- What Is Branding?
- Transitioning to the Web
- Have the Rules Changed?
- Summary
Have the Rules Changed?
There are also some new rules when it comes to branding on the Internet. There are millions upon millions of Web sites out there. Just because you build it, your desired end user may not come. How are they going to know you exist? Cyberbranding requires offline marketing and communications channels. You need to let people know you exist out there on the Internet. You are also faced with dealing with a new type of audience: they may be different from your traditional customers and have different needs. Can you meet the expectations of these users online?
The Internet is a relatively new marketing channel and factoring in the speed at which it changes, there's not much solid evidence to base your decisions on. There were many different expectations. The Web is really one of the first communication devices that changed the way marketers reached consumers. It went from mass communication efforts down to individual targets at some levels. Many online business models required two-way interactive communications. Never before did companies have to prepare for this at such a high level. The Internet opened the door for new areas of competition that were never experienced before. Cyberbranding became a necessary factor in planning a successful business model on the Web.
A few years ago, you couldn't go wrong with any business model on the Internet. Part of me is glad for the demise of the dot.com companies who thought they could come up with the most unrealistic product or service, push it out there (without even knowing if there was a need for it), and skip steps along the way in their quest to make millions overnight. Every article I read was about this "New Economy." Cyberbranding may be a new concept, but it is really just a component of the old economy. The ones who "got it" are still around today and are doing quite well. The others...well, let's just say they didn't get it.