by Many companies underestimate the power that an excellent website and brand can have across their audiences and the ability they have to supercharge their PR efforts. A company’s website and brand serve as a first impression for any potential customers, investors, reporters, or partners and they are key touch points for a company looking to establish itself in the marketplace. When developed with the following principles, they can even make it easier to build media buzz and optimize your public relations efforts.
Why website and branding matter
According to researchers at Stanford, first impressions are 94% design related. Having a good brand may be forgettable, but a poorly designed brand or website may turn away customers before it has had the chance to capture their attention.
That’s why it’s important to have a good website and consistent brand that sets the stage for growth and affects public perception long-term. A high-quality brand and website should be flexible enough to allow for changes as the company evolves. For example, General Electric has kept a very similar logo and brand since its inception in 1892, but the website has grown and expanded to match its dozens of verticals while maintaining a similar feel.
Planning is key
This is only achievable if a clear branding and website strategy is established well before development begins. Developing a strategy for the website and brand makes it possible to understand the audiences a company needs to connect with. It can also help develop a layout that displays the information in a compelling manner.
According to the Nielson Norman Group, the average website visitor stays on a website for less than a minute and many users leave within the first ten seconds. This means that information on a company’s pages, and especially the home page, needs to be strategically placed and “readable” without too much effort.
However, a webpage that looks good but doesn’t provide the information needed is useless.
Here’s how to align your website and brand with PR
A strategically developed brand and website improves chances of getting the media’s attention. The first thing a journalist does when evaluating a potential source is assess their credibility. If the company’s website doesn’t inspire confidence or communicate the mission and product in a clear and compelling way, the reporter, a potential partner or a client, may dismiss it.
This is also true for content that the company creates to establish its spokespeople as thought leaders. For media like Forbes to consider a new thought leader, the publication needs to validate the leader’s background and expertise. No place would be a better asset to that editor than a clear team page that lays out all the company’s experts, background, and accolades.
A purposeful website and brand can tip the scales in a company’s favor and establish new relationships with reporters and media outlets. Sharing relevant information that may catch reporters’ attention on a company’s website can make it easier to establish a new media relationship. Messaging like this can only be developed and placed correctly if a forward-thinking and meticulous mindset is applied to the development process.
Many companies don’t make their website and brand a priority. Companies need to include branding and website development as part of their business strategy. A well-thought-out website and brand can play a big part in a company’s growth, making it easier to establish credibility, engage customers, increase media interest, and maximize the efforts of your PR team.
Main takeaways:
- Put maximum effort into your website and brand. It has the potential to make doing business much easier.
- Plan ahead and double check your plan. Without strategizing you can’t execute a successful rebrand or website development.
- Attention spans are extremely limited across all industries online. To properly capture attention you need to make sure your content is concise but captivating.