More than the consistency in brand colours, styles and savvy design, your brand’s “personality”, or how you want potential customers to perceive your brand, should show through.
Always think of your website as an extension of your brand in the virtual world. A “personable” website that shows character and brand values will surely be more compelling and interesting to visitors.
Despite a number of platforms, plugins, themes and apps that you can use to personalise your website, you cannot code your way into having a website with personality.
Here are 5 ways to add brand personality to your website
1. Website Copy
An easy and effective way to add your brand’s personality into your website is through your site’s copy. Use a tone and language that matches who you are. Treat it as your brand’s “voice”. This is vital in engaging your reader and a way to emotionally connect with you.
For instance, a women’s lifestyle website could go for a sassy but friendly tone, painting a picture in the reader’s mind when they read, but if they used a more serious tone, it would not match with their branding.
Make sure to assess your current copy. Does it reflect your brand’s personality? Is the tone warm and conversational? Or serious and straightforward? Note that if you have multiple writers, make sure to have a guideline setup for consistency of language, styling and tone.
2. Design
In designing a website, the main goal is to have a site that not only looks good but will create a good user-experience for visitors (responsive design, visual hierarchy, easy to read and navigate, etc.).
However, it is also equally important to take into consideration the personality of your business to match your design. Does your website design express who you are? Does your brand personality resonate with your audience? Make sure to also match the copy of your website to your site’s design.
3. About page
The About Us Page is the perfect opportunity to showcase your brand personality. Think about your value proposition. If you think you are better than your competition or you want to stress your edge, then by all means, put it on this page.
Aside from character, you can further make this page “more personal” by adding photos of your team with descriptions of not only their personalities but even their quirks (be creative). Your aim in this page is to share your personality or the “real you” with your target audience. You can also share your goals and visions, which would make them feel included in your brand’s journey.
4. Customer Support
I don’t know about you, but if there is one thing that I dislike about customer support it’s when I feel that I am communicating with a bot. As we have said, your website is an extension of your brand, and so is your customer support.
Make people feel that your staff in the About Us page are the same people helping them to address their problem. Your brand tone and personality should show through in your customer support. Make the feel of your support page professional but personal.
5. Marketing
Your businesses’ marketing efforts through social media marketing campaigns are usually what leads your target audience to your website. This is another opportunity to display your brand personality.
Establish consistency with brand voice and messaging in your marketing assets. You want people to recognise you in visuals, words, and how you communicate with people.
Assess your marketing and advertising assets. Do they reflect your brand’s personality? Are you communicating in a way that your audience resonates with? How do they respond?
Adding brand personality to your website and social media is a must, and of course this should also extend to ALL channels, campaigns and marketing assets connected to your business.
Always think of the bigger picture. Everything that you do when presenting your brand to the world should be consistent and a part of your overall digital marketing efforts.
