Increase Site Traffic Through Better Branding

Marketing online is a relatively new phenomenon. But in terms of actual products and services, no one’s inventing the wheel. The fact is, even the most innovative product lines share some similarities with goods already selling on the market (because when they didn’t, clinching the sale would be significantly harder).With this in mind, how can website owners drive traffic to their site based on their product’s advantages – advantages shared by other vendors – while at the same time, setting themselves apart?

One way to make sure that your site beats out the online competition is to invest in branding – a strategy that raises awareness through cumulative exposure to advertising images.

Just Do It

Ever wonder how Nike got the world to associate a little white check mark with running shoes (not to mention power, success, youth and style)? They managed this through a masterful branding campaign where this symbol was displayed again and again, together with Nike shoes worn by powerful, successful, youthful and stylish spokespeople.

That little check mark has now taken up residence in the minds of consumers worldwide. In fact, in many malls, the Nike store doesn’t even hang the company name over the entrance anymore – it’s just that little check mark doing all the work. That’s branding at its best.

Of course, a successful branding campaign is more than just a mind game. But if you back up your branding with consistent professionalism and customer satisfaction, then your logo – or whatever you use to symbolize your company – will bring up happy associations, and lure your customers back for more.

Making an Impression – All Over the Web

Branding is a cross-media venture. Everything that represents you – from your business cards, to your letterhead, to your advertisements, to each and every page of your website – should be imbued with a unified look and feel. If so, every new encounter with your business will build on previous impressions. If not, you’ll confuse your potential customers – and waste a marketing opportunity by starting from scratch.

Traditional advertising campaigns in the print media can help drive traffic to your website (assuming you remember to include your URL in a prominent position!). However, such campaigns are expensive, and lack flexibility. Online alternatives such as banners, paid-for “Google” ads, and mutual links with other sites require a relatively small investment. They also the added advantage of being trackable – if set up correctly, you’ll be able to monitor the click throughs achieved through each method, and “tweak” the campaign for better results.

Conduit – an “Always-On” Branding Engine

Conduit community toolbars increase brand awareness for any e-commerce site by putting company’s name or logo at the top of the browser window whenever they are on line, creating a continuous, clickable reminder about the existence of your goods or services. Not only will your customers remember you, you’ll be associated in their minds with all the market-specific, customized “goodies” that make your toolbar so much fun.

Widgets can be emblazoned with your logo, adding an extra degree of branding power. Branded widgets become part of the Conduit library, and are available for upload to toolbars used by any one of the Conduit Network’s 250 million users.

Thanks to Conduit’s branding boost, your customers will think of you – rather than the competition – in their hour of online need.