There was a time when just slapping a website up so that you had an online presence was enough. But, as a wise poet once said, the times they are a changin’
The way consumers interact with brands is liken to a relationship – it demands trust, give-and-take, sincerity and common ground. If your website has the looks and the personality to boot, your brand has the entire package.
So, what do you do if your website doesn’t have a shred of personality? How do you fix it?
Well, you can start by reading on.
What is brand personality?
Let’s break it down. We define, judge, and connect with our fellow humans based on their personalities. Personalities are made up of certain traits and characteristics that make them unique to a person.
Your brand is no different.
Your brand personality is the collective traits and characteristics that make it unique. They’re both your point of difference and your point of interest to consumers and should be relatable to your target demographic/s.
Consumers should be able to identify and connect with your brand, as they would with any human personality.
Why do websites lack personality?
1.The people running the show are hiding behind a curtain
In order for consumers to make a meaningful connection with your website and brand, they need to know the human/s behind the business. What’s your story? Why did you get into the business? What motivates and drives you?
Humans connect with stories. If your website doesn’t tell your story, it tells consumers that you’re disconnected from your brand.
2. The website is mimicking its competition
Successful websites don’t convert traffic into customers because they look and feel like every other website in the same industry. They do it by having a point of difference – being unique and tailored to their target demographic’s wants and needs.
If you’re dressed in the same thing as every other competitor out there, you’re only going to blend in, not stand out.
3. You’re not talking the talk
Websites that look attractive but say nothing of value are going to get lost in the search engine abyss. If you’re not investing time in your content, two things are going to happen;
(1) search engines are going to notice that your website is stagnant and rank you accordingly; and
(2) consumers are going to take one look at your site (if they find it in a search at all) and probably spend less than 30 seconds browsing before realising your brand lacks substance.
How do you give your website personality?
1.Identify your brand personality and your target demographic/s
It’s time to do some soul-searching and map out exactly who your brand is instead of just stating what you do. What are your brand’s values, vision and mission? How are you going to achieve them? Who do you want to connect with and why? What problem is your brand providing the solution to? Ask yourself these questions honestly and answer them truthfully to establish who you are and who you want your consumers to be.
2. Match your tone to your brand personality
Every piece of content should be communicated in the consistent tone of your brand. Spend time experimenting with and working out what you want your website’s voice to sound like. Is your brand funny? Playful? Sincere? Sophisticated? Your website content needs to be informative, interesting, and provide value to consumers while also painting a picture of your brand personality.
3. Your imagery should mirror your style
People react to visuals. Everything from your logo and font to your photos and icons should tie in with who your brand is. Your website’s home or landing page is a consumer’s first impression of you. Spending time to make sure every visual representation of your brand on your website is consistent with your personality is paramount.
4. Show off your work and relationships
Showing case studies on your website provides a living, breathing representation of your quality of work and relationships with clients. It’s the proof in the pudding that not only do you talk the talk, but you walk the walk. You have people publicly endorsing your brand and sharing their consumer experience with the world. Adding project portfolios can also give prospective customers a chance to review your style and make an informed decision to interact with your brand. There’s no room for modesty in the online market, so don’t be afraid to show off your achievements.
5. Be authentic
Authenticity builds trust. Trust is foundational to successful relationships, and this translates to your consumer/brand relationship. Consumers are pretty savvy and clued in – they can tell when a brand is being inauthentic or insincere and the reach of word-of-mouth in the digital space is infinite. Telling your brand’s story and putting faces to the business on your website are the building blocks of authenticity. They demonstrate the human core at the centre of your brand and give consumers something and someone to resonate and connect with on a meaningful level.
6. Be consistent, not boring
Consistency is key. Your website’s tone, visuals and communications should all reflect your brand personality at every level. Something that doesn’t fit in is going to stand out for all the wrong reasons.
Once you’ve established who you are, everything should be anchored to that identity from the content you produce to the images you use to compliment your messages. Be careful not to confuse consistency with producing or recycling the same content all the time. If you’re not sharing anything new or of value to consumers, you’ll fade into the distance with all the other boring websites out there. Give consumers a reason to keep coming back to your website.
If you think your website’s personality needs work, these points will certainly put you in the right direction. Otherwise seek out the help of a trusted web development agency.
Nathan George is the owner of Pixeld, a digital marketing agency that builds bespoke website and data driven marketing campaigns.
