Your brand isn’t static. The brand identity elements — logo, colors, fonts, graphics, etc. — can change and evolve, and they should. If things are feeling a bit stagnant, it could be a time for a brand refresh. Small touches can bring positive results, including more website traffic and engagement on social media. Here are five small business branding updates to consider.

Add a Complementary Color

Color is very vital to your brand story. We immediately correlate colors with brands like Target’s red or The Home Depot’s orange. Most brand palettes have at least two colors, sometimes three. Enhancing it with a new complementary color could liven up your website or collateral. This new color should compliment what you have and spark a brand refresh. When choosing a new color, think about how it will work with the ones you have. Also, make sure it’s not dated, too dark, or too light.

Redesign Your Website Home Page

Your home page welcomes visitors to your brand. It should be a place that immediately communicates what you do and who your customer is.

There are several key areas for a home page:

• Compelling Hero image (the top image)
• Powerful value proposition (the value you deliver to your buyers)
• Featured products or services
• Content excerpts from your blog
• A strong CTA (call to action)

Refreshing your home page could include adding elements you don’t have, changing up imagery, or restructuring areas of it. A word of caution — don’t go it alone. Collaborate with a professional website designer so that the process is smooth and impactful.

Freshen Your Website Imagery

No matter what your business is, imagery matters. If you sell a physical product or service, then pictures are a little easier. Other companies have to convey concepts with images that evoke emotion. It’s often hard to find the “perfect” shot.

The images on your website can look dated pretty quickly. A best practice for any digital brand refresh is to select timeless photos, but times do change. Browse the main pages of your website and consider how you could improve your imagery. It could be the difference between a customer sticking around or leaving.

Update Your Social Media Profiles

After you update your home page, revisit your social media profiles.

Take the new elements and new color, and freshen up your social media profiles. Add new header images that mirror your new look to each platform. Also, revisit descriptions to see if they match your current value proposition.

Revisit Brand Templates

Have you updated your brand templates lately? These would be presentations, collateral, proposals, or any other branded document. If it’s been too long, they could probably use some work. They should mirror any changes on your digital assets. Think about how they appear and appeal to your audience. How can you make them better and deliver a consistent brand for your small business? If you need help, brand identity experts are only a call away.

Ready for a Brand Refresh?

The most important part of any brand refresh is making it cohesive and illustrative of your story. We’re brand experts and assist small businesses with all aspects, from website design to social media to logos. If you want to add a refresh to your calendar in 2021, get in touch so we can collaborate on something amazing.