The Power of Content Marketing for Law Firms

The Power of Content Marketing for Law Firms

by | May 4, 2023 | Design and Branding, Market Analysis, SEO, Social, Strategy

As the legal industry becomes increasingly competitive, law firms are searching for ways to differentiate themselves and attract more clients. 

One effective strategy is content marketing, which involves creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a defined audience. By providing helpful information and insights, law firms can establish themselves as thought leaders in their field and build trust with potential clients.

In this blog post, we will explore the power of content marketing for law firms, including why it’s important, how it can benefit your firm and best practices for creating a successful content marketing strategy. Whether you’re just starting out with content marketing or looking to improve your existing efforts, this post will provide valuable insights to help you succeed.

1. Building Trust and Authority Through Content Marketing

For law firms, building trust and authority is essential in order to attract and retain clients. 

One effective way to accomplish this is through content marketing. By creating informative and valuable content that addresses the legal needs and interests of your target audience, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your field and build a reputation as a trustworthy and reliable source of legal information.

To build trust and authority through content marketing, it’s important to focus on the needs and concerns of your target audience. This can involve creating blog posts, articles, videos, and other content that addresses common legal questions and issues. 

Additionally, your content should reflect your law firm’s unique personality and brand values, so that potential clients can get a sense of who you are and what you stand for.

In addition to creating great content, it’s important to distribute it effectively. This can involve using social media, email marketing, and other tactics to promote your content and reach a wider audience. 

By using a strategic approach to content distribution, you can increase your reach and build trust and authority with your target audience.

Slater and Gordon’s YouTube channel is an excellent example of how law firms can use video content to connect with their target audience and build trust and authority. The channel features a wide range of videos on various legal topics, including personal injury, medical negligence, and employment law.

One particularly effective type of video content that Slater and Gordon creates is client testimonials. These videos feature interviews with clients who have successfully used the firm’s services to resolve their legal issues. 

By sharing real-life stories of how they have helped clients achieve positive outcomes, Slater and Gordon has been able to establish themselves as a leading provider of legal services in their areas of focus.

In addition to client testimonials, they also create informative videos that explain legal concepts and processes in a clear and accessible way. For example, they have videos that provide guidance on what to do after a car accident, how to make a personal injury claim, and what to expect during an employment tribunal.

By using video content to engage with their target audience, Slater and Gordon has been able to build trust and authority as a leading provider of legal services in their areas of focus. 

Their YouTube channel has become a valuable resource for people seeking legal advice and information, and has helped them to establish themselves as a trustworthy and reliable source of legal information.

2. Establishing Your Law Firm as a Thought Leader in the Industry

Positioning your law firm as a leading authority in the industry through thought leadership. can be a powerful tool to differentiate your firm and stand out from the competition. 

Being recognised as an authority in your area of practice can help you attract and retain clients, improve your reputation and credibility, and ultimately grow your business.

To become a thought leader, you need to focus on building expertise in your area of practice and sharing your knowledge and insights with others. 

This can be achieved through a variety of channels, including publishing articles and whitepapers, speaking at conferences and events, hosting webinars and podcasts, and engaging with your audience on social media.

One effective way to establish thought leadership is to identify and capitalise on industry trends and hot topics. By staying up-to-date on emerging issues and trends, and sharing your thoughts and opinions on them, you can position yourself as a go-to resource for your clients and peers. 

This can also help you anticipate and adapt to changes in the industry, ensuring that your firm stays ahead of the curve.

Mishcon de Reya is a London-based law firm that has built a strong reputation for its expertise in litigation and dispute resolution. 

The firm has been able to establish itself as a thought leader in the industry by taking a proactive approach to sharing its expertise with others. 

It regularly publishes articles and thought leadership pieces on its website and in industry publications, providing insights and analysis on a range of legal topics.

In addition to its thought leadership content, Mishcon de Reya has also been active in speaking at conferences and events, and hosting webinars and podcasts. 

By engaging with audiences in a variety of formats, the firm has been able to expand its reach and build a loyal following of clients and peers who value its insights and expertise.

Another key aspect of thought leadership is building a strong personal brand. This involves creating a consistent and recognisable image that reflects your expertise, values, and personality. 

By building a strong personal brand, you can enhance your credibility and visibility, and create a loyal following of clients and fans who trust and admire you.

3. How to Create Effective Content for Your Law Firm

Creating effective content is an essential part of building a successful law firm marketing strategy. 

Content that resonates with your target audience can help you attract and retain clients, establish your firm as a thought leader in the industry, and ultimately grow your business. 

Here are some tips and best practices for creating effective content for your law firm:

  1. Understand your audience. The first step in creating effective content is understanding your audience. Who are your ideal clients? What are their pain points and challenges? What type of content do they find most valuable? By answering these questions, you can tailor your content to address the specific needs and interests of your target audience.
  2. Focus on quality over quantity. While it’s important to create content on a regular basis, it’s even more important to ensure that your content is high-quality and valuable. Avoid creating content just for the sake of creating content. Instead, focus on providing real value to your audience with insights and perspectives that they can’t find elsewhere.
  3. Be consistent. Consistency is key when it comes to creating effective content. Establish a regular publishing schedule and stick to it. This can help you build momentum and keep your audience engaged over time.
  4. Mix up your content formats. Variety is important when it comes to creating effective content. Don’t just rely on written blog posts. Experiment with different formats such as videos, podcasts, infographics, and social media posts to keep your content fresh and engaging.
  5. Optimise for search. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is important for ensuring that your content is discoverable by your target audience. Research keywords and phrases that your audience is searching for, and incorporate them into your content in a natural and meaningful way.
  6. Promote your content. Creating great content is only half the battle. You also need to promote your content effectively to ensure that it reaches your target audience. Share your content on social media, in email newsletters, and through other channels to maximise its reach and impact.

By following these tips and best practices, you can create effective content that resonates with your audience and helps you achieve your marketing goals. 

Remember to stay focused on providing real value to your audience, and to be consistent and strategic in your approach to content creation and promotion.

4. Using SEO to Optimise Your Law Firm’s Content Marketing Strategy

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a critical component of any law firm’s content marketing strategy. By optimising your content for search engines, you can increase your visibility and attract more potential clients to your website. 

To do this, the first step is to research relevant keywords and phrases. Identify the keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for, and incorporate them into your content in a natural and meaningful way. 

By doing so, you can increase the chances of your content showing up in search engine results for those keywords.

Once you have identified your target keywords, it’s important to optimise your content accordingly. This includes incorporating your target keywords into your headlines, subheadings, and body copy, as well as optimising your meta descriptions and title tags. 

Meta descriptions and title tags are important because they provide a brief summary of what your content is about and are often the first thing that users see in search engine results. 

By optimising these elements, you can increase the likelihood that users will click through to your website.

While SEO is important, it’s equally important to focus on creating high-quality content that provides real value to your target audience. 

Avoid keyword stuffing and other black-hat SEO tactics that can hurt your credibility and reputation. Instead, focus on creating content that answers your target audience’s questions, provides valuable insights, and establishes your law firm as a thought leader in your industry.

Backlinks are a key factor in determining your website’s authority and ranking in search engine results. 

Focus on building high-quality backlinks from reputable sources to boost your website’s authority and visibility. 

This can be done by creating guest blog posts for other websites, participating in online forums and communities, and building relationships with other industry thought leaders.

If your law firm primarily serves clients in a specific geographic area, it’s important to optimise your content for local search. 

This includes incorporating location-specific keywords into your content, as well as creating local business listings on platforms like Google My Business. By doing so, you can increase the visibility of your law firm to potential clients in your local area.

By incorporating these SEO best practices into your law firm’s content marketing strategy, you can improve your website’s visibility and attract more potential clients to your business. 

Remember to focus on creating high-quality, valuable content that resonates with your target audience, and to stay up-to-date on the latest SEO trends and best practices to stay ahead of the competition.

5. Leveraging Social Media to Amplify Your Law Firm’s Reach

Social media platforms offer a powerful way to amplify your law firm’s reach and connect with potential clients. 

By leveraging social media effectively, you can increase your visibility, establish your law firm as a thought leader in your industry, and drive more traffic to your website. 

Here are some tips for leveraging social media to amplify your law firm’s reach:

  1. Choose the right platforms. There are many social media platforms available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. To leverage social media effectively, you need to choose the right platforms for your law firm. Consider your target audience and which platforms they are most active on. For example, if your law firm primarily serves business clients, LinkedIn may be a more effective platform than Instagram.
  2. Create high-quality content. To engage your social media followers and attract new ones, it’s important to create high-quality content that provides real value. This could include blog posts, infographics, videos, and other types of content that are relevant to your target audience. By creating content that resonates with your followers, you can increase engagement and build a loyal following.
  3. Engage with your followers. Social media is a two-way conversation, so it’s important to engage with your followers and respond to their comments and questions. This can help to build trust and establish your law firm as a credible and approachable authority in your industry. Additionally, engaging with your followers can help to increase the reach of your social media posts by encouraging shares and likes.
  4. Measure your results. Like any marketing strategy, it’s important to measure the results of your social media efforts. Use social media analytics tools to track engagement, reach, and other metrics, and use this information to optimise your social media strategy over time.

By leveraging social media effectively, you can amplify your law firm’s reach and connect with potential clients in a powerful way. 

Remember to focus on creating high-quality content, engaging with your followers, and using the right platforms and tools to achieve your goals. With the right strategy, social media can be a powerful tool for growing your law firm’s business.

6. Measuring the Success of Your Law Firm’s Content Marketing Efforts

Measuring the success of your law firm’s content marketing efforts is critical for optimising your strategy and ensuring that you’re getting the best possible results from your investment.

Here are some key metrics to track when measuring the success of your law firm’s content marketing efforts:

  1. Website traffic: One of the most important metrics to track is your law firm’s website traffic. By monitoring how many people are visiting your website and which pages they’re spending the most time on, you can get a sense of how effective your content is at attracting and engaging potential clients. Additionally, you can track how website traffic changes over time and correlate those changes with specific content marketing campaigns.
  2. Conversion rates: Another key metric to track is your law firm’s conversion rates. This could include how many people fill out a contact form or sign up for a newsletter after visiting your website. By tracking conversion rates, you can get a sense of how effective your content is at driving potential clients to take specific actions.
  3. Social media engagement: Social media platforms offer a powerful way to distribute your law firm’s content and connect with potential clients. By tracking social media engagement metrics, such as likes, shares, and comments, you can get a sense of how well your content is resonating with your target audience. Additionally, you can track changes in social media engagement over time and correlate those changes with specific content marketing campaigns.
  4. Search engine rankings: Search engine optimisation (SEO) is critical for ensuring that your law firm’s content is discoverable by potential clients. By tracking your law firm’s search engine rankings for relevant keywords, you can get a sense of how effective your content is at driving organic traffic to your website. Additionally, you can track changes in search engine rankings over time and correlate those changes with specific content marketing campaigns.
  5. Return on investment (ROI): Ultimately, the success of your law firm’s content marketing efforts will be determined by the ROI you achieve. By tracking the costs associated with creating and promoting your content and comparing them to the revenue generated by new clients, you can get a sense of the ROI of your content marketing efforts. Additionally, you can compare the ROI of different content marketing campaigns to identify which ones are most effective at driving new business.


    Key Takeaways

    • Content marketing can help law firms differentiate themselves and attract more clients.
    • Building trust and authority through content marketing involves creating valuable content that addresses the legal needs and interests of your target audience, reflecting your law firm’s personality and brand values, and distributing your content effectively.
    • Using video content, such as client testimonials and informative videos, can be an effective way to engage with your target audience and build trust and authority.
    • Establishing your law firm as a thought leader in the industry involves building expertise in your area of practice and sharing your knowledge and insights with others through various channels, such as publishing articles, speaking at events, hosting webinars and podcasts, and engaging on social media.
    • To create effective content for your law firm, it’s important to understand your audience, tailor your content to their needs and interests, use a variety of formats, such as articles, videos, and social media posts, and focus on quality over quantity.
    • It’s also important to track your content marketing efforts, analyse your results, and make adjustments as needed to optimise your strategy.


    Feeling Inspired?

    Take your law firm to new heights! It’s time to revamp your marketing strategy and set yourself apart in the crowded industry. Let’s make it a reality. Email us and let’s chat about unleashing your full potential!

How Can Breweries Use Social Media Effectively

How Can Breweries Use Social Media Effectively

by | Apr 4, 2023 | Design and Branding, Market Analysis, Social, Strategy

 

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of marketing and branding for businesses in almost every industry. The beer industry is no exception. Breweries can leverage social media platforms to reach a wider audience, increase brand awareness, and engage with their customers in new and exciting ways.

However, simply having a social media presence isn’t enough. 

Breweries must use social media effectively to stand out in a crowded marketplace and build a loyal customer base. This means creating and sharing engaging content, interacting with followers, and utilising the unique features of each platform to create a cohesive brand experience.

Crafting Connections

Craft breweries have become increasingly popular in recent years, and social media can be a powerful tool for these businesses to connect with their customers and increase their reach. By leveraging social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, breweries can showcase their unique beers, taproom experiences, and engage with their audience in new and creative ways.

Building relationships is key to crafting connections and maximising social media for breweries. By using social media to engage with customers, breweries can build a sense of community around their brand and foster loyalty among their followers. 

One effective way to build relationships is to respond promptly to customer comments and messages, whether they are positive or negative. This shows that the brewery values customer feedback and is committed to providing excellent service.

Building relationships is key to crafting connections and maximising social media for breweries. 

BeaverTown, a UK-based craft beer company, has built a loyal following by using social media to engage with customers. Through regular posts on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, Beavertown has created a sense of community around its brand. They also respond promptly to customer comments and messages, whether they are positive or negative, which shows that the brewery values customer feedback and is committed to providing excellent service. By building these relationships, Beavertown has been able to establish a strong brand identity and create a passionate fanbase that continues to support the company’s growth.

In addition to responding to customer comments, breweries can also create interactive content that encourages engagement. For example, hosting a social media scavenger hunt or a virtual beer tasting can provide an opportunity for customers to interact with the brewery and each other. This not only builds relationships between the brewery and its customers but also among the customers themselves, strengthening the sense of community around the brand.

Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms for Your Brewery

 

Social media has become a crucial tool for businesses to connect with their target audience, promote their products or services, and build their brand reputation. However, with so many social media platforms available, picking the right one for your business can be overwhelming.

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a social media platform for your business is your target audience. 

Understanding who your target audience is and what their interests are is crucial because different social media platforms have different demographics. For example, younger audiences may prefer Instagram or TikTok, while professionals may be more active on LinkedIn. By understanding your target audience, you can choose a platform that aligns with their preferences and effectively reach them.

It is also important to research your competition and see which social media platforms they are active on. This can give you an idea of where your target audience may be engaging and which platforms may be worth investing in. Additionally, by understanding your competition’s activity on social media, you can identify gaps in the market and find ways to differentiate your brand.

Each social media platform has its strengths, and some are better suited to achieving specific business objectives than others. For example, if you’re looking to drive website traffic, Facebook and Twitter may be a good choice, while Instagram may be better for building brand awareness. By aligning your business goals with the strengths of different social media platforms, you can choose a platform that best meets your objectives.

Further, different social media platforms are better suited for different types of content. For example, Instagram and TikTok are more visual, making them a good choice for businesses with a strong visual brand, while LinkedIn is better suited for professional, text-based content. By considering the type of content you want to create and share, you can choose a platform that aligns with your content strategy.

Consider the resources you have available, such as time, budget, and staff. Some social media platforms require more resources to manage, such as creating video content for YouTube or managing a large community on Facebook. By considering your available resources, you can choose a social media platform that you can effectively manage and get the most out of.

The Importance of Branding in the Competitive Beer Market

The beer market has become increasingly competitive in recent years, with new brands emerging and established ones fighting to maintain their market share. 

In such a crowded marketplace, it is more important than ever for breweries to have a strong brand that differentiates them from the competition. Branding plays a crucial role in the success of any business, and this is especially true for breweries operating in the competitive beer market.

Branding is more than just a logo or a slogan; it encompasses everything from the look and feel of the product to the way it is marketed and promoted. A strong brand can help a brewery to stand out from the competition and create a lasting impression on consumers. By developing a unique brand identity, a brewery can establish itself as a leader in the industry and build a loyal customer base.

BrewDog’s branding is a standout example of a brewery that has developed a unique and recognisable identity. From their bold and edgy packaging to their irreverent marketing campaigns, everything about BrewDog exudes a rebellious and daring spirit. Their clever use of humour and pop culture references has helped to create a strong connection with their audience and make their brand more relatable. By positioning themselves as a company that’s not afraid to take risks and challenge conventions, BrewDog has carved out a distinct niche in the crowded craft beer market.

One of the main benefits of branding is that it can help to create a strong emotional connection with consumers. By developing a brand that resonates with the target audience, a brewery can build a sense of trust and loyalty among its customers. This can be particularly valuable in the beer market, where consumers often have strong preferences for certain brands and are willing to pay a premium for products that they perceive as being high-quality.

In addition to creating an emotional connection with consumers, branding can also help breweries to differentiate themselves based on product characteristics such as taste, ingredients, and brewing process. By highlighting these unique selling points, a brewery can attract consumers who are looking for a specific type of beer or who are interested in trying something new and different.

From Hops to Hashtags

In the past, the beer industry relied on traditional marketing methods such as print and television ads, sponsorships, and word-of-mouth to promote their products. However, with the rise of social media and digital marketing, the way that beer companies market their products has undergone a significant shift. Today, many breweries are turning to social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to connect with consumers and build their brands.

One of the main advantages of social media marketing is that it allows breweries to reach a wider audience than traditional marketing methods. By creating engaging content and using targeted advertising, breweries can connect with consumers all over the world and build a global brand. Social media also allows breweries to engage with their followers in real time, responding to comments and feedback and building a sense of community around their brand.

Guinness is a great example of a brewery that has successfully leveraged social media to build a global brand. With over 20 million Facebook followers and more than 1.5 million Instagram followers, Guinness has created a loyal following of beer enthusiasts all over the world. They use social media to showcase their products, promote events, and engage with their followers through contests and giveaways. By creating visually stunning content, they have also managed to create a strong brand identity that is instantly recognisable. Through their social media efforts, Guinness has managed to connect with consumers from all walks of life and establish itself as a leader in the brewing industry.

Further, social media marketing allows breweries to reach a wider audience than traditional marketing methods. By creating engaging content and using targeted advertising, breweries can connect with consumers all over the world and build a global brand. Social media also allows breweries to engage with their followers in real time, responding to comments and feedback and building a sense of community around their brand.

Alongside this, social media marketing is often more cost effective than traditional marketing methods. Print and television ads can be expensive to produce and air, whereas social media allows breweries to create and share content at a much lower cost. This makes it an attractive option for small breweries or those operating on a tight budget.

However, social media marketing does have its challenges. With so many breweries vying for consumers’ attention on social media, it can be difficult to stand out and build a following. Breweries must create engaging content that resonates with their target audience and use targeted advertising to reach the right people.

Despite these challenges, social media marketing has become an essential tool for breweries looking to build their brands and connect with consumers. By combining traditional brewing techniques with innovative digital marketing strategies, breweries can establish themselves as leaders in the competitive beer market and attract a loyal following of fans and customers. From hops to hashtags, social media has transformed the way that beer companies promote their products and build their brands.

Brewing Buzz

Craft beer has exploded in popularity in recent years, and with it, a new subculture has emerged. Beer enthusiasts and connoisseurs are now flocking to breweries and beer festivals across the country, eager to sample the latest brews and discover new favourites. This has created a brewing buzz that shows no signs of slowing down.

One of the main drivers of this trend is the craft beer movement itself. With hundreds of new breweries popping up every year, there is always something new to try. Brewers are experimenting with new ingredients, flavours, and brewing techniques, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of beer. This has led to a diverse and exciting beer landscape that appeals to a wide range of tastes and preferences.

Social media has also played a significant role in the brewing buzz. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have made it easier than ever for breweries to connect with their fans and promote their products. Beer enthusiasts can follow their favourite breweries and keep up with the latest news and releases. This has created a sense of community around craft beer, with fans and brewers alike sharing their love for the beverage.

Beer festivals have also contributed to the brewing buzz, providing a space for breweries to showcase their products and for consumers to sample a wide variety of brews in one place. These festivals have become hugely popular, with some attracting tens of thousands of attendees. They offer a unique opportunity for beer enthusiasts to connect with like-minded individuals and discover new breweries and beers.

For example, Leeds Beer Week is an annual celebration of the city’s vibrant beer scene, which features a wide range of events and activities focused on craft beer. The event brings together local breweries, pubs, and beer enthusiasts to celebrate the diverse and innovative beer culture in Leeds. Throughout the week, attendees can participate in tastings, brewery tours, meet-the-brewer sessions, and beer-themed dinners. Leeds Beer Week also provides a platform for new and upcoming breweries to showcase their products and gain exposure in the local beer scene. The event has become a highlight of the year for beer lovers brewing buzz in Leeds and a testament to the city’s thriving craft beer community.

Key Takeaways

  • Social media has become an essential tool for breweries to connect with customers and promote their brands. By creating engaging content and building relationships, breweries can foster a sense of community around their brand, leading to customer loyalty.
  • Choosing the right social media platform is crucial, and understanding your target audience, your competition, and your business goals can help in this regard.
  • The beer market is highly competitive, and branding plays a crucial role in the success of a brewery. A strong brand can differentiate a brewery from the competition, create an emotional connection with consumers, and highlight unique selling points.
  • With the rise of social media and digital marketing, breweries are now leveraging these platforms to connect with consumers and promote their products in new and exciting ways.

Thirsty For More?

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Building a Strong Online Reputation for Your Law Firm

Building a Strong Online Reputation for Your Law Firm

by | Mar 30, 2023 | Design and Branding, SEO, Social, Strategy

As a law firm, you understand the importance of credibility, trust, and reputation in your industry. These factors are even more critical in the digital age, where potential clients are likely to research your firm online before engaging in your services.

Establishing and maintaining a strong online reputation can help you showcase your expertise, build trust with potential clients, and ultimately grow your business. However, it takes more than just a great website to stand out in the competitive legal landscape.

In this blog, we’ll explore various strategies for building a strong online reputation for your law firm, from leveraging social media and SEO to reputation management and ethical conduct. With these tips, you can position your law firm for success in the digital age and beyond.

Understanding the Importance of Online Reputation for Law Firms

Cartoon people working on graphs and phones

In today’s digital society, a law firm’s online reputation is an essential component of its overall reputation. It can shape the perception of the firm and influence potential clients’ decisions to engage in the firm’s services.

A positive online reputation can also help build trust between the law firm and its clients. By showcasing positive reviews and testimonials, a law firm can demonstrate to potential clients that it has a track record of success and satisfied clients. This can give potential clients the confidence to engage the law firm, knowing that they are working with a trusted and experienced team of legal professionals.

On the other hand, a negative online reputation can be damaging to a law firm’s credibility and ability to attract new clients. Negative reviews or comments can create a perception of poor service or a lack of expertise, which can turn potential clients away from the firm.

Law firms need to take an active role in managing their online reputation. This can involve monitoring social media channels and review sites for comments and reviews, responding to feedback in a timely and professional manner, and proactively seeking out positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients. 

Leveraging Social Media to Strengthen Your Law Firm’s Reputation

Cartoon people surrounded by graphs

Social media has become a crucial tool for businesses to connect with their clients and potential customers, and law firms are no exception. By leveraging social media, law firms can strengthen their reputation and build a loyal following. 

One of the primary benefits of social media for law firms is the ability to establish thought leadership. By creating and sharing high-quality content, such as blog posts or infographics, law firms can position themselves as experts in their field and gain the trust of their followers. This can lead to increased engagement, with followers more likely to share and comment on the firm’s posts, amplifying their message even further.

Social media for law firms is the ability to engage with clients and potential clients in a more personal way. By responding to comments and messages promptly, law firms can demonstrate their commitment to excellent customer service and build strong relationships with their followers. Social media also provides a platform for law firms to share news and updates about the firm, such as new hires, awards or notable case wins, further enhancing their reputation and showcasing their expertise.

Clifford Chance is a law firm that has been using social media to its advantage in recent years. They understand the importance of establishing a strong online presence and have done so by creating engaging and informative content across various social media platforms. On their LinkedIn page, they frequently share updates about their practice areas and recent achievements, while also providing insights into current legal trends and news. They also use Twitter to share their thought leadership content, as well as to engage with their followers and other legal professionals. 

Clifford Chance’s Instagram account (with over 16k followers) showcases its corporate social responsibility initiatives and its commitment to diversity and inclusion. By utilising social media in these ways, Clifford Chance has been able to connect with a wider audience, establish their thought leadership, and showcase their values as a firm.

In addition to engaging with clients and sharing thought leadership content, social media can also be used for targeted advertising. Law firms can use social media platforms to run highly targeted ads to specific demographics or industries, ensuring their message reaches the right people. This can be particularly effective for attracting new clients or promoting specific practice areas.

Here are a few ways to leverage social media to strengthen your law firm’s reputation:

  • Share valuable content. Law firms can use social media to share informative and educational content that showcases their expertise and thought leadership. This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, and case studies. By providing valuable content, law firms can position themselves as a trusted source of information and build their reputation as an authority in their field.

 

  • Engage with followers. Law firms can use social media to engage with their followers and respond to their questions and comments promptly. This can help to build trust and foster a sense of community around the law firm’s brand. By demonstrating a commitment to excellent customer service, law firms can enhance their reputation and differentiate themselves from their competitors.

 

  • Highlight client successes. Law firms can use social media to highlight their clients’ successes and share testimonials and case studies that showcase their expertise and track record. This can help to build credibility and trust with potential clients and demonstrate the law firm’s ability to achieve successful outcomes.

 

  • Participate in online discussions. Law firms can participate in online discussions and join relevant groups and communities on social media platforms. By sharing their insights and expertise, law firms can build relationships with potential clients and other professionals in their industry. This can help to enhance their reputation and position them as thought leaders in their field.

Leveraging social media can be a powerful tool for law firms to strengthen their reputation. By sharing valuable content, engaging with followers, highlighting client successes, and participating in online discussions, law firms can position themselves as thought leaders and trusted experts in their field. These efforts can help to build credibility, trust, and a sense of community around the law firm’s brand, ultimately leading to increased visibility and new business opportunities.

Collaborating with Clients and Colleagues to Build a Strong Online Reputation

People with letters (cartoon)

Building a strong online reputation isn’t a solo venture; it takes collaboration with clients and colleagues to truly make an impact. 

One way to do this is by encouraging satisfied clients to leave reviews on popular review sites like Yelp or Google Reviews. These reviews can help to build trust and credibility with potential clients, and also provide valuable feedback for the law firm to improve upon.

Another way to collaborate with clients is by showcasing their successes on social media. This can include highlighting their achievements in case studies, sharing testimonials, or even creating video content that showcases the client’s experience working with the law firm.

By collaborating with clients in this way, law firms can build stronger relationships and tangibly demonstrate their expertise.

Pinsent Masons is a prime example of a law firm that has successfully leveraged social media to build its brand and connect with clients. Their social media strategy focuses on providing high-quality, industry-relevant content that showcases their expertise and promotes engagement with their followers. Through regular updates on LinkedIn and Twitter, they share thought leadership articles, insights, and event announcements that keep their followers informed and engaged. 

Additionally, Pinsent Masons use social media to showcase their corporate social responsibility initiatives and highlight their commitment to diversity and inclusion. By actively engaging with its audience and creating valuable content, Pinsent Masons have built a strong online reputation that reflects its status as a leading international law firm.

Internally, law firms can collaborate with colleagues to develop a cohesive brand message across all online platforms. This can include developing a social media strategy that highlights the firm’s unique value proposition and expertise or creating a unified brand identity across all online properties. By collaborating with colleagues in this way, law firms can build a strong online presence that truly sets them apart from the competition.

There are many ways to collaborate with clients and colleagues to build a strong online reputation, such as: 

  • Create a podcast or video series. Collaborate with clients or colleagues to create a podcast or video series where you discuss industry trends, share your expertise, and interview other professionals. This can help to build your reputation as a thought leader in your field and create a sense of community around your brand.

 

  • Host webinars. Collaborate with clients or colleagues to host webinars on topics related to your industry. This can help to showcase your expertise and build trust with potential clients.

 

  • Write guest blog posts. Collaborate with colleagues or clients to write guest blog posts for each other’s websites. This can help to expand your reach and build your reputation as an authority in your field.

 

  • Offer workshops or training sessions. Collaborate with colleagues or clients to offer workshops or training sessions on topics related to your industry. This can help to position your brand as a valuable resource for other professionals.

 

  • Participate in industry events. Collaborate with clients or colleagues to participate in industry events, such as conferences or trade shows. This can help to build your network and enhance your reputation within your industry.

 

By implementing these tactics, your law firm will be able to establish a strong online presence, showcase your expertise, and build trust with potential clients and colleagues. This can ultimately lead to increased visibility, credibility, and business opportunities for your firm.

Maximising SEO to Improve Your Law Firm’s Online Reputation

Jigsaw, cartoon people

Maximising SEO efforts for your law firm can be a daunting task, but it is essential to establish a strong online presence and reputation. 

Conducting thorough keyword research is the first step in optimising your website and online content for search engines. This research involves identifying the specific keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for when looking for legal services. Once you have identified these keywords, you can strategically incorporate them into your website’s content, including page titles, meta descriptions, headers, and body text.

In addition to keyword research, other strategies can help maximise your law firm’s SEO efforts. These include creating high-quality, relevant content that is optimised for search engines. This content should be informative and engaging, providing your potential clients with valuable insights and advice related to your area of practice. By creating content that is both informative and optimised for search engines, you can increase your website’s visibility and attract more potential clients.

To further maximise your SEO efforts, you can also consider utilising local SEO strategies. This involves targeting specific geographic areas and including location-specific keywords and phrases in your website’s content. By doing so, you can improve your law firm’s visibility for local search queries and attract more potential clients from your surrounding area.

There are several ways to maximise SEO to improve a law firm’s online reputation, here are some suggestions:

  • Optimise your website. Your law firm’s website should be easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and optimised for speed. This can help to improve your website’s user experience and increase the likelihood of visitors staying on your site for longer periods. Additionally, your website should have a clear call-to-action that encourages visitors to contact your law firm.

 

  • Build quality backlinks. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your law firm’s website. Search engines view backlinks as a sign of authority and relevance. To build quality backlinks, you can reach out to other websites and offer to contribute guest posts or provide quotes for articles.

 

  • Monitor and adjust your SEO strategy. SEO is an ongoing process that requires monitoring and adjustment. You should regularly review your website’s analytics to track your traffic and rankings. If you notice that certain keywords or pages are not performing well, you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

 

By following these tips, a law firm can maximise its SEO and improve its digital presence . Optimising the website for speed, mobile-friendliness, and user experience, building quality backlinks, and monitoring and adjusting the SEO strategy regularly can all contribute to better search engine rankings and increased website traffic. These efforts can help to attract more potential clients and grow the firm’s business.

Encouraging and Leveraging Client Testimonials for Reputation Building

Cartoon people looking with a giant magnifying glass

Client testimonials can be a powerful tool for building and strengthening a law firm’s online reputation. By showcasing positive feedback and experiences from past clients, potential clients can gain insight into the level of service and expertise that the law firm provides.

To encourage clients to provide testimonials, law firms can make it a part of their post-service follow-up process. This can involve sending a survey or feedback form to clients after their case has been resolved, asking for their feedback and permission to share it publicly. Law firms can also incentivise clients to provide testimonials by offering discounts or other benefits in exchange for their participation.

Once testimonials have been gathered, law firms can leverage them by incorporating them into their website and other online platforms. Testimonials can be featured on the homepage, included on service pages, or even used in social media posts. By showcasing client feedback in a visible and accessible way, law firms can build trust with potential clients and establish themselves as reputable and reliable legal service providers.

It’s important to ensure that testimonials are genuine and authentic, and not fabricated or exaggerated. Law firms should never pay for or incentivise fake testimonials, as this can harm their reputation and lead to legal consequences. By only using genuine testimonials, law firms can build a solid foundation of trust and credibility with their clients and potential clients.

There are several ways law firms can encourage and leverage client testimonials to build their online reputation:

  • Make it easy for clients to leave a review. Provide clear instructions on your website and social media platforms on how clients can leave a review. Make sure to include links to review sites, such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Avvo.

 

  • Follow up with clients. After a successful case or project, follow up with clients and ask them to leave a review. This can be done via email or through a follow-up phone call.

 

  • Showcase positive reviews on your website. Display positive reviews prominently on your website. This can include a dedicated testimonial page, as well as displaying reviews on relevant pages such as your practice area pages.

 

  • Share positive reviews on social media. Share positive reviews on your law firm’s social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This can help to further amplify the positive feedback from clients and demonstrate your firm’s commitment to excellent customer service.

 

  • Use client testimonials in marketing materials. Incorporate client testimonials into your law firm’s marketing materials, such as brochures, flyers, and advertisements. This can help to build credibility and trust with potential clients who may be considering engaging your services.

 

  • Respond to negative reviews. If you receive a negative review, respond to it professionally and courteously. Address the client’s concerns and offer a resolution if possible. This can demonstrate your firm’s commitment to resolving issues and providing excellent customer service.

Implementing this techniques can be a powerful way for law firms to build their reputation online. By making it easy for clients to leave reviews, following up with clients, showcasing positive reviews on their website and social media, using testimonials in marketing materials, and responding to negative reviews professionally, law firms can enhance their credibility, trustworthiness, and customer service reputation. These efforts can lead to increased visibility, improved online reputation and as a result more business opportunities.

How to Build and Maintain a Consistent Brand Image for Your Law Firm Online

Cartoon people

Building and maintaining a consistent brand image for your law firm online is crucial for establishing credibility and attracting potential clients. One way to achieve this is by developing a clear brand message that defines your law firm’s values, mission, and unique selling points. Your brand message should be reflected in all your online communications, including your website, social media, and online advertising.

Consistency in visual branding is also important. Your law firm’s logo, colour scheme, and typography should be consistent across all online platforms. This will help to reinforce your brand image and make it more recognisable to potential clients. Your website’s design should also be consistent with your brand image and convey a professional and trustworthy image.

Building and maintaining a consistent brand image is a key factor in content marketing. Your law firm’s blog, social media accounts, and other online content should be consistent in tone, style, and messaging. By providing valuable content that aligns with your law firm’s brand message, you can establish your expertise and build trust with potential clients.

Consistency in online reputation management is also important. Your law firm should have a clear and consistent approach to responding to online reviews, whether they are positive or negative. Responding in a timely and professional manner can demonstrate your commitment to client satisfaction and enhance your law firm’s reputation online.

There are several ways to build and maintain a consistent brand image for your law firm online. Here are some ideas:

  • Develop a brand strategy. Develop a clear and consistent brand strategy that reflects your law firm’s values, mission, and personality. Your brand strategy should be the foundation for all your online activities, including your website, social media, and marketing campaigns.

 

  • Use consistent visual elements. Use consistent visual elements such as logos, colours, and fonts across all your online platforms. This helps to create a strong and memorable visual identity for your law firm.

 

  • Develop a consistent tone of voice. Develop a consistent tone of voice that reflects your law firm’s personality and values. This tone of voice should be used consistently across all your online platforms, from your website to your social media posts.

 

  • Provide consistent messaging. Develop consistent messaging that communicates your law firm’s key values, services, and expertise. This messaging should be used across all your online platforms to create a clear and consistent message for potential clients.

Building and maintaining a consistent brand image for your law firm online is crucial to building trust and establishing a strong reputation. This can be achieved through developing a clear and consistent brand strategy that reflects your law firm’s values, mission, and personality. Additionally, using consistent visual elements such as logos, colours, and fonts, developing a consistent tone of voice, and providing consistent messaging can help to create a strong and memorable visual identity for your law firm. By implementing these strategies, law firms can enhance their brand recognition and credibility.

The Importance of Transparency in Building and Maintaining Your Law Firm’s Reputation

Cartoon people

Transparency is essential for building and maintaining your law firm’s reputation. 

Transparency involves being open and honest about your firm’s practices, policies, and procedures. By being transparent, you can establish trust with potential clients and demonstrate your firm’s commitment to ethical and responsible practices.

One way to promote transparency is by providing detailed information about your firm on your website. This can include information about your team members, areas of practice, pricing, and any relevant certifications or awards. Providing this information upfront can help potential clients feel more informed and confident in their decision to work with your firm.

Another way to promote transparency is by actively seeking and addressing feedback from clients. 

Encourage clients to leave reviews or provide feedback through your website or social media channels. If a client raises a concern or complaint, respond promptly and work to address the issue transparently and respectfully. By taking feedback seriously and openly addressing any issues, you can demonstrate your firm’s commitment to providing excellent customer service and building trust with your clients.

Additionally, consider incorporating transparency into your firm’s social media strategy. 

Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your firm’s operations or events to showcase your team’s expertise and build a more personal connection with your audience. By being open and transparent on social media, you can help potential clients get to know your firm better and build a positive reputation in your community.

But how do you achieve transparency? Here are several ways:

  • Be upfront about your fees. Many clients are hesitant to work with law firms because they are worried about hidden fees or surprise charges. To build trust with potential clients, be upfront about your fees and what clients can expect to pay for your services. Consider providing a breakdown of your fees on your website or in your initial consultation with clients.

 

  • Share your qualifications and experience. Clients want to know that they are working with experienced and knowledgeable attorneys. Share your qualifications and experience on your website and in your marketing materials. Consider including information about your education, past cases you have worked on, and any professional associations you belong to.

 

  • Be honest about your success rates. While it can be tempting to exaggerate your success rates to attract clients, this can ultimately damage your reputation. Be honest about your success rates and share case studies or testimonials from past clients to showcase your expertise and track record.

 

  • Respond to feedback. If a client has a negative experience with your law firm, it is important to respond to their feedback in a timely and professional manner. Acknowledge their concerns and take steps to address the issue. This can demonstrate your commitment to providing excellent customer service and can help to rebuild trust with the client.

 

  • Use plain language. Legal terminology can be confusing and intimidating for clients who are not familiar with the law. To build trust with potential clients, use plain language in your communications and marketing materials. This can help to make your services more accessible and can demonstrate your commitment to transparency and clear communication.

In today’s competitive legal market, it’s essential for law firms to prioritise building trust with potential clients. By implementing the practices mentioned above, law firms can establish themselves as reliable and trustworthy legal service providers in the eyes of potential clients.

Key Takeaways

  • The online reputation of a law firm is crucial in today’s digital society, as it can shape the perception of the firm and influence potential clients’ decisions. A positive online reputation can help build trust with clients, while a negative reputation can be damaging to a law firm’s credibility. 
  • Law firms should take an active role in managing their online reputation, such as monitoring social media and review sites, responding to feedback, and proactively seeking out positive reviews and testimonials. 
  • Social media is a useful tool for law firms to establish thought leadership, engage with clients, and advertise their services. 
  • Collaborating with clients and colleagues can also help to build a strong online presence
  • Maximising SEO efforts and showcasing client testimonials can further enhance a law firm’s online reputation.
  • Keep branding consistent throughout your social media and website.

 

Feeling Inspired?

Ready to take your law firm to the next level? Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your Law firm . Email us and let’s chat about how to achieve success!

 

 

 

7 Craft Brewery Marketing Tips

7 Craft Brewery Marketing Tips

by | Feb 8, 2023 | Design and Branding, SEO

Craft breweries have experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, making it an exciting time to enter the industry.

However, with so many craft breweries vying for customers, it’s important to have a strong marketing strategy in place. Let’s take a look at the top seven marketing tips that you can use in your craft brewery business.

1. Utilise Social Media

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can be powerful tools for reaching and engaging with potential customers. By creating a strong social media presence, you can:

  • Showcase the unique character of your brewery
  • Promote events and special releases 
  • Build a community of loyal followers.

Utilising social media is a great way to make yourself visible in a sea of craft beer breweries. To effectively utilise social media, it’s important to have a clear strategy in place. Define your target audience and determine which social media platforms they are most active on. You can do this by creating a buyer persona. This will help you determine where to focus your efforts and ensure that you are reaching the right people.

Once you have identified your target platforms, it’s important to create engaging and shareable content. This could include photos of your brewery and its products, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your production process, or information about upcoming events and product launches. By sharing high-quality, relevant content, you can build a loyal following and attract new customers.

In addition to creating content, it’s important to engage with your followers and respond to comments and messages. This helps to build a sense of community and shows that you value your customers’ feedback. You can also use social media to ask for reviews, and conduct polls or surveys to further engage with your audience.

Engage with other users by adding location tags to your social media posts, which could be your store or a British beer festival. This will enhance your presence and reach on social media platforms.

Additionally, it is essential to interact with other craft beer enthusiasts!

Engagement is the key to success when it comes to social media algorithms. If your posts are engaging, they will be more likely to go farther thanks to the algorithm’s boost.

To maximise success, it’s important to regularly create high-quality content and interact with your audience on social media. Doing so can build trust and loyalty and form a community around your brand.

2. Host Events

Hosting events at your brewery is a great way to create a sense of community and build brand loyalty. By inviting customers or key figures from the craft beer industry to experience your brewery in person, you can create a personal connection and give them a taste of your brand’s unique culture.

Offering exclusive experiences can help inspire your followers and create a sense of exclusivity and community among your consumers.

This can drive customer loyalty and encourage them to continue buying your products and following your craft beer business. By offering unique and memorable experiences, you can differentiate your brewery from competitors and build a loyal customer base.

Events can take many forms, from tastings and tours to live music. By offering a variety of events, you can appeal to a diverse audience and create a sense of excitement and anticipation around your brewery. 

3. Collaborate

Collaborating with other businesses and organisations is a powerful tool for craft breweries to promote their brand, attract new customers, and network.

One way to collaborate is by teaming up with local restaurants, bars, and other venues. This allows your brewery to expand its reach and gain exposure to new customers who may not have otherwise discovered your brand.

This can also create a mutually beneficial relationship, as the venue can attract customers with the unique offering of local craft beer.

Working with influencers and bloggers in the craft beer community is another effective way to collaborate and promote your brand. Influencers and bloggers have a built-in audience who trust their opinions and are likely to be interested in trying new craft beers. By providing them with free samples or access to exclusive events, you can gain valuable exposure to their followers.

Collaborating with other local businesses can be a great way to promote the local economy and create a sense of community. By working together, local businesses can support each other and create a vibrant and thriving local market. This is demonstrated by Donzoko Brewery Company, who collaborated with Leeds based film lab to create ‘Take It Easy Lager’ a beer that features a peel apart label with images on the inside, similar to a roll of film! 

Additionally, many customers prefer to shop locally and support their local economy, so promoting these collaborations can be a great way to appeal to these customers and promote your brand.

Networking with other businesses and organisations can be a powerful way to promote your craft brewery and build a strong sense of community. Whether you’re partnering with local venues, hosting events and promotions, working with influencers and bloggers, or supporting local businesses, there are many ways to build mutually beneficial relationships and attract new customers.

4. Create a Loyalty Programme

Creating a loyalty program for a craft brewery can be a great way to reward loyal customers and encourage repeat business. A loyalty program is a system where customers can earn points or rewards for making purchases or engaging with the brand. These rewards can include discounts, free merchandise, or exclusive access to events and promotions.

Another important aspect of creating a loyalty program is making rewards desirable and valuable to customers. This can be done by offering a wide range of rewards that cater to different customer preferences, such as discounts on beer purchases, exclusive access to events and promotions, or merchandise. Additionally, it’s important to make sure the earning and redemption of rewards are simple and straightforward.

Finally, to increase the effectiveness of your loyalty program, consider promoting it through various mediums such as on-premise, off-premise, social media, and email campaigns. This can help to increase awareness of your program and attract new customers to your brewery.

A loyalty program is a great way for craft breweries to reward and retain customers. By creating a digital loyalty program, offering valuable rewards, and promoting the program effectively, craft breweries can increase customer engagement and drive repeat business.

5. Be Consistent 

Being consistent is a vital aspect of any successful marketing strategy, and this is particularly true for craft breweries. Consistency in branding, messaging, and social media posting can help to build trust, establish a strong brand identity, and attract new customers.

Firstly, consistency in branding is crucial for craft breweries. This means using the same logo, colours, and overall aesthetic in all of your marketing materials. This creates a sense of familiarity and helps customers easily identify your brand. Additionally, it’s important to ensure your branding is consistent across all your channels, whether it be on-premise, off-premise, or online. This is particularly important for social media, where customers are likely to come across your brand for the first time. Ensuring that your branding is consistent across all your social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, will make it easy for customers to recognise your brand and increase the chances of them following you.

Secondly, consistency in messaging is essential to building trust with your customers. It’s important to communicate a clear and consistent message across all your marketing channels, whether it be on social media, email campaigns, or in-store promotions. This helps to create a sense of trust and makes it more likely for customers to believe in your brewery. Additionally, if your message is consistent, it will be easier for your customers to understand what you are all about, what your values are, and what you stand for.

Consistently posting on social media is crucial to attracting new customers and increasing customer engagement. A consistent posting schedule can help to keep customers engaged and build a sense of anticipation. This can help increase customer retention and drive repeat business. Additionally, regularly posting on social media can help your brewery to stay top of mind for customers and increase the chances of them visiting your brewery or purchasing your beer. A consistent schedule of posts can also make it easier for customers to follow your brewery and stay up-to-date on your new beers or upcoming events.

6. Use Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEO is a crucial part of any online marketing strategy, and it is important for businesses of all sizes and industries to incorporate it into their digital marketing efforts. By using SEO, businesses can increase their online visibility, attract more potential customers, and establish their brand as an authority in their industry.

One of the primary benefits of SEO is that it can increase your online visibility, making it easier for people searching for products or services in your industry to find your business. When your website and social media profiles rank higher in search engine results, they are more likely to be seen by potential customers.

Additionally, SEO can help establish your brand as an authority in your industry. By creating high-quality content and optimising your website and social media profiles, you can demonstrate your expertise and establish trust with potential customers. This can lead to increased conversions, higher engagement rates, and ultimately more sales.

Furthermore, SEO is a cost-effective way to drive traffic to your website, as it does not require a significant investment like paid advertising. It is a long-term strategy, the results can continue to drive traffic to your website even after the initial optimisation work has been completed. This means that the investment made in SEO can continue to pay dividends for a long time.

Lastly, SEO is an ever-evolving field, with new techniques and strategies emerging all the time. This means that businesses can always find new ways to improve their website’s visibility and reach a larger audience without having to spend a lot of money

In summary, SEO is a crucial part of any online marketing strategy and should not be overlooked by businesses of all sizes and industries. By using SEO, businesses can increase their online visibility, attract more potential customers, and establish their brand as an authority in their industry.

7.  Experiment with your Marketing 

Experimenting with different marketing strategies and tactics can be a valuable approach for craft breweries looking to stand out and attract new customers. This can help to identify what works and what doesn’t and allow breweries to continually improve and refine their marketing efforts.

Experiment with different platforms and channels to see where your audience is engaging the most. For example, it might be discovered that Instagram is a more effective platform for attracting new customers compared to Facebook. Or, it may be found that beer festivals are more beneficial than hosting a taproom event. Experimenting with different platforms and channels can help to identify where you should focus your efforts, and increase the chances of reaching the right audience with your message.

One of the main benefits of experimenting with marketing is that it allows craft breweries to stay ahead of trends in the industry. With the craft beer market becoming increasingly crowded, it’s important for breweries to find new and unique ways to promote their brand and attract customers. Experimenting with different marketing strategies can help to identify new opportunities and stay ahead of the competition.

In Summary 

  • Utilise social media to showcase the unique character of your brewery, promote events and special releases, and build a community of loyal followers.
  • Host events at your brewery to create a sense of community and build brand loyalty by offering exclusive experiences, tastings and tours, and live music.
  • Collaborate with other businesses and organisations to promote your brand, attract new customers, and network.
  • Optimise your website for SEO to increase online visibility and reach a wider audience.
  • Use content marketing to create valuable and informative content that appeals to your target audience.
  • Leverage influencer marketing by partnering with influencers in the craft beer community to promote your brand and reach a wider audience.
  • Create a loyalty program to reward customers for their loyalty and encourage repeat business.

Feeling Thirsty For More?

Ready to take your craft brewery to the next level? Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your brewery’s marketing strategy. Email us and let’s chat about how to achieve success!

 

 

 

Effective Brewery and Alcohol-Based Social Media Campaigns To Inspire Your Own!

Effective Brewery and Alcohol-Based Social Media Campaigns To Inspire Your Own!

by | Nov 16, 2022 | Design and Branding

In such a competitive market with a product that sells itself, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. With a sea of breweries, wineries and distilleries, it can be challenging to find inspiration for your next social media campaign but it’s not impossible! There are many ways to get creative with your campaigns…here are some of our favourites!

 BACARDI : #BacardiHouseParty Campaign

The Bacardi house party campaign brought the fun back into their rum with musicals, partying and other experimental, creative experiences. Created by groups of friends partying, the experimental strategy highlights that you don’t need a massive budget to produce an innovative campaign that brings a sense of fun, excitement and relatability. Whilst BrandChannel coined the campaign the ‘Ultimate Millennial Fantasy’, it’s a fun way to play around with different target audiences. Perfectly executed with Bacardi Party Sessions, urging musicians to create the best ‘Bacardi Party Anthem’ to party with Bacardi, designing an experience alongside a drink.

 How to be inspired by Bacardi: 

#BacardiHouseParty invites people to the inner circle and enables the audience to feel a part of something special. Alongside the hashtag, the experience is a shareable one! Make your own collaborative experience that is fun and interactive, using unique hashtags to get people talking. 

Neill Wine: Commune Magazine

Neill Wine Commune Magazines highlights sometimes the conventional way is best! Whilst magazines are a competitive market, the Commune Magazine is transferable and easily shared. As a result, this is a stable and constant way to get your brand out there and network with others through interviews and collaborations. Neill Wine have demonstrated that they are thought leaders, portraying their impressive expertise and knowledge. Consumers are able to recognise this, as a result the company’s consumers feel loyal to the brand. A magazine is a really fun and creative way to get your brand out there, and once the template is created, you can change the content throughout the seasons, holidays and events!

How to be inspired by Neill Wine:

Like Neill Wine, create your own magazine to be shared across social media, increase hits to your website and strengthen your brand identity. Use issuu.com to make your own flipbook and bring your content to life that will capture your consumers attention. Issuu has all the tools you need to create an interactive and creative magazine, using your own content and images. You can even embed videos, audio and slideshows to create fun, exciting and knowledgeable content!  

Smirnoff: Show up, Show off #ServeFlavour 

Smirnoff have progressively collaborated with popular drag queens and kings to promote their limited-edition vodka. The company have recognised the campaign isn’t just about the product, but the people behind it. This marketing campaign has had a lot of success as it gives an opportunity for people to be themselves and humanises the brand. Not only has this brought in the HUGE following of popular drag stars to their page, but it has also increased their social media engagement as consumers get a say in the ‘final’ of their Show up, Show off #ServeFlavour competition created between the drag stars. This is such a fun and creative way to get the audience involved, with lots of opportunity to create instagram reels. 

How to be inspired by Smirnoff’s #ServeFlavour

Humanise your brand and connect with your customers by having fun with your brand!! Like Smirnoff, bring your brand to life with unforgettable characters, stories and humour. Although your budget might not be as big as Smirnoff’s, you can still create competitions and interactive, relatable stories where your customers can choose what happens next. The best way to do this is by creating a story that will resonate with them on a personal level. You can do this by asking the question, “what would my customers like to see from me?”. People love to feel like they are a part of something bigger, so why not include them in the story? Humans are naturally social creatures, so as a brand, it’s important to give them an experience that is fun, yet relevant to your product or service

Bottlechop : Great hampers, great wine and great art! What else could you ask for?

Bottlechop have expanded their product and brand in a unique and modern fashion. First, their hampers are seasonal, personalised and offer great gifts, which appeal to differing clients and are able to provide an experience alongside their product. However, more notably, the company have kept ahead of the game by collaborating with local artists, such as Ruby Hughes (@sshepaints) which is an innovative approach to expanding their target audience and engagement. Through this, they have been able to reach potential customers from different demographics but also have a cross-over of similar interests. This is a clever way to build up brand loyalty and increase sales by engaging and exciting customers, who will ask the question…who will they collaborate with next?  

How to be inspired by Bottlechop:

Look at collaborating with local independents! From artists to sauce makers, there are so many different creatives that would love to collaborate with your product. Collaborating aids in advancing your networking skills and engagement on your social media. It’s a win-win for everyone involved! Alternatively, like Bottlechop, create your own seasonal hampers to appeal to existing and new customers, engaging them with your brand. The holiday season is a great time of year to do this, but there’s no reason why you can’t plan on creating new hampers throughout the year. 

War Horse Brewing: Pop Culture Aesthetic 

Whilst War Horse Brewing is a fairly small company, they have been able to engage customers with their brand and create something fun using their Pop Culture Aesthetic cans. They have achieved this by using their horse mascot and dressing it up as different historical pop culture icons, such as Marilyn Monroe, Ziggy Stardust and Hulk Hogan. Not only are they a fun and creative way to broaden their consumers, but it keeps existing customers wanting more and creates fun and modern collectables. This product isn’t just about the beer, it’s about having fun whilst drinking their beer!

How to be inspired by War Horse Brewing:

War Horse Brewing is a great example of companies having fun with their products! Similar to War Horse Brewing many brands have created a mascot, don’t be afraid to get creative. Whether that means dressing up your mascot as different historical pop culture icons or doing something more whimsical like creating your own character based on an animal or person, it can help you stand out from the crowd and make people remember your brand. Don’t be afraid to take risks! Some people might say that War Horse Brewing’s branding is too much – but we think it’s just what they needed to stand out from the crowd and remind us how much fun drinking beer can be!

 Drinkbabe: MEMES! 

The Instagram account @drinkbabe highlights significantly that humour sells! With 164k followers on instagram, the company market their product without really ever showing it through the unconventional and creative approach; memes. This modernises their product that quickly and easily follows trends and contemporary culture. The reason why this strategy works so well is because it’s not just about being funny, but creating a community around their brand. However, the company’s humour is what makes them stand out from the rest of the competitive market. As a result, they have been able to produce memes and posts that are shareable, fun and create a strong brand identity and consumer loyalty.

How to be inspired by Drinkbabe:

Have fun with your social media if it fits the brand – let your personality shine through and people will buy into it. Use humour to create a community around your brand and make it easy for your audience to share and engage with you on social media. Be creative with your content, but don’t overdo it! A great mix of memes, video clips and regular posts will keep people engaged in your brand’s world and help you build an audience that is loyal to your brand.

To sum it all up:

  • Create a fun, interactive, sharable experience for your audience.
  • Produce your own magazine that is easily shared.
  • Humanise your brand and connect with your customers by having fun with your brand!
  • Collaborate with local services or creatives to widen your consumer base and increase your engagement.
  • Design your own mascot to have fun with, and to make your brand stand out from the rest.
  • Be creative with your content to build your brand loyalty.

Further reading:

https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-campaign-strategy/

https://issuu.com/redbreastdemos/docs/commune_6_issuu

https://www.firstpost.com/living/bacardi-house-party-sessions-the-latest-record-label-in-india-aims-to-provide-a-platform-for-young-and-upcoming-artists-4996001.html

https://www.barandrestaurant.com/marketing/dramatically-improve-your-social-media-marketing-your-bar-or-restaurant-heres-how

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smirnoff-calls-on-kings-queens-and-every-drag-performer-in-between-to-show-up-for-its-most-inclusive-drag-celebration-ever-301577247.html

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/humour-on-social-media-en_gb/

 

Brands as Beers

Brands as Beers

by | Oct 22, 2021 | Design and Branding

For the past five years, the UK has seen a sharp growth in the number of breweries. In 2020 the number of breweries in the country went up by 216, with the total now standing at 3,018. 

This got us thinking, will this continue to grow to a point where established brands dip into the market to keep the thirsty country afloat? 

What would they look like? How would they taste? Who would buy them?

Well we have had a go at predicting the future, designing our own beers for various different companies who might even one day try creating their own.

Amazon Basics Brews Lager

Amazon Basics Lager is a light and refreshing beer. Brewed using prime ingredients, it has a shimmering golden colour and a smooth bitter flavour with hints of sweetness creeping through in the aftertaste. It’s light and easy going down and will have you coming back to it time and time again.

Available worldwide, this universally found lager is a staple of every session and can be found online or in stores for whenever you need it.

ABV 3.9%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Light and refreshing with a smooth bitter flavour and a gentle sweeter aftertaste
Style Lager

 

Pretty Green Live Forever PILSNER

The Live Forever Pilsner from Pretty Green is the perfect drink for the casual drinker. Designed to be enjoyed warm at a festival or gig, it is ideally served in a (recycled) plastic cup. If you have had enough of it, or if your favourite song comes on, the drink is perfect for throwing into a crowd of unsuspecting people. Available in a wide range of mesmerising designs, the special edition also comes with a bucket hat fitted.

ABV 3.8%
Can Size 568ml
Tasting Note Crisp bitterness and distinctive hops
Style Pilsner

Apple iPA

There is nothing better than a fresh can of the Apple IPA on a summer day. It’s smooth and flavourful with fruity notes ticking all the right boxes. Be sure to enjoy it while it’s cold and fresh as the longer you leave it, more of the goodness starts to escape. Of course it’s nothing that a fresh can can’t fix so be sure to keep a couple of spares on hand.

Available in select Apple Genius Bars.

ABV 4.8%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Crisp and refreshing with flavourful fruity notes
Style IPA

SPORTS DIRECT BROWN ALE

Brewed using efficient and low-cost methods, the Sports Direct Brown Ale leaves a bitter taste in the mouth – especially for Newcastle United supporters. Having bought out a number of smaller breweries, the Sports Direct Group currently produce a versatile range of beers that all look and taste similar. The Brown Ale is best served in Sports Direct’s bespoke range of unlicenced sports team pint glass – the one that your estranged uncle generously gifted to you at Christmas.

(Note: Look out for Flannels, our premium sister range of gins. Unaffordable prices and even we don’t know why!)

 

 

ABV 4.2%
Can Size 567ml
Tasting Note Dark and Bitter.
Style Brown Ale

Insta Pale Ale

The Insta-Pale Ale is a light and crisp West Coast Pale Ale. It brings aromas of sweet summery fruits and is light in body and colour. The taste is pleasantly light and hoppy which, when combined with the aroma, makes a great choice for any summer beach outings.

Only available in artisanal bars & establishments.

ABV 4.3%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Sweet and summery with a light and fruity body
Style West Coast Pale Ale

Games Workshop Stout

The deep Games Workshop Stout has complex and fantastical aromas and flavours designed to take your tastebuds on an adventure. The strong ABV% is designed to help you reach another realm. The Stout Cans come in a range of different sizes, starting with the special figurine shot ranging up to the Ogre double pinter can. Can’s come with free paint for you to carefully apply to the design. Best served in a dark environment – the less natural light the better.

ABV 6.4%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Dark chocolate and aromatic notes
Style Stout

Deliveroo Instant Pale Ale

Quick and easy refreshment delivered to your door. Once ordered through the Deliveroo Drinks app, your order becomes a priority. Our efficient bicycle couriers travel perilously at high speed through urban assault courses for your refreshment needs. On average you will receive your order ten times quicker than the average cocktail bar. (Note: Due to transportation the can may explode upon opening. Only available in large towns and cities.)

ABV 4.5%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Moreish and refreshing 
Style Pale Ale

Netflix Lager

Dark in colour but surprisingly light and refreshing, this Lager keeps you coming back for more all day long. Whether you are a seasoned connoisseur or a casual drinker, this appeals to all with a smooth and approachable flavour profile rather than off putting hints of stranger things. Makes for a perfect answer for the age old question, “what should I have?”

Available online for a fixed monthly subscription with a free trial available. Best served chilled to really take the crown on those summer days!

ABV 5.2%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Smooth and light with a full flavour profile
Style Lager

IKEA Tuff Öl

The IKEA Tuff Ol is a DIY rich & hearty stout perfect for those long winter nights. In the box you get everything you need to craft your own pint in no time. Simply follow the instructions and use the included tools and you’ll be revelling in your success before you know it.

Available in select stores, 10% off when you purchase meatballs from the cafeteria.

ABV 6.3%
Can Size 330ml
Tasting Note Hearty stout with a deep nectary flavour
Style

Scandinavian Stout

Fantastic Image Formats and Where to Use Them

Fantastic Image Formats and Where to Use Them

by | Oct 12, 2021 | Design and Branding

Fantastic Image Formats and Where to Use Them

Picture the scene, you’ve just created an amazing design that you are proud of. Every single pixel has been rigorously checked and now it is time to share your genius creation with the world. But there is just one last hurdle to jump – get this wrong and it could prove to be costly!

In this article, we will explore all of the amazing image formats there are, helping you to navigate the maze and prevent you from falling into any hidden formatting traps, as well as offering hints and tips to help you find the perfect fit.

PNG vs JPEG

Before you embark on any design project the first thing that you need to identify is what is its purpose? This will ultimately decide how you are going to save the file.

Each format has its own benefits, and as a piece of communication, the format acts as the technical backup that your file needs.

PNG

Let’s start with Portable Network Graphics, aka PNG files. The format was designed to be used on raster graphics, screenshots and on logos. Because of this, the file size is large – a lot more so than JPEGs.

As a result of being so large, a PNG file supports lost compression. This means that it is extremely versatile, looking sharp and clear on a wide range of different ratios, from large main website images to thumbnails.

Providing great depth in colour ratios, PNG is especially useful when your design has areas of transparency. The alpha channel that the format uses will allow you to have partial to full transparency, which makes it useful for creating fades.

JPEG

On the other hand, you don’t get as much versatility with JPEGs as you do with PNG’s. When you compress JPEGs this will alter the quality of the image or design. The file size is also a lot smaller, and because of this, you are unable to have transparency. 

Despite its limitations, JPEG does have some benefits. It is the most common graphic format for photographs as it is able to display the same level of detail as a PNG at a fraction of the file size.

Due to being such a small file, this can also benefit when used on websites, as it will keep loading times low to improve someone’s experience on them.

 

 

Any Other Formats

When you hear the word GIF you immediately think of looping jolty videos of cats falling off tables. But they are also an effective and surprisingly easy format to create interactive designs.

A Graphics Interchange Format, aka GIF,  supports multi-page formats, as well as transparency. This means that you can use the format as a more interesting way of displaying information. 

You can use it to deliver messages in multiple parts, display different products a company sells with their prices and even create your own animations on it. This simple yet effective format can be a lot more powerful than just a still design.

Another format that is extremely useful when creating designs – especially on logos and text graphics is a Scalable Vector Graphic, aka SVG. 

This is because an SVG is an image that can be searched, indexed, scripted and compressed. Most importantly it can be scaled in size without losing any quality.

Because of this, it is always useful to have a library full of SVGs that you repeatedly use in designs. This means that no matter what the file size of the design is, the SVG will always look crisp and not distorted.

Image Sizing Matters

The size of an image or design affects a lot of areas, some of which you might not be aware of. 

Images that are optimised for the web generally fare a lot better than those that aren’t. There are three main reasons for this:

  1. They look good on the page.
  2. They load a lot quicker than those that aren’t optimized.
  3. They are easier for search engines to index – resulting in stronger SEO.

And it is really simple how to optimize an image for a website – ensure that the sizing of it is web-friendly.

The higher the resolution of an image, the larger the file will be. If you were to print off this image it would be recommended to go higher with the resolution. 

However, on the web, it is a different story as this will slow the web page down significantly. This hurts user experience on both desktops and mobiles.

But just how do you strike the right balance between size and quality? 

Let’s start with how much a file actually takes up. The more bytes that a file has the more likely it is to slow down a website. Images that are over 5MB are quite large files, whereas anything displayed in KB is more reasonable.

There are different causes for large files. This could be because the image dimensions are too large, the resolution is too high or because of the complexity of the design or image.

One quick and easy fix is to just make sure that your dimensions are not too big. The typical image on a website is 795×300 pixels, which might not seem too much, but you are still able to get the detail needed to communicate.

And when it comes to the resolution, this is measured in dots per inch. Printers sometimes require images to be printed in 300dpi, but this level isn’t required in computer monitors. Most of them are set at 72dpi or 92dpi, which means that anything larger than that is unnecessarily large, without being beneficial. 

Most editing software has shortcuts that can help you bypass this. When saving a post, there is a save for web option, and this automatically saves an image at a lower dpi. 

One final tip for when uploading an image to a CMS is to always name it something appropriate. A Google index crawler is more likely to understand an image with an appropriate name to what it is than to one with a default name, usually one that consists of numbers and random letters.

Getting the Right Dimensions

Social Media

With this information on how to save an image for the web that is optimized, you can now explore other ways to get creative with the design.

The dimensions of a design will always be influenced by its purpose and destination. 

When posting a design on social media, especially on Instagram it is worth noting how it will appear on a phone screen. Instagram itself has a preset square template, so by ensuring that your dimensions are equal, the design will fill them perfectly. 

Instagram compresses an image to 600 x 600, but if you save your design as a PNG that is 1080 x 1080 your design will look flawless without any resolution being affected. 

This is similar for other social media platforms, but the key thing to remember is that despite compressing your designs, the finished product will still look detailed. This will mean that any resolution around 1000x will look sharp and attractive.

Banners for Ads

Banners come in all different shapes and sizes. Because of this, they all have their own advantages in how you can communicate with them.

Some banners will allow you to pack it full of interesting images, design and copy, whereas some have less space, but can equally be as memorable and punchy.

With Google Ads, there is a range of common dimensions used that can fit into one of four categories:

  • Squares
  • Rectangles
  • Skyscrapers
  • Leaderboard

The most commonly used square size is 250 x 250, but you can also use a small square, which is 200 x 200. 

With rectangles, there is a similar variation in that the most common is 336 x 280, but you can also have smaller ones, with 300 x 250 another size that is regularly used. 

The benefit of using squares and rectangles is that you will find that there is a lot more space to express design. The shape of the surface area allows you to use different features and stylistic techniques.

Alternatively, skyscrapers and leaderboards are slightly different, as they have a more stretched surface area. 

Named after their resemblance to the city skyline, the most common skyscraper is 120 x 600. Leaderboards are the opposite, they are wider than they are tall, with 728 x 90 being a go-to size.

Due to its shape, leaderboard designs are much more compatible with copy, as you will be able to fit a sentence naturally. This would be harder to do with a skyscraper, but equally as effective and you can clearly put all the important information in divided sections.

In terms of the actual design, it is worth noting that because of the size the image is going to appear at, the text has to be large and clear. Short, snappy straplines and keywords are important here as you are trying to grab people’s attention. By accompanying this with a call to action button, the headline keyword will act as a hook for the audience to “Find Out More”.

One final thing that is worth noting is that Google is extremely good at compressing image files without a decrease in the quality of resolution.

This means that you will be able to create your templates in a larger size to improve resolution, as long as they can be compressed into the file size requirements. 

For example, a square template with a Google Ad size of 250 x 250 can be designed at 500 x 500, 1000 x 1000 or even 2000 x 2000. By saving as a PNG, this will mean you will have the same glossy design.

Conclusions

So what have we learnt from this scratching of the surface into the complex world of design? First of all, it is a minefield. But it is one that we can stop and think about before we set.

Every design format has a purpose, and you should observe these to tailor your design to its overall purpose. 

The simple steps and considerations that you have to take might not seem like much, but the result of them will be incredibly effective.

Roll out! Roll out! Let’s get this brand on the road.

Roll out! Roll out! Let’s get this brand on the road.

by | Aug 12, 2021 | Design and Branding

How to create a Brand Manual

So we’ve successfully commissioned and completed our brand project and we’ve got a shiny new brand identity sitting on the tarmac ready to take off.

What happens next will determine whether all the blood, sweat, and tears at the design stage will actually pay dividends or not. 

The last thing that anyone wants is to have an amazing brand that is either applied inconsistently or hidden in a cupboard. This stage of the brand process is commonly called the Roll-out and is probably the most important stage in the process.

To help smooth the path of the Roll-out, welcome to your new best friend – the Brand Manual.

What is a Brand Manual?

The Brand Manual is the handbook that should be supplied when every new brand is taken out of its cardboard box. Look on it as an instruction booklet which explains the thinking behind the design of the new brand, the technical specifications of the design, and appropriate guidance as to how the brand should be applied to all the collateral that a company uses on which their brand appears. 

So let’s take them one at a time. A new brand should speak for itself in terms of its ability to communicate an idea or theme. However, the Brand manual will probably show the old brand and give a brief synopsis as to the thinking behind the redesign. It’s also an opportunity to explain the less obvious elements that aren’t immediately obvious to the casual viewer.

A Great Example

One of the best examples is the FedEx logo and the directional arrow in the negative space between the e and x. Believe it or not a large percentage of people just don’t see it.

Next comes, the “tech spec”. Designers are a pretty precious bunch when it comes to their creations and rightly so. Consequently, they want to make absolutely sure that the brand is faithfully reproduced when a third party, which could include suppliers of printing, signage, vehicle livery, promotional goods and a host of others get hold of it. 

Advice on the appropriate resolution of image, colour specifications, safe areas and formats, should be provided to ensure that when reproduced, the design looks exactly the same as it did when it was first presented to the client.

Finally, the manual will also show examples of how the brand applies to a representative range of items that the company plans to produce. This will differ in each instance but typically the brand will be shown on stationery, signage, vehicle livery and clothing. It will also give the designer the opportunity to recommend size, positioning, background colours and additional design elements.

Many Brand Manuals don’t stop there. It’s not uncommon, especially in larger companies, for the Brand Manual to extend to other aspects not directly related to the logo itself such as style of communication, tone of voice, imagery etc. However, unless you’re Google or Amazon it’s probably best to keep it succinct.

Show the world

So we’re now armed with our Brand Manual and are prepared to inflict bodily harm on anyone who doesn’t follow its guidance to the letter. How and when do we share it with the world?

There are two schools of thought –  the “Hard Launch” or the “Soft Launch”.

Going hard means that a date is set for the launch and thereafter the old brand is completely replaced with the new version. Stocks of anything with the old brand on it are disposed of and new stock is ready to go on the date of the launch. It’s “out with the old and in with the new” in one fell swoop.

This approach can prove to be quite expensive and possibly environmentally unfriendly if, for example, large stocks of brochures, stationery and other printed material need to be disposed of. The advantage is that clarity, decisiveness and a feeling of positivity can be strategically used to influence how staff feel about the new brand and the company in general. Everyone likes to work for a company that is dynamic and single-minded in its vision.

The soft launch takes the foot off the throttle. A date can be set for the brand launch but the new identity is introduced much more gradually. So when stocks of printed material run out they are replaced with new branding. When finances allow, new signage is applied and vehicle livery changed. Inevitably there will be a changeover period where the old brand may coexist with the new until it is eventually replaced.

The downside to this approach is that it may portray the company as indecisive, conservative, and a bit less dynamic. There are really no rights or wrongs and much will depend on how determined the owners or managers are to implement the new brand and whether finances are available to speed the change.

Closing Thoughts

Finally, it’s always a good idea to keep your staff onside with what’s happening. Getting their “buy-in “ can often determine the successful roll-out of the brand. Including them in research sessions at the design stage, asking opinions, and explaining in detail the logic behind the process will all help to make them feel invested in the new brand. When staff feel proud and enthused about the image of their company that positivity will be apparent to customers.

A successful Brand Identity design and Roll-out project should result in a company feeling better about itself, looking better to its customers, and poised to capitalise on these feelings of progressiveness, dynamism and aspiration in its marketplace.

Creating a Brand Logo

Creating a Brand Logo

by | Jul 5, 2021 | Design and Branding

Whether you are just starting your business out, or are an established name in your field, the logo is the first thing that you want the world to see and understand about your company. As a result of this, you want it to grab attention, make a strong impression and form the foundations of your brand identity.

Creating a new logo is not just something you can quickly knock together in a matter of hours. A wide range of factors will influence your decisions, helping to steer your creative vision.  

      1. Understanding the Brand.

Before you even open up your design software, it is important to lay the groundwork in the form of base company research. Whether you are acting on behalf of a client for a company you are not so familiar with, or as part of an internal design team, you need to understand the company from top to bottom.

To build a bigger picture, ask these questions and answer them in as much detail as possible:

  • What do you do?
  • Why do you do it?
  • What makes you different from your competitors?
  • What are your values?

Another way to understand your business is to identify your customer base. Create a mood board, creating a comprehensive understanding of who your customers are. What other sort of brands would they be loyal to? What are the visuals and designs that they are attracted to? 

Although this won’t magically solve what your logo will look like, it will help you understand what you are trying to achieve, and also importantly, what sort of designs you would be trying to avoid.

      2. Research the Field

Naturally, when you start to create your logo, you want to stand out from the crowd. This shouldn’t stop you from checking out what the competitors are doing with their logos, branding and identity.

For example, if you are tasked with creating a new brand for a barbershop in Leeds, create a logo board displaying logos side by side.

Having a range of logos on a sheet will help you to notice similarities and differences in the way that brands use text, font, colour and icons, as well as noticing certain layouts.

From a design perspective, you can then draw inspiration from the ones that you think work well, whilst also informing you on what to avoid.

It is worth remembering that the idea isn’t to reinvent the wheel. Most ideas have been tried and tested before, so there are rules and conventions in every industry that can be followed.

      3. The Design Considerations

After researching your competitors, as well as getting a good understanding of the company whose logo you are creating you will be at a stage where it is finally time to start your design. 

Every designer has their own process. Whether that be picking up a pencil and sketching some conceptual ideas or diving straight in, whatever works best for you. 

Within this though, there are certain considerations and factors to observe.

  • Typography 

One of the most important ways to set the tone for the logo is through the font and typography. Is the font used appropriate for the logo? From your research on other competition, you would be able to see exactly what styles similar businesses go for, whilst also seeing what would be wildly inappropriate.

Can you combine typography with icons? Some of the best logos are layered in a way that have icons embedded within them that have a meaning or are they of significance. This is something you can get creative with. Does your company have any objects that are synonymous with the service? For example, could a hair salon use any letters to create a pair of scissors?

  • Colour

You may have set company colours that you are planning to use for your logo already, but it is worth thinking a little bit about this before you make your final decision. 

To understand what colours might be best used together, you can use the colour wheel to help inform your decision-making process. 

Marketers use techniques to create colour harmonies by simply referring to the colour wheel.

Colours at the opposite end of the wheel will naturally complement each other, but other relationships like Analogous colours, where they sit next to each other on the wheel can also be used to create pleasing harmonies. 

Using the image above, try out the different techniques on your own design. 

      4. The Social Media Test

You have got to the stage where you are fairly comfortable that you are pleased with the logo. The design is pleasing, there is the right level of text and iconography on there and you can’t wait to show it off to the world. 

However, there is one more consideration to take. How will it look on social media profiles?

When someone is scrolling through Twitter or Facebook on a mobile screen, they are only going to see a tiny logo in the corner of the screen. 

Is this going to be instantly recognisable and memorable? This can be done through using the colours wisely, a hierarchy of elements on the logo so something stands out, or by the layout or shape of it.

A good way to think of it is how would it look as a widget for an app? If you can create an icon or letter that is instantly recognisable, like the Facebook app logo, when seen repeatedly the consumer will know instantly what the logo stands for.