Branding vs. Marketing: What’s the Difference?

You’ve probably heard the terms ‘branding’ and ‘marketing’ used interchangeably. It’s common for people to get confused, especially if they don’t work in the industry. Although they are closely linked, branding and marketing are two different things. Getting them confused can lead to a brand identity that lacks clarity and a marketing plan with no real direction. So let’s talk about what branding and marketing actually are!

What Is Branding?

Branding is all about identity. When you hear the word, you probably think of logos, color schemes, and business cards. And you’re not wrong! These are all parts of a complete brand identity. But visuals aren’t the only aspect of branding. It’s also about messaging. What words do you incorporate into your marketing messages? Are there words you avoid using? How do you express your values? What is your mission? What about slogans? These are all parts of your overall brand identity. 

A solid brand identity doesn’t just revolve around a logo. It considers how your brand is perceived in every setting. Your branding should be crafted to ensure your target audience will both notice and remember you! There is competition around every corner. Branding is how you distinguish yourself from the crowd. 

Here are a few examples of branding that you may not have considered:

• Cleanliness
  • If you have a physical place of business, your customers’ perceptions of your brand will be affected by how clean and organized your space is!
• Promises
  • Do you make promises, guarantees, or definitive statements to your customers? And if so, do you actually follow through on them?
• Business Name
  • It’s common for a business owner to choose their business name based on what they like or how they think of their brand. But a brand name should be based on the target customer!
• Customer Service
  • Bad customer service is the first thing that will lead to a bad reputation for your brand. Good customer service will never be mentioned. But GREAT customer service will ensure your customers will ALWAYS recommend you to friends, family, and even in random conversation!
• Online Presence
  • Do you have a website? Is it up to date? Do you post consistently on social media? We live in a world where everyone is always online–meeting people where they are is important!

Now that you have a better understanding of what branding is, let’s talk about marketing.

What Is Marketing?

While branding is about how you are perceived by those who see you, marketing is all about what you do to get seen in the first place! It’s everything that you do to promote your brand. In other words, marketing is what attracts the attention that leads to brand recognition.

There are a few basic pieces of marketing strategy, but like branding, there are probably things you haven’t considered, too. Advertising is a form of marketing that can cover everything from billboards to social media ads. Posting and engaging on social media is a type of marketing. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a form of marketing that involves using your website and other tools to rank at the top of search engine results. Email and text campaigns are also popular marketing options.

But of course, marketing goes beyond the obvious strategies. Here are a few things that you may not realize are marketing:

• Networking
  • When you get out and network, you’re a walking advertisement for your brand! So make sure you’ve memorized your elevator pitch.
• Event Sponsorships
  • When you sponsor a local event, you show your community that you care! It’s a great way to promote the business and increase brand recognition.
• Google Business Profile
  • Do you have a Google Business Profile? Make sure to keep it up to date!
• Website
  • Your website is one of the primary places to market your business. Make sure it is properly branded and has all of the most important information on the home page!
• Blogs
  • Blogs are a great way to show your industry authority, talk about your products or services, and solidify your brand messaging. You can publish them on your own website or contribute to someone else’s website to gain a new audience!

As you can see, there is plenty of overlap between branding and marketing. It’s easy to get confused! So how do you avoid confusion and create a clear brand identity and effective marketing strategy?

How Do You Keep Your Branding and Marketing Clear?

The best way to ensure that you have clarity in your branding and marketing is to work with professionals! Find an experienced graphic designer to create your visual brand. Hire a copywriter with brand experience to craft copy for your website, marketing materials, and even your ads. Work with a marketer or marketing agency to ensure your SEO strategy is created and implemented by someone who knows what they’re doing. Hire a Social Media Manager or Virtual Assistant to run your social media accounts.

The point is, you don’t have to do it all on your own. You’ll be the most successful when you partner with people who are experts in the areas you aren’t. 

If you’re ready to work on clarifying your brand identity or creating a marketing strategy, get in touch! Skellydog is here to support you. Throw us a bone to get started!