your brand? You can learn a lot about your brand’s perception based on the emotional weight of its mentions. Your reputation monitoring tool might also come with a word cloud to help you visualize this data. Once you have the data, you can analyze your customers’ behaviors and sentiments to not only make sure your marketing campaigns and social media presence are being perceived the way you’d like, but strategically grow your business. To illustrate, let’s look at Airbnb for an example. What started out as a vacation rental website has completely evolved into a multifaceted business model that now revolves around experiences . The company listened to their community and reshaped their brand identity based on the needs of their customers. Airbnb made this change holistically, paying attention to every detail of their branding efforts. Starting with their logo redesign, the brand is embodied by the Bélo , a symbol of their shared values, as they put it, “it’s a symbol that, like us, can belong wherever it happens to be.” Their clearly defined core brand values are deeply rooted in community and belonging. The brand uses its marketing channels to boost brand awareness and to solidify its reputation as an experience provider. They also don’t use social media to promote discounts and other special offers. Instead, they offer more experiential content, introducing followers to its hosts and their properties, talking up the activities they can do while there. Furthermore, Airbnb is consistent which only strengthens their reputation, and makes them a trustworthy business that continues to thrive on a global scale. 05. Improve the customer experience According to data from Microsoft , 58% of customers who feel like their experience falls short with a brand will sever their relationship with them. But it’s not just the lost business you should concern yourself with. Customers who’ve had a poor experience are much more likely to leave a public-facing review for a company than those who’ve had a good one. While potential and existing customers might not go searching for your employees’ reviews, they’re definitely going to seek out information on other customers’ experiences. A recent survey from ReviewTrackers found that 35% of consumers only consider doing business with brands that have an average star rating of 4 or higher, while 10% go straight for 5-star companies: Perhaps an even more powerful statistic from that survey is this: “94% of consumers say a bad review has convinced them to avoid a business.” Remember, all it takes is just one other person to have a poor experience with a company for others to decide they don’t want to do business with them. So, be prepared to manage your brand reputation before others do it for you. You can improve your customers’ experience—online, over the phone, on social channels and in person. And have a conflict resolution process in place, so you can try and resolve any dissatisfaction or negative feelings when a poor experience arises. Pro tip: It’s helpful to always be transparent about other customers’ experiences. Try to include user-generated content like product ratings, customer testimonials, customer success stories, shared posts and images of customers using your products, on your website and social media platforms. 06. Shape a great company culture If you follow your brand reputation strategy, it’s likely your company will grow beyond a one-person side hustle. Now that you have a team of helpers, remember that good things happen when companies promote a healthy and positive internal environment. By giving your team members meaningful work and empowering them to take charge of their professional lives, they become more confident and productive collaborators instead of just individual contributors. This can have a huge impact on your brand’s public reputation. One reason for this is the trickle-down effect. When employees feel more satisfied and fulfilled by their work, they take pride in what they do and, as a result, do better work. Even if your team isn’t totally customer-facing, the work they do will eventually get in front of your customers. Your social media writers, product designers and administrative team are responsible for making decisions and doing work that effectively shapes what your brand looks like to the public. So, you need all of it to be top-notch. Another reason why companies need to foster positive company culture is because it impacts internal brand reputation. Remember, it doesn’t take long for an internal brand reputation to be shared outward, especially on social media. Sites like Glassdoor or Indeed provide a glimpse of a company’s culture to prospective employees. The better your employees feel supported and proud of their work, the more positive influence it can have on your overall brand reputation. 07. Create a brand style guide People will start to form an opinion about your brand from the very first moment they encounter it—whether it’s when they enter your website for the first time, walk by your storefront, or see your Facebook ads. Their perception of your brand can change at any point throughout their relationship, too. As your company grows, ensure that your brand projects the same identity and message at all times and across all channels with internal documentation. Creating a brand style guide ensures that everyone on your team remains consistent when it comes to design choices, communication strategies, quality of customer service and so on. If you need a little inspiration, check out our list of brand style guide examples for companies that have both strong identities and powerful reputations. 08. Have a public relations team and/or process Ultimately, as your brand grows, it’s likely you’re going to want to hire a person or team that actively pursues opportunities to get your business positive headlines. For example, they might: Manage website and internal announcements related to awards and other accolades Submit press releases to a distribution platform like Newswire Contact local newspapers about major company developments Secure speaking engagements for your leaders at industry conferences By proactively putting your brand’s good name out there, a public relations representative can lay the foundation for public perception. You can also stay ahead of potential issues or mishaps. Just look how Wix handled an unfortunate naming mishap. When a pandemic sounds like your product , changes are inevitable. Wix took this blunder in stride, using humor and feedback from the developer community across social channels to rebrand into Velo . This is a lesson that every business, big or small, should keep in mind when debating the merits of a PR team. You can’t predict future events, but having a process ready to help you stay prepared for any challenge is truly invaluable. What does brand reputation involve? Brand reputation is the overall perception that the public has of a company or brand. It's shaped by a variety of factors, including the company's products or services, customer service, marketing and social media presence. A good brand reputation can lead to increased sales, customer loyalty and investor confidence. A bad brand reputation can lead to lost sales, customer churn and damage to the company's image. Here are some of the key factors that contribute to brand reputation: Product or service quality: The quality of a company's products or services is one of the most important factors that contribute to its brand reputation. If customers are satisfied with the quality of the products or services they purchase, they're more likely to have a positive perception of the company. Customer service: The quality of a company's customer service is also important for brand reputation. If customers have positive experiences with customer service, they're more likely to recommend the company to others. Marketing: A company's marketing can also influence its brand reputation. If a company's marketing is consistent with its brand values and resonates with its target audience, it can help to create a positive perception of the company. Social media presence: A company's social media presence can also play a role in brand reputation. If a company is active on social media and responds to customer inquiries in a timely and professional manner, it can help to build trust with its customers. Brand reputation FAQ What makes a good brand reputation? A good brand reputation is one that is positive, trustworthy and respected. It's built on a foundation of positive customer experiences, consistent brand messaging and a commitment to ethical business practices. How do you determine brand reputation? There are a number of ways to determine brand reputation. One way is to track online mentions of the brand, both positive and negative. Another way is to conduct surveys of customers and employees. You can also use brand reputation monitoring tools to track and analyze mentions of your brand across the web. How do you know if a brand has a good reputation? There are a number of signs that a brand has a good reputation. One sign is if the brand has a large and loyal customer base. Another sign is if the brand is frequently mentioned in the media in a positive light. Awards and accolades can also be a sign of a good brand reputation. What are examples of what goes into the reputation of a company? Products and services: The quality of a company's products and services is one of the most important factors that contribute to its brand reputation. If customers are satisfied with the quality of the products or services they purchase, they are more likely to have a positive perception of the company. Customer service: The quality of a company's customer service is also important for brand reputation. When customers have positive experiences with customer service, they are more likely to recommend the company to others. Corporate social responsibility: A company's corporate social responsibility initiatives, such as ethical sourcing, environmental sustainability practices and community involvement, can significantly enhance its brand reputation. How does a good brand reputation impact business success? There are a number of ways in which a good brand reputation can impact business success. One way is that it can attract new customers. Customers are more likely to do business with companies that they trust and respect. A good brand reputation can also lead to increased customer loyalty. Customers are more likely to continue doing business with companies that they have positive experiences with. For example, Apple is one of the most valuable brands in the world, known for its innovative products and its strong customer focus. What are the risks of a poor brand reputation? There are a number of risks associated with a poor brand reputation. One risk is that it can drive away customers. Customers are more likely to do business with companies that they trust and have confidence in. Another risk is that it can damage morale. Employees are more likely to be proud to work for companies with strong brand reputations. Finally, a poor brand reputation can lead to lost sales. Companies with bad reputations may struggle to attract new customers and retain existing ones. How can businesses repair a damaged brand reputation? There are a number of things that businesses can do to repair a damaged brand reputation. One thing is to identify the root cause of the problem. Another thing is to take steps to address the problem. Businesses should also be transparent about their efforts to repair their reputation. Finally, businesses should be patient. It takes time to rebuild trust and repair a damaged brand reputation.

  • How to write a brand manifesto (+ examples)

    Building a strong brand can take time. You have to first sort out your brand identity , create a logo , define your goals and then start spreading the word. But these days, consumers, employees and business partners want more from brands. They don’t just want to know that you have a top-quality offering—they want to know why your brand does what it does and what it stands for. A brand manifesto provides the answers to this question, and more. This article will explain what a brand manifesto is, why it matters for your branding efforts, and provide tips and brand identity examples for how to write one. What is a brand manifesto? A brand manifesto is a public declaration that explains the motivation behind a brand and what sort of change it hopes to affect through its mission. A manifesto isn’t supposed to just be an informative statement. It’s also a call-to-action meant to inspire others to unite around a shared cause, regardless of their relationship to your business. It’s this specific actionability that makes the manifesto different from, say, a mission or values statement. Let’s take a look at some strong brand manifesto statements. Best brand manifesto examples First, take a look at The Body Shop’s brand manifesto. Because of the short sentences and poem-like format, it reads more like a personal speech or an inspiring talk. It doesn’t have to be written in this structure, though it is a popular way of narrating a brand manifesto and inspiring others to join a cause or take action. The Body Shop begins by declaring their intention: “We have a lot to say, but the real backbone of The Body Shop is our manifesto. Read it, memorize it. Write it on your walls, on your bodies, send it to your friends. This is for all of us, and it’s a call to arms.” For another example, listen to a famous manifesto like the one featured in Apple’s “Think Different” ad . These examples deliver short, emotionally-driven sentences and big pauses, which gives each statement room to sink in before you move onto the next. Why a brand manifesto is important for your business When first outlining your company’s brand strategy , it requires a close examination of your mission and goals. In the end, you’ll have a powerful mission statement and an inspiring vision statement to share with the world. Manifestos aren’t just summaries of these statements, rather, they are a tool to amplify them to draw others to your cause. The driving force behind a brand manifesto is taking action and standing for something bigger than your brand. According to a study from Accenture Research , 63% [of customers] are buying goods and services based on companies that reflect their personal values and beliefs. Furthermore, 74% crave transparency into how companies source their products, ensure safe working conditions and their stance on important issues. Now more than ever, customers seek brands that uphold the same values and stand for something that’s meaningful to them. It’s not just customers that feel drawn to brands that share their values and causes. Brands can use their manifestos to connect with like-minded business partners and attract better, more devoted employees. How to write a brand manifesto Make it read like a story Tie your brand to the bigger mission Set your goal Add a call-to-action Speak in first and second person Stay consistent with brand tone Be authentic Look good 01. Make it read like a story In order to really get your point across and illustrate the purpose behind your brand, the first thing to do is jot down the answers to the following questions: What is your larger purpose in this world? What do you believe in and stand for? Why do you do what you do? What are your mission’s goals? Can you achieve your mission on your own? By answering these questions, you’ll have the major talking points for your manifesto. Next, start writing it. Your aim is to have something that feels and looks like a speech you might give at a conference or as a commencement address at a graduation. Depending on who your audience is, you can also try writing it as a letter. If you tackle it with the mindset that these are your words and not some ad or piece of marketing, the writing will flow more naturally. And the more conversational and honest it feels, the stronger the emotional impact it’ll have on whoever reads it. 02. Tie your brand to the bigger mission Remember: a brand manifesto is not the same thing as your mission statement, vision statement, or values. While you can certainly place them all on the same page of your website, you should create a separate manifesto. This is your chance to demonstrate how your brand is contributing to something more than its bottom line. Spire , for instance, is a global data and analytics company, and their brand manifesto briefly summarizes how its customers leverage predictive data related to the earth. But this is more than just an explanation of Spire’s offering. It demonstrates how its customers are empowered to, “address our planet’s toughest challenges with deliberate speed”. It then correlates their clients’ work with ways in which they’re helping to heal the planet: “Where economies flourish to support thriving families and safer communities. Where no child goes hungry, and no wild creature is driven to extinction.” It doesn’t matter what your brand’s mission is, be it big or small. It could be as simple as bringing more joy to people’s lives. Just as long as you let prospective customers know what you’re about and why they should invest time, energy, or money into your brand and your cause. 03. Set your goal This is a bit different from the goal-setting exercises you go through for your business. While it would be great if you could set a SMART goal for your brand manifesto, it’s not always possible. So work with what you have. For example, Dove’s manifesto/pledge has spelled out a number of measurable goals: Here are some of their promises and goals: “Our campaigns reflect the population’s diversity.” “Zero digital distortion of women.” “Educate 20 million more young people around the world on body confidence and self-esteem by 2020.” Don’t feel pressure to include numbers or unrealistic goals if you know they can’t be achieved or they weren’t what you set out to do. There are plenty of great brand manifesto examples that don’t do this. 04. Add a call-to-action A manifesto instills brand trust in customers and extends their loyalty around the business. It can also be used to attract employees and partners who want to fight for a similar cause and take an active role in contributing to it. Whoever your brand manifesto reaches, it should include a call-to-action. It doesn’t need to explicitly say “Join our cause!”, but the message of your manifesto should resonate so much with whoever reads it that they feel passionate enough to do something. To buy from you. To apply to work on your team. Or even donate to a shared passion or cause. Lesaffre Group ’s manifesto is a good example of an indirect call-to-action. Most of the manifesto explains the challenge of feeding billions of people and how fermentation is the solution to that potentially looming crisis. Towards the end of the manifesto is when Lesaffre suggests that it’s going to take more than them to fix the problem: “Today, microorganisms and ingredients constitute a new wide field to explore, to open up, and exciting boundaries to push. Faced with such challenges, we cannot progress alone. It is through our teams’ passion and commitment that we can enhance our partnerships.” At the bottom, it opens up it even further: “It is together with our customers, partners, researchers, and citizens that every day we reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms. This is the key to success.” This is a good way to handle it. It doesn’t feel forceful or preachy. It simply appeals to others who share their concerns and may be just as passionate about getting involved. 05. Speak in first and second person Listen to any TED Talk or commencement speech, and you’ll get a good sense for how a brand manifesto should sound. Those esteemed speakers don’t go on stage and talk about themselves in the third-person. They say “I” and “we” and they address the audience as a collective “you”. It’s not necessarily because they’re trying to be informal. They could very well be addressing a serious topic in a formal setting. However, it’s much easier to listen to a storyteller or lecturer when it sounds like a one-on-one conversation instead of a corporate document. Glo’s brand manifesto page is a good example because it shows you the contrast in language used for the vision and mission statements compared with the brand manifesto. At the top of their manifesto, Glo outlines the following: “VISION — A world that comes together to heal. MISSION — To connect people through self-care.” The manifesto is summed up as: “OUR WHY — We connect people through self-care so that, together, we can heal ourselves and our planet.” It then immediately jumps into the full manifesto, addressing the reader as “you, the seeker”. Without this kind of familiarity and warmth, it would be hard for readers to connect on an emotional level. 06. Stay consistent with brand tone Regardless of your brand manifesto’s style, it should always maintain the same tone and carry your brand voice throughout. Consistency is key and should be considered for the words you choose, and the overall visual identity of your brand. With a clear brand style guide you can outline all of your brand assets , including your manifesto in one definitive place. Here’s a great example of brand consistency in Moleskine’s manifesto . Moleskine creates paper and writing products. Its brand manifesto is clearly representative of this. For starters, the image on the right is the perfect visual representation of the beauty of handwriting. The written manifesto itself has an artist’s flair: “​​We celebrate the solemn, thoughtful and meditative gesture of the pen gliding across a blank page; the romance of crafting a personal story to record a lifelong memory and leave a distinguishing mark in all its unique beauty.” It’s not every day that you find two statements paired together with a semicolon on a web page. This is a more popular linguistic tool in narrative writing than copywriting. Small details like these that communicate a lot about who you are and what you want to accomplish will make a big difference in how your brand manifesto is received. 07. Be authentic At the core of your brand manifesto, authenticity and transparency are key. It is an opportunity to shed light on your brand’s motivations and enable your customers to get a thorough understanding. For example, we know from Accenture’s report that 62% of consumers want brands to have a cultural, social, political, or environmental cause they’re invested in. But you can’t force your brand to tout any cause, especially if it has nothing to do with your business. Nor should you jump on a cause just because it’s trendy to do so at the moment. Let’s use the example of Opal , a digital mindfulness app. Their brand manifesto highlights the pros and cons of spending time online and, specifically, in apps. This is the problem Opal set out to address with its distraction-blocking app. The manifesto takes it a step further: “Every one of us deserves control over our lives — and our time. With more control over how we spend our time, we can become our best selves. Whether that is a better friend, lover, parent, musician, financier, athlete, or chef, that is up to us. When we take back control over our screens, we will have a powerful tool to fulfill our potential each and every day.” While Opal addresses the negatives of excessive app use, it doesn’t take its manifesto to an unrelated extreme, like advocating for an end to online bullying. It stays within the realm of what it does and what it’s capable of doing. Again, if you’re feeling the pressure of trying to set a lofty goal, just look at the examples we’ve shown you today. These companies have written brand manifestos and selected causes that are well within the realm of possibility. Stick to what you can do and what you’re truly passionate about and others will follow you. 08. Look good Now that you’ve crafted the perfect brand manifesto, spend some time making it look as good as it sounds. Keeping things aligned with your brand style guide , which includes your brand colors and typography scheme, will make your manifesto not only aesthetically pleasing, but also consistent. For an example of a brand manifesto that is effectively designed, Kia’s manifesto includes a one-minute video version at the top of the page. The rest of the page carries on with the story, explaining how movement inspires ideas. The large font size, strong color contrast, bolding of critical phrases, and the spacing between paragraphs all contribute to a good reading experience. Learn about the color theory and why it's an important practice to instill in your branding. Brand manifesto vs. mission statement A brand manifesto and a mission statement are both strategic documents that articulate the purpose, values and goals of a company, but they serve different purposes and often have distinct tones and styles. A brand manifesto is a narrative-driven, emotionally charged expression of a brand's identity and aspirations. Through vivid language, it tells a compelling story to create an emotional connection with customers, capturing not just what the brand does but why it exists. It fosters loyalty and identification, resonating on a personal level. In contrast, a mission statement is a concise, strategic articulation of an organization's purpose and direction. It provides a clear framework for internal stakeholders, guiding decision-making and goal-setting. While relevant externally, its primary focus is on internal alignment, serving as a compass for employees and management to achieve the organization's objectives. Together, a brand manifesto evokes emotions and tells a story, while a mission statement is a pragmatic guide to fulfill an organization's purpose.

  • What is brand management and why it matters

    Iconic brand designer Walter Landor once said, "Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind." This memorable phrase perfectly encapsulates the core value behind brand management and the impact it can have on your business. Rooted in emotion and experience, branding goes way beyond the tangible products you’re selling. Each touchstone, from the way your logo design and your website to your interactions with customers, shapes the perception of your brand. As you’ll see in this article, outlining a strategic plan that not only distinguishes your brand, but raises its brand equity, is the key to successful brand management. In a market flooded with choices, effective brand management will ensure that consumers will not only think of your product first, but prefer it to competitors, ultimately becoming your loyal customers. Making it as relevant today as it was in 1896 when the J Walter Thompson advertising company first began to develop it as a concept. What is brand management? Creating a brand takes time, energy and a deep understanding of your target market. Brand management refers to the relationship with that target audience, and the efforts to nurture and maintain it. Brand management involves an ongoing process of evaluating brand perception and understanding how to influence it. By increasing the perceived value of your product or service, this enables you to foster brand trust, gain loyal customers and enhance brand awareness. While you can’t control the way people will react to your brand, you can anticipate it. Successful brand management requires strategy, research and analysis to not only cultivate positive brand equity, but sustain it. You can learn from the responses of audiences to improve your offering, stay ahead of potential issues and improve your brand reputation in an honest and authentic way. With this in mind, it is important to recognize the full scope of brand management and the role it plays in all of your marketing strategies—from your marketing management, to your marketing communication, to knowledge management and your overall macromarketing efforts. Anyone who comes into contact with your brand, be it customers, stakeholders, employees, social media followers and even competitors, will create their own associations based on how you manage it. Read also: The dead internet theory and how it might impact your brand management approach One of the leading philosophies on brand management comes from the renowned marketing professor and consultant, Philip Kotler. He asserts that brand management should be centered around the idea that a brand is essentially a promise to a customer and the company behind a brand, has a responsibility to fulfill that promise. According to Kotler, a strong brand should clearly differentiate itself from its competitors by offering unique value to their customers. He also believes that understanding customer needs is an essential part of creating a strong brand image and reputation. Brand management should be a long term process, with a clear target audience, a unique brand positioning and a consistent brand message. Kotler encourages companies to regularly and consistently review and change their brand strategy, based on what market and consumer behavior is telling us. Kotler also stresses the importance of a strong brand strategy in order to effectively manage a brand over the long term. This includes defining the brand's target audience, creating a unique brand positioning and developing a consistent brand message. He also encourages companies to regularly review and adjust their brand strategy in response to changes in the market and consumer behavior. This helps companies deliver on their brand promise consistently and over the long term. Brand management vs. marketing Brand management and marketing are related but distinct disciplines within the field of marketing. Marketing focuses on promoting and selling products or services to target audiences. Brand management on the other hand is specifically concerned with building and maintaining a strong brand identity and reputation. Within these distinct spheres, marketing includes a range of activities aimed at attracting customers and increasing sales. These might include advertising, promotions, sales, pricing and product development. It also involves researching target audiences as well as competitive analysis and market segmentation. Brand management includes defining the brand's target audience, creating a unique brand positioning, developing a consistent brand message and managing the various touch points through which customers interact with the brand. Both are important for the success of a company, but they serve different purposes and require unique skills and expertise. Why brand management matters Think of your brand as a garden. You dig the earth, plant the seeds, water it and watch it grow. However, in order for your plants to flourish, you must give them adequate sunlight, constant care and attention. With nurturing and support, your garden will thrive and blossom. Just as you wouldn’t leave a seedling unattended and expect it to grow, you can’t expect a new brand to have instant followers and loyal customers without time and effort. This is exactly what brand management represents and why it is so important. By putting in the work and managing your brand, there are endless opportunities and benefits such as: Developing brand awareness which also leads eventually to improve brand valuation. Building brand trust and a larger, more reliable customer base. Cultivating a loyal customer base and at the same time increasing both customer engagement and satisfaction for and with better customer relationship management. Positively impacting consumers purchasing decisions and increasing market share for a competitive advantage. Driving prices and boosting sales which leads to increased revenue and profit Increasing brand equity and a stronger corporate identity both amongst customers and employees. This in turn leads to increased employee retention and stronger internal collaboration. Great brands take years to not only grow but to become established in their industry. Take a look at some leading brands like Apple, Coca-Cola and Nike that have secured their brand identity through purposeful and authoritative efforts, and continuous brand management. It is because of this ingenuity, creativity and relevance that these brands have earned their place within their respective markets, but also in the hearts and minds of consumers. Brand management basics In order to successfully manage a brand, there are a few rudimentary principles that you must understand. Regardless of your industry, the marketing landscape is always changing and evolving. By mastering these core ideas and elements of brand management, your brand can withstand the changes and grow in stride. Brand equity Brand equity represents the value of a product in the minds of customers. It can be measured through awareness, and the way consumers perceive your brand. An increase in the perceived value of a product is a gain in brand equity. On the other hand, negative perception can have an adverse influence. It all boils down to understanding the way in which the public sees your brand. And the way you want them to perceive your brand may not always be aligned with what they actually think. By receiving feedback, listening to opinions and collecting data, you will gain meaningful insights into how your brand is perceived, and discover if and how it can improve. If two companies are both selling vegan sneakers, but one charges more for a similar product, we can assume that the more expensive brand has better brand equity than their competitor, which justifies the higher price. That’s because with positive sentiment, your brand becomes more valuable. This will drive the prices of your products and services, ultimately impacting the overall valuation of your brand within the market and in the eyes of potential investors and stakeholders. Brand recognition You know how when you see certain logos, you instantly recognize the brands they represent? Even without seeing the name or brand colors—a logo on its own can trigger your memory and associations with a brand. That is an encounter known as brand recognition , and it’s a highly coveted aspect of brand management. Brand recognition is what makes consumers choose one product over another, regardless of price or availability. One key to developing powerful and lucrative brand recognition is consistency. Having distinct visual and non-visual brand guidelines will create cohesiveness and ensure that your brand can be recognized from any platform or channel. Brand loyalty Loyalty in any scenario is all about fostering trust, and when it comes to branding, nothing could be truer. Customers who trust your brand and have positive experiences with it will develop powerful associations, which ultimately will make them loyal to your brand. Brand loyalty is build upon many of the same building blocks of attachment theory. We know that consumers can form emotional bonds with brands similar to the attachment bonds formed during childhood. In other words, consumers can become attached to a brand and view it as a source of comfort, security and trust. You can foster brand attachment through consistent and positive interactions between your brand and customer. A brand that consistently meets the needs and expectations of its target audience can create a sense of reliability. When a brand is associated with positive emotions and experiences, consumers are more likely to form a strong attachment to it and then to buy from it. Similarly, brands can also evoke feelings of anxiety or discomfort if they do not meet the expectations of their audience. Negative experiences or inconsistent messaging can erode consumer trust and attachment to a brand. By understanding attachment theory, you can create strategies to foster brand attachment and loyalty instead. With loyalty comes an emotional connection that drives consumers decision-making and leads them to repeat their purchases, regardless of competitors, even ones that offer similar products at lower prices. Brand loyalty is incredibly influential, and is supported by word-of-mouth marketing (WOM) , where customers genuinely share their experiences and refer prospective consumers to your brand. Furthermore, brand loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing can lead to social media attention, trends, user-generated content and online reviews, all of which support your branding efforts without spending extra money. This builds a sense of community and inclusivity, leading you and consumers to commit to a long-term relationship together. Brand reputation “You can’t buy a good reputation: you must earn it,” says author and businessman Harvey Mackay. In fact, some argue that your reputation is everything—even more important and valuable than the brand itself. Oftentimes, your reputation precedes your products, where potential customers hear about your brand before using it. Again, word-of-mouth marketing plays a huge role here. Whether it’s a personal brand or service brand, your reputation is important regardless of which type of branding you are working with. Brand reputation comes from each and every aspect of your business, from the products themselves to the packaging, the price and the customer’s experience of using them. To uphold a good brand reputation, it’s important to look at the big picture, and the impact of each of your branding decisions. This is particularly relevant for any contributor—whether it is your brand manager, graphic designer or sales representative—they all must be able to holistically represent your brand throughout all of your marketing channels. Brand management strategies Manage your brand assets From your website and brand colors , to your customer service, each of your branding assets are intertwined while playing their own unique role. One of the keys to great brand management is understanding the nuances of these and the interplay between these online and offline resources. Some examples include: Website Brand Name Logo Brand Colors Typography Slogan or catchphrase Business cards Packaging Signage Billboards Advertising campaigns Graphic design language and messaging Social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn Iconography Customer support Emails Thought leadership efforts and content Mascot Videos Email Brand ambassadors Trademarks Successful brand management requires the creation and maintenance of these specific assets, and ensuring that every member of your team understands your brand’s visual language, voice and personality. By creating clear and well-defined brand assets, you enable and encourage your entire team to support your brand management efforts. Develop strong brand strategy Having a clearly defined brand strategy will not only map out your goals, but lead you to reach them. A brand strategy is like a roadmap that guides the branding process and sets the course for each element along the way. This includes setting your purpose, defining your core values and outlining your vision and mission statements. Your brand strategy trickles down to each touchstone of your business and connects them in a cohesive and meaningful way, making it easier to manage as it grows. Maintain brand consistency As we’ve already mentioned, consistency is key. And in regard to brand management, making sure that all your brand assets are aligned will ensure that your brand identity is clear to anyone who interacts with your brand. Whether somebody walks into your storefront, purchases a product online, interacts with your customer service or follows your Twitter account, they should always sense that these experiences are consistently “on-brand”. Maintaining brand consistency should be included within your brand asset management processes. Find brand extension opportunities As your brand grows and gains momentum within your respective market, you may find opportunities to stretch your offering. Known as brand extension , this refers to brands using their established name, reputation and clout to develop new products. These products might fall into a similar category, or at other times be vastly different from one another. Regardless, keep in mind that strong brand equity is an essential prerequisite for brand extensions, as it helps gain credibility based on existing trust. Be careful, however, as venturing too far from your brand consistency may lead to brand dilution . Establish an authentic brand culture Brand culture is like the unwritten rule book that governs a brand, and it’s values. The culture of a brand is, of course, rooted in its brand identity, but reveals itself through every experience and interaction it produces. It is like the soul of the brand, and can be felt throughout every touch point. A great brand culture encourages prospective employees to join you and gives current employees a sense of pride and belonging. If your brand culture is purposefully integrated and aligned with your brand identity, it will encourage your employees to act unquestionably in a way that supports its values and promises to customers. Measure brand perception How do you know if your brand is succeeding? Is it possible to grasp if your brand’s messaging resonates with your target audience in the right tone of voice? Do your employees recommend your products or services? Monitoring, analyzing, questioning and learning are all vital components of strong brand management. If your brand’s core values are not properly conveyed, or if its visual assets miss the mark, then identifying these issues is just as important. That’s a good reason why continuously changing your brand identity to stay “on-trend” can work against you. The best recommendation is to measure your brand perception every six months to a year to understand if people perceive it the way you intend. This way, you can be sure that as your business evolves, it will remain in tune with your brand promise and overall goals. Choose the right brand management method Essentially brand management can be sewn throughout all of your marketing strategies and efforts, from advertising to social media marketing and everything in between. Here are a few strategies that can help take your brand management to the next level and reach more potential customers at the same time: Targeted advertising Viral marketing Influencer marketing Content marketing Organizational structure and executive education Internal communication Reputation management How to track brand management Tracking brand management will depend very much on your specific goals for it, and how you plan to go about building and increasing it. In general however there are a few key points to keep in mind when deciding how to track your efforts: Define your KPIs. What are the main metrics you wish to track to achieve your goals? Is it brand awareness, increased sales or something else, including important business analytics metrics? These performance indicators should be clear, relevant, measurable and trackable. Choose your analytics tools. This includes those relevant for social media analytics. There are a number of free and paid tools available, depending on what you want to track, Google Analytics is just one example of a way to measure website traffic, where it's coming from and how users are interacting with your brand assets. Monitor brand mentions. This can be done through your social support team, if you have one or with specific social tracking tools. Essentially it involves counting the number of times your brand is mentioned online, and can sometimes delve deeper into if these mentions are positive or negative. Conduct surveys . Go direct to the source and ask your customers what they think of your product, service and brand. These can be very insightful in terms of whether your brand management is hitting the mark or not. Track your competitors . They have the same audience, maybe the exact same product or service, so how they manage their brand is relevant to you. What works for them, what doesn't and how can you build on this or avoid their mistakes. Regularly assess your brand management efforts. Never stop assessing what you are doing, to make sure of its impact and be confident with pivoting in another direction if something isn't working. This can help prioritize resource allocation and make sure you're meeting return on investment goals. What is a brand manager? While the exact role may vary from company to company, essentially a brand manager is a professional who is responsible for overseeing and managing a company's brand and its associated products or services. Their main goal is to build and maintain a strong, consistent brand image and reputation that resonates with target audiences and differentiates the brand from competitors. While the specific tasks and responsibilities of a brand manager may vary depending on the company, industry and size of the brand, some of their common duties may include: Developing and implementing brand strategy : The brand manager is responsible for creating and executing a long-term plan for the brand that includes defining target audiences, creating a unique brand positioning and developing a consistent brand message. Conducting market research : Brand managers conduct market research to understand customer needs and preferences, as well as gather information about the competition and industry trends. Overseeing advertising and promotion campaigns : The role of a brand manager will likely involve responsibility for creating and executing advertising and promotion campaigns that effectively promote the brand and its products or services to target audiences. Managing product development : Brand managers may work with product development teams to create new products that align with the brand's strategy and resonate with audiences. Monitoring brand performance : Often a brand manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the brand and its products or services and making data-driven decisions to improve brand performance over time. Protecting the brand's reputation: Brand managers are generally responsible for ensuring that their brand's reputation remains positive and that they're consistent in their messaging and interactions with customers. Brand management companies Small businesses can hire brand management agencies to help them increase brand awareness, stay on top of the latest industry trends and even complete a rebrand. To find qualified branding or design experts, check out the Wix Marketplace to hire freelancers who can assist with brand management. Brand management courses If you choose to do brand management in house, try taking a brand management course. These educational institutions offer online courses from leading professionals. The courses range from introductory level (basics of brand management) to more advanced topics like strategic brand management: Coursera University of London LinkedIn Udemy Cornell University EdX Brand management software After you've learned the basics of brand management, use a SaaS tool to manage your overall branding strategy and related campaigns. Some trusted software includes: Wix Hootsuite Brand24 Oktopost Asset Bank Confluence Brand management examples Pepsi In 1975, Pepsi created a nationwide marketing campaign, known as “ the Pepsi Challenge ,” to increase brand awareness and foster brand recognition. The challenge was a simple blind taste test open to the public across the country. Participants were blindfolded and tasted each cup containing Pepsi or its competitor Coca Cola, and asked to choose their preferred drink. Decades later, the Pepsi Challenge remains a strong ongoing marketing strategy for the soft drink company, and has been featured on TV ads and social media under hashtag PepsiChallenge. Southwest Airlines In 2014, Southwest Airlines unveiled a brand management strategy to promote its heritage, history and personality. They wanted their customers to feel proud about flying Southwest Airlines. In turn, the company brightened its color palette to “bold blue,” “warm red” and “sunrise yellow,” and worked the hues into new uniforms and logo iterations, as well as remodeled its airport gates. Hallmark Hallmark are a prime example of a large corporation who have built an authentic and relatable brand story based on their humble origins. For a company who sells greeting cards and gifts, that emotional connection is crucial to their branding. "Our story begins in 1910, when 18-year-old Joyce Clyde Hall stepped off a train in Kansas City, Mo., with nothing but two shoeboxes of postcards under his arm. He had little money – not even enough to take a horse-drawn cab to his lodgings at the YMCA – but he had an entrepreneurial spirit and the determination of a pioneer. Hall quickly made a name for himself with the picture postcards he sold." - Hallmark Starbucks For a large brand such as Starbucks, consistency across their shops and franchises has been essential to their brand management efforts. Maintaining a consistent and high level of service and product quality across thousands of global coffee shops is instrumental to their success.

  • 9 examples of brand extension done right

    When it comes to branding, every detail matters. From something seemingly small like how you create a logo to something much more expansive like your overall aesthetic, each component shapes perception and expresses your brand message. So, what happens when a brand dips its toes into a new product that’s a leap from its initial offering? If done right, it can propel a brand forward and help to expand the business. Known as brand extension, it's the process of growing your brand to include new services or products—or stretch into a new industry. In this article, we’ll explain what brand extension means with a clear definition, describe the different types that exist and go over a few real-world examples of good (and not-so-good) brand extensions. What is brand extension? Brand extension, also called brand stretching, is a marketing strategy companies use to apply their recognizable brand name to a new product or service. Even if consumers aren’t familiar with the new offering, they’ll know and trust the brand name enough to try it. Ideally, this method works best when brands release products or services that are parallel to the ones they already offer. Still, there have been instances of brands successfully branching out into completely different territories. One of the goals of brand extension is to reach new customers by launching a new product with the goal of increasing growth and profits for a company. Brand extensions allow companies to leverage the success of their existing branding efforts to promote a new offering rather than build a brand from scratch. Types of brand extensions The type of brand extension you use should be based on what you’re hoping to achieve, your current branding and your customers’ needs. These are five different brand extension possibilities that you can consider: Line extension A line extension is one of the most straightforward brand extension examples and involves a brand launching a product that would already be familiar to its audience. The product in this type of extension would fall in the same category as the company’s current offerings, making them easy to market to their existing clients. For example, a haircare brand that has shampoos might create a line extension for new products that are for colored hair, thinning hair, or curly hair. Complementary product extension Similar to a line extension, a complementary product extension, also called a companion product extension, is when a brand releases a new product that complements its initial product. For example, Colgate, a toothpaste company, released toothbrushes as a new product. It’s not out of the question that someone buying Colgate toothpaste in a store would also pick up a new toothbrush from an oral hygiene brand they’re familiar with. Customer-based extension In this type of extension, a brand might focus on a single demographic of their clientele and expand their products based on their needs. Existing brand loyalty makes this ideal for a company that wants to offer its customers a wider range of products. Apple’s dedicated and loyal customer base helps the brand continuously release products that it knows will appeal to those same clients. Company expertise extension When the public deems a brand or company an expert in their industry, they might want to branch out into new offerings that still fall under their area of authority. Think of the Beats By Dre headphones. The brand became known for its stylish and quality over-ear headphones, so when the company released other products, like earbuds and speakers, customers trusted the brand’s expertise in the audio field enough to be confident in purchasing the new items. Brand lifestyle extension For a brand that relies on the lifestyle and culture it promotes, a brand extension can take an unexpected turn in terms of the category of products it offers, so long as it still fits with the brand’s portrayed values or distinct way of living. Jeep’s customers know the company as an outdoorsy and adventurous brand. While tents, knives, bicycles, and other camping gear releases may be a far cry from cars, they are aligned with the company’s projected lifestyle. Advantages of brand extensions There are many reasons why brand extensions can be beneficial, so the reasons for pursuing an extension are different depending on a company’s goal. New audience : Brand extensions can get your brand in front of new audiences, which will usually result in growing your overall customer base and increasing sales. Financial gain : Aside from creating new opportunities to earn more money, brands also tend to save money on marketing expenses and brand management with extensions. Since customers already recognize the brand, companies won’t need to spend extra money to cultivate brand awareness and can instead focus on promoting the new product itself. Brand trust : From the consumer’s perspective, they’re more likely to try a new product from a brand that they know and trust. Expanding a brand’s current offerings to include new items that make sense with its existing products can improve your company’s image in the eyes of its customers. The combination of brand trust and loyalty between the consumer and the parent company in addition to the convenience you provide by offering new products can really work to revive a brand’s image. Improved brand image : By leveraging a trusted brand name and persona, brands can improve perception and overall image to both existing and potential customers. Brand extensions can help to reinforce brand associations. Brand revival : Sometimes brands need a refresh, and rolling out a new product or service can breathe new life into a business. It can also work to generate buzz or bring attention to a brand looking to reach new customers. Disadvantages of brand extensions While the advantages of brand extensions are worth the investment, if not done correctly, the extension can negatively affect your company. Here are a few potential disadvantages of brand extensions: Loss of reliability : A brand extension can actually harm your brand reputation if the new offerings don’t relate to or perform as well as existing offerings. Failed brand extensions can also lead to brand dilution . Negative impact on brand image : If a brand rolls out a subpar product or service compared to their original offering, it may negatively impact the core brand’s image. Competitive barriers : It can be difficult for brand extensions to gain traction and overtake existing competitors in an oversaturated space. That’s not to say you shouldn’t try and expand your brand if you have the opportunity. Just be sure to consider all the possibilities before launching a brand extension. Rather than going to market right away with a new product, focus first on your customers’ needs and your brand identity . 9 brand extension examples to learn from The best way to learn how to apply brand extensions to your own company is to see how well-known brands do it. Not all the examples on this list are successful brand extensions; some show how brand extensions can go wrong so that you can avoid making the same mistakes. Apple Dove Michelin Food Network Virgin Dyson Google Colgate Amazon 01. Apple Apple started as a company that makes computers but became a trillion-dollar company through calculated brand extensions. It strategically considered its existing products and market needs before introducing new products and services. As digital music files went mainstream, people needed music devices to listen to them, hence the iPod’s invention. Then, the iPod evolved into the iPhone to fulfill the market need for a reliable and functional smartphone. The company further capitalized on its market saturation by releasing accessories and technologies that complement the iPhone, like Airpods and the Apple Watch. 02. Dove After successfully marketing to women for decades, Dove decided to extend its brand to include men. The personal care company created the Men+Care line and developed a marketing plan that was geared toward men while staying true to its body-positivity brand values. Men+Care was a simple brand extension that helped Dove become the most popular male skincare brand in the US. 03. Michelin What do tires and fine dining have in common? Not much. That’s what makes Michelin’s brand extension so impressive. In the early days of cars, society perceived driving as a luxury. To sell more tires, the Michelin brothers had to get more people on the road. So, they launched a guide of notable hotels and restaurants for motorists to stop on their journeys. The company initially distributed a few thousand copies of the guide for free. Today, Michelin has sold millions of copies of its guides and is the de facto decider of the world’s best restaurants. This brand extension was an undeniable risk, but with some out-of-the-box thinking, the Michelin successfully expanded into an entirely different industry. 04. Food Network Food Network pivoted from entertainment to consumer goods when the network partnered with Kohl’s to create a cookware line. While this brand extension could have been risky, the partnership was successful. The Food Network understood that its audience’s interest in cooking extended beyond the desire to watch its shows, and that they would be potential customers for new products. 05. Virgin Group Virgin Atlantic began in the seventies as a record store and has grown to include several subsidiaries in travel, food, hospitality, consumer goods and more. The common denominator between all of Virgin’s products was its portrayal of a lifestyle that interrupts the status quo. While this worked for some products, it didn’t work for everything—Virgin Cola, for example, was a bust. 06. Dyson You might not have thought that a vacuum cleaner producer would start selling hair dryers, but Dyson did just that. The company deftly handled a brand extension into sleek home products such as fans and humidifiers. With Dyson’s branding as an innovative producer of sleek, high-quality appliances, its upscale customer base embraced the hair dryer with open arms. 07. Google Where would we be without Google? (Still asking Jeeves, probably.) The tech giant began as a search engine in 1998 and now owns multiple products that make our lives and work that much easier. Google’s brand extension journey naturally aligns with technological advances, but this makes Google’s foray into other products so innovative. The search engine brand launched Gmail in 2004, paving the way for further brand extensions. Google Drive, Google Docs and Google Hangouts are just a few of the additional products Google owns today. Back in 1998, it might have seemed strange for a search engine to offer digital business tools, but as Google advanced, it made sense for the company to offer these products to its audience, too. 08. Colgate Attempting to pull its own Michelin stunt, Colgate, known for its toothpaste, attempted to jump into a new industry in the 1980s: food. Colgate inexplicably began offering frozen dinners. Needless to say, it failed. Its brand extension into toothbrushes, on the other hand, was very successful. Considering that toothpaste and toothbrushes make more sense together than toothpaste and lasagna, it was a much easier hill to climb. 09. Amazon Amazon is a great example of a brand with humble beginnings that expanded its offerings to become an industry giant. What began as an online book retailer in 1994 has transformed into a one-stop online shop. While Amazon’s expanded product offerings qualify as brand extensions, their acquisitions made it the multi-billion dollar company it is today. Today, the behemoth owns MGM, Whole Foods Market, Zappos, Audible and IMDB.

  • Brand awareness: a comprehensive guide (+ examples)

    Have you ever wondered why Pfizer sponsors the Oscars? Or why companies like Coca-Cola still spend millions of dollars on ad campaigns despite being one of the most famous products in the world? The answer is brand awareness. In today’s competitive market, strong brand awareness can help a business’s communications stand out amid a bombardment of advertising. Whereas in the past, traditional advertising and marketing efforts worked fine enough, customers have shifted their priorities. Brands have to innovate and meet their audience in the right way, at the right time. As Dazed Media’s 2031 A Future World Report finds, “Now that anyone can be a brand, the lines have blurred. The masses hold the real power, and traditional brands are struggling to control the narrative they once had the monopoly on.” With this in mind, more businesses of all sizes want to strategically approach their target audience, engage them with the right tools and create enough returning customers to build a recognizable, consistent brand. This guide will give you practical insight into how you can increase your brand awareness. Start with the basics, like designing a website, developing your brand’s social media presence or perfecting your logo design . We’ll cover the following: What is brand awareness? Why is brand awareness important? How to build brand awareness How to increase brand awareness How to measure brand awareness Brand awareness examples What is brand awareness? Brand awareness is a broad term that refers to how familiar your target audience is with your brand. Brand awareness kicks off the customer journey through the brand funnel and touches all five parts: awareness, consideration, preference, action and loyalty. Many companies strive to make their brand name synonymous with the products or services they offer and stay top-of-mind for current or potential customers. Brand awareness is a long game, but one that increases your brand’s visibility and memorability in ways other marketing cannot. Strategically using your brand colors , logo design or catchy slogan can amplify your brand message and keep you top of mind when consumers make decisions. McDonald’s golden arches or Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan both exemplify long-running brand awareness campaigns. These small brand elements cause most people to crave a burger or contemplate whether they need a new pair of sneakers. Why is brand awareness important? Strong brand awareness means more people are familiar with your business—an important step towards becoming the go-to in your field. But building brand recognition goes beyond attracting customers and increasing trust in your products or services. The main advantages of increasing your brand awareness include: Bringing in first-time customers: New customers will often try products they recognize over an unknown brand. In fact, 59% of shoppers prefer to buy new products from the brands they trust. And since brand awareness is considered the initial stage of the marketing funnel, you can think of it like a wide net which is cast across a sea of potential buyers. Once you hook them, it guides them through the funnel, towards the buying decision and ultimately, results in brand loyalty. Gain credibility: Building your credibility can positively affect consumer decisions. If you’ve established brand trust, your brand is likely to have a greater impact on audiences in order to gain influence on issues related to your business or industry. People connect more to brands that have a purpose, fostering even more customer loyalty and brand equity . As RazorFish finds, this notion has intensified since the pandemic, which has changed the way people think about brands and their missions and values. As Nicolas Chidiac, brand strategy lead at Razorfish, shares: “Most brands have jumped on the purpose bandwagon, but few actively drive it forward. We’re at the peak of purpose washing, and it’s imperative that brands not only clearly communicate their purpose, but authentically put it into practice in everything they do. Brands are beyond the ‘why’ and are struggling with the ‘how’ to follow through and tie purpose to performance.” Charge more for products and services: Recognition as a trustworthy brand helps loyal customers and potential shoppers pick you over the competition. With many businesses solely operating online, trust is worth more than ever. You can—and should—charge more for peace of mind. Attract high quality employees and partners: As you build your brand recognition, more people will jump at the chance to work with you. This means you’ll attract higher quality employees and partner with bigger, more-respected businesses. Expand your business: A brand’s recognition and respectability carries over from the initial product or service you provide to what your business does in the future. When you want to expand into new markets or introduce new products—greater brand awareness will help you transition, since you'll already have a pool of customers who trust you. How to build brand awareness You can’t achieve brand awareness with a one-off project. The process includes several campaigns, social media activity, collaborations and more. Let’s start with the basics of building a brand and asserting your presence and relevance. Take note of these foundational practices when you build your brand recognition: Develop your brand identity These days, customers want to interact with a brand they can connect with on an emotional or intellectual level just like they would a person—brands that have vibrant personalities, ethical values, a sense of humor and a specific tone of voice. Choose a brand archetype and develop your brand identity to find this voice, personality and story. With so many options out there, shoppers choose to buy products from businesses that reflect their values. So don’t hesitate to highlight your social, economical or environmental ideals. Customers have also realized their purchases can change the world. People feel strongly about these issues and you can tap into that emotion. Be authentic on and offline As a McKinsey report found, 42% of millennials and Gen Z consumers cited purpose as the primary factor in changing brands. For example, these consumers based their decision on whether a company shares their values and if they treat their employees well. Authenticity sets the foundation for honest communication and helps both current and prospective customers build emotional connections to your brand. Highlight your brand purpose’s upfront to show both internal and external stakeholders what your brand believes in and values. Be active on social media After creating your brand’s identity, get your message out to the public. In the past, brands used billboards, magazine ads and TV commercials to communicate with audiences, but today most interactions happen online. We especially interact with brands on social media, where close to half of the world’s population spends an average of over 2 hours a day . People now expect brands to use social media. Most customers will even go so far as to look up your business and contact you on your social media channels, rather than through your website, email or phone. Unlike other media outlets, social media embodies a more casual environment, which makes it a great place to use your authentic brand voice. People will come to your accounts to interact with your brand. Use social channels such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok to broadcast your brand’s personality (your choice depends on your market, of course). Take the time to post new content, create social media graphics , interact with other brands and engage your audience. Customers expect a timely response when reaching out on social media, so actively respond as soon as possible. Create fresh content According to Marketing Interactive , most Gen Z and Millennial consumers find digital customer experiences even more important than in-person experiences when building trusted brand relationships. The goal with building brand awareness is to generate a buzz around your brand, so give your audience new content that will entice them to engage and share with their friends. Creating content that audiences will share achieves two goals: It brings more attention to your brand by spreading it to a wider audience and also promotes positive recognition. In the future, audiences will likely interact with a brand with familiar content than an unknown business. How to increase brand awareness Now that you understand the foundations of brand awareness, let’s look at how to increase brand awareness . Remember, whichever method you choose, always meet your audience in their most-frequented spaces and use language that speaks to them. This will lead to more authentic communication in every context. Produce interesting videos Design infographics Make memes Create a blog Collaborate with other brands Use influencer marketing Sponsorships Start a podcast or curate a playlist Offer free products or services Use referral programs Increase traffic to your website using SEO Create personalized email and social media campaigns Leverage story telling Try NFTs 01. Produce interesting videos Videos make for great, shareable content across all platforms. You can add videos to your website and post them to your social media channels, too. Many brands will also start a YouTube channel as an outlet for brand awareness campaigns. Some ideas for video content include: tutorials, breaking down different trends, or hosting panel discussions about topics related to your business. Tip: Use the Wix video maker to craft relevant and engaging video content. Try a mix of long- and short- form content to see what your audience connects with. 02. Design infographics Infographics can both tell a story and provide on-brand visuals in an easily shareable format. Your audience will likely share content with appealing infographic colors on social media, increasing your brand awareness. Don’t forget to design it using your brand’s aesthetic and visual identity —and of course, slap on your logo to show ownership. 03. Make memes Memes are no longer only for internet trolls and college students. You can now use this legitimate marketing tool to your branding advantage. For the most part, memes bring across a short, funny or witty message. They have the potential to go viral, but don’t require a large design budget. 04. Create a blog Creating a blog can add to your brand awareness, foster trust and provide shareable content all in one package. Blog posts are a digital marketing staple—in fact, blogs are one of the few outlets for long-form marketing content. It gives your brand a chance to share expertise, curate thought leadership and meaningfully make your mark. When writing a blog post, keep in mind that interesting, informative articles perform the best. Many successful brands consistently add new content to their website’s blog. If you properly invest in your blog, your customers will come to see it as a knowledge source—potentially even one that impacts their purchasing decisions. 05. Collaborate with other brands Collaborations between brands who share similar (or even differing) audiences can double the exposure of both businesses. If your shared audiences hold both brands in high-regard, you can both increase your customer base. A co-branding collab can come in many forms, such as social media sharing swaps, co-produced videos, or guest posting on each other’s blogs. 06. Use influencer marketing Influencer marketing is a middle ground between collaborations and paid ads. It associates your brand with someone who has a well-liked reputation and established audience on social media. Working with influencers can boost engagement for brands. According to Retail Touchpoints , “That’s because it’s the “every day” influencers—creators who are making content as a side hustle rather than as a full-time job — who are able to truly, deeply engage with consumers.” Influencer partnerships will vary according to established platform and price—but once you find one that you want to work with, you’ve unlocked a great opportunity to boost your brand awareness. 07. Sponsorships You can increase your brand’s awareness through sponsorship, or providing a service, product or financial support in return for advertisement and exposure. Your brand can sponsor anything from food or alcohol for an event, or individuals such as artists or athletes. Finding these opportunities means strategically planning what audiences you want to associate with and what sponsorships make sense. For example, if you’ve started your own beer brewery—find an upcoming music event that needs beverage donations. Not only will the artists or organizers include you in advertising, but everyone at the event can also enjoy and talk about your product. 08. Start a podcast or curate a playlist Dazed Media research “nods to the idea that brands could evolve into human entities, with one in three adults under the age of 35 (33%) feeling more favorable towards brands with a sonic identity.” Starting a podcast can provide engaging, long form-content and shape your sonic branding approach. Many brands already use podcast platforms to provide a steady stream of episodes catered specifically to their audience. It can take time to build up a following–but once you have an audience, a podcast will have a huge influence on your brand's authority and recognition. Take a look at Wix’s podcast Ready For Takeoff . This curated podcast highlights a range of topics focused on hypergrowth, highlighting insight from the leaders who built the company. This podcast allows Wix to share expertise from building a successful business in a new, relevant and engaging form. You can also create a playlist on popular music streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. Music’s expressive quality can help to create a brand experience—whether playing inside a brick and mortar store or part of an online experience. Gucci, for example, unveiled Gucci Garden Archetypes —a virtual exhibit celebrating the brand's 100th anniversary. This immersive multimedia experience showcased the heart and soul of the brand in a visual feast for the eyes. Of course, they curated a dedicated playlist to keep their audience engaged and connected to the experience. 09. Offer free products or services Everyone loves free stuff. You can use the tried-and-true giveaway promotion method to increase your customer base. Give out small branded products like pens, coasters or hats, or even provide a free service or trial for a limited time. This will not only delight recipients, but can also cause them to share the opportunity with friends. Plus, the gesture can turn them all into loyal customers. Social media provides a great way to expose your product or get the attention of prospective customers. Plan your goal of the giveaway—do you want to generate more engagement, increase followers or expose your brand to new audiences? Plan your giveaway and make it clear to your audience what they stand to win. Use hashtags to help identity entries and increase shares. 10. Use referral programs Ask existing customers to reach new ones for you. Most satisfied customers will spread the word about your business—especially if you offer them an incentive. If you can afford it, offer your customers discounts, provide premium services or give free products in return for recommending new clients. 11. Increase traffic to your website using SEO Your website is an important asset for brand awareness, too. Make sure your site is professional, aesthetically-pleasing and aligned with your brand style guide . Invest time in SEO (search engine optimization) to increase traffic to your website. With good SEO, your site can work its way to the top of Google’s search results for relevant topics. You can also invest in ad campaigns that draw more traffic to your website and build your brand awareness. 12. Create personalized email and social media campaigns Authentically engaging with your audience can create an emotional connection with an otherwise “faceless” entity. After you’ve established an initial connection, you must nurture it. You can do this through tailored social media and email marketing campaigns for specific consumers. Tip: With Wix, you can create personalized emails using a range of easy-to-adapt templates and create images for social media . This will empower you to consistently and meaningfully communicate with your existing customers. 13. Leverage story telling According to Forbes contributor Hugo Lesser, emotional triggers and connections are key for storytelling in branding. He writes, “While purchase motivation often has a functional aspect, in that we all need to purchase certain things, a decision about exactly what we purchase—which brand or product we choose—is often based on an emotional impulse (i.e., a feeling).” Understand what motivates your particular customers to purchase. This will help you build and share the right story that resonates with your audience. 14. Try NFTs Staying ahead of the curve is half the battle of beating your competition. NFTs will go beyond the buzzword and become a critical part of branding, showcasing audio, video, 3D design and more. They provide a creative, one-of-a-kind experience that puts brands on the cutting edge. In addition, they can help shape the aspect of storytelling through immersive experiences. Learn more about how to make an NFT for your brand to create unique, digital experiences. How to measure brand awareness Brand awareness campaigns are long-term endeavors, with results often seen after years. This is why marketers consider them less measurable than other campaigns, like lead generation or traffic building. But that doesn’t mean you can’t gauge the efficiency of your efforts. You can measure brand awareness and your campaign’s success with these four methods: Measure website traffic The traffic your site gets can help you understand the effectiveness of your brand awareness campaign. Tools like Google Analytics will allow you to check the pages related to your brand building campaigns and track their performance. You can also see from where visitors arrive and gauge which platforms bring in the best results. Track social engagement These days, many brand awareness campaigns happen on social media. Luckily, most social media platforms provide analytics, as well. Track the number of likes, shares and comments your posts receive over time to monitor engagement. Take note of increases in your follower count and how specific posts perform. You also should proactively listen and respond to social media users who post about your page, products and business. User surveys Survey your customer base to get valuable, direct feedback on your brand. You can run the same survey over time to see how your brand’s recognition changes. You may want to survey before and after running a campaign to accurately measure success. Google your brand Google your brand to see what people think of your company. This can bring up unseen news articles, forum discussions and social media posts that reflect how the “real world” views your brand. Whether these posts are positive or negative, they provide valuable information that can help change your customer approach. Brand awareness examples Let these successful brand awareness campaigns inspire you: Beyond Meat Beyond Meat is the most searched vegan company on Google , and 70% of U.S. meat substitutes users are aware of the brand. Launched in 2009 by Ethan Brown, the LA-based brand gained momentum around 2014 after they developed their first simulated beef product and expanded their presence in stores, including Walmart. Since then, they’ve influenced other vegan brands and, of course, partnered with Kim Kardashian to put the brand on the map, bringing a new pool of prospective customers who would otherwise never try plant-based “meat.” In fact, this is precisely what sets Beyond Meat apart from many other competitors and other plant-based products. From the start, Beyond Meat marketed themselves to both meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike, believing that their product would be appealing even to the typical meat eater. What’s more, Beyond Meat changed the game with their labeling by avoiding the word vegan altogether and fought for strategic product placement within the meat section of grocery stores. This simple move enabled the brand to gain awareness from a different range of consumers and an expansion of their “typical” target market. Spotify Ranked as one of the top 10 brands for Gen Z , Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with 345 million users and counting. From its inception, the music streaming platform understood its target audience and did everything in its power to engage and resonate with them. This includes everything from their visual identity and tone to their product’s availability and accessibility. They strategically developed a cross-platform mobile application for all users. After their initial success, Spotify has worked effectively to capture new users and delight their existing ones. Perhaps one of their most successful efforts is Wrapped, a viral marketing campaign that the company releases at every year’s end. It offers users a compilation of their most listened to songs and a breakdown of their preferences and musical identity. This campaign smartly taps into the notion of personalization, inviting their users to feel a part of something and proudly share their recap on their social media feeds. This not only creates brand awareness but drives a sense of missing out for those not using the music platform. What started as a humble effort to share data is the exact “snapshot [that] propelled Spotify into an intersection of tech, music and culture,” reports Variety . In addition to Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” which curates personalized playlists for existing subscribers based on their preferences, the streaming platform has nailed the concept of personalization. Inspired by Iceland After Mark Zuckerberg announced the Meta rebrand, public-private tourism entity Inspired by Iceland found the perfect opportunity to promote themselves while poking fun at the newly rebranded company. This clever and creative video ad put Iceland on the map, bringing attention to the Nordic Island nation in a new and exciting way. In the light of COVID-19 and travel restrictions, tourism has had to innovate more than ever before. And this ad did just the trick to draw attention and bring about brand awareness. The ad plays true to life, with the video host and chief visionary officer (CVO) of the Icelandverse sharing a striking resemblance to Zuckerberg, down to his name, manner of speaking and even his haircut. The release of the video was also cleverly in sync with the media buzz surrounding the rebrand of Facebook to Meta, which enabled Iceland to ride the momentum. Iceland’s video received plenty of attention on YouTube and Twitter, successfully achieving their goal to bring attention to the destination. Lebanese Breast Cancer Foundation and Spinneys Middle Eastern supermarket chain Spinneys collaborated with the Lebanese Cancer Foundation to create a campaign focusing on the importance of self-administered breast exams. Religion-based personal status laws prohibit Lebanese women from speaking openly about their bodies, so the brands created a respectful video to speak about the important subject, using bread as an analogy. Showcasing traditional Lebanese baker Um Ali, the video shows a “bread exam,” complete with the motions and gestures of self-breast examinations, but mindfully avoids any direct mention of breasts. Not only does this campaign bring awareness to both Spinneys and the Lebanese Cancer Foundation, it brings awareness to the importance of women’s health and creates a “secret” or a sense of “in the know.”

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