You’ve developed a great product or service, but people will want to know more about your company brand before they start purchasing. If you’ve got an eye-catching logo and website, these are important first steps. But appealing graphics don’t make a brand. How can new businesses establish a recognized brand presence online? Here are five tips.

Brand Names

Research your brand name carefully. Something that seems edgy, striking, or humorous may be good for attention, but bad for business. Brainstorm a list of possible names, and research them online to see if they are already taken, or if unpleasant associations come up on a Google search. Also check to make sure it doesn’t translate into something ridiculous in another language or culture. When you settle on something that’s acceptable, make it legally yours by registering it with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Domain Names

If you’re just starting out, it’s not too late to rethink the domain name for your site. Make your domain name matches your company name as closely as possible. It should also show some relation to who you are as an organization, for instance .com, .biz, .io for a company, .net or .org for a non-profit, and so on. Some companies will also go the added step of buying up every domain name that matches, regardless of suffix, to avoid any confusion with the public or attempts by third-parties to profit from your brand building.

Consistent Messaging

Regardless of the digital channel, you want an easily identifiable logo and simple, clear message used on every platform. Whether someone sees it in print, banner ads, or on social sites, they should immediately recognize your brand and message. Everything – your website, business cards, emails, advertising, etc. – should all be relatively the same. For example, if your Twitter handle is @WholeBuyz, use @WholeBuyz on Instagram, not @WholeBuyzFL. Consistency is crucial if you want customers to instantly identify your brand.

Networking

Don’t overlook any opportunity to distribute your brand through advocates. Be newsworthy; get your logo associated with popular community events like charities and athletics. Building brand advocates is about creating engaging online content that followers will share with their friends. It also involves networking on sites like LinkedIn, professional and industry associations, and marketing networks. You can also use different sources such as Facebook and Vimeo to really help get the word out there. You may even want to look into different examples, such as those by ACN so that you can get an idea of how to utilize sources like this.

Become an Authority

One way to become a trust brand is to share your expertise. By contributing to your niche or industry without trying to sell yourself, you actually do promote your brand. No one respects a sales pitch, but others will look to you as a resource if you provide knowledge and insights, even your competition. Over time, you build up a reputation as an industry authority, and thus, an influencer. You or a member of your team can start sharing some very useful information on social media and through guest blogging. Just remember to focus on being helpful and your commitment to your niche, not selling. People will have more confidence in your brand.

In digital media, your brand is everything. It’s how the world relates to your company. People should be able to see your logo and immediately know what you offer. It becomes a business model you have to live up to every day.