7 Ways to Grow Your Digital Eco-System with Effective Branding

A cohesive digital eco-system and branding approach essential for artists, makers, creative business owners, and art groups to establish a recognisable presence across multiple platforms.

Here are seven ways to achieve this, including maintaining consistent visual identity, unified branding elements, cross-platform integration, regular content updates, interactive engagement, personalisation, and consistent call-to-actions, along with their benefits.

Your Website As the Centre of Your Digital Eco-System

When you have a website, it becomes the centre of your digital online eco-system with every thing else, your blog, social media, newsletter, ecommerce platforms like Patreon, Etsy, Redbubble, Spoonflower and Bluethumb, all leading back to it.  

You can start to build your digital presence before you invest in a website, for instance Art Trails Tasmania’s first digital hub was our Facebook page. 

When Meta Owns Your Audience They Have All the Power

As Meta owns Facebook and that audience and they do have a track record of blowing away pages with all of their followers, it is vital to create your own website. Your small creative business is far more secure and able to flourish when you own your own website.

Creating and growing your own email newsletter with engaged subscribers is also very important – Meta certainly can’t blow away that audience!

Having your own newsletter audience is not just about insurance either, it is about building your own strong relationships with those who value what you’re doing.

The Power of Your Own Newsletter

An added bonus is, your newsletter goes to all of your subscribers whereas Facebook and Instagram only show your posts to a very few of your followers.

But for all of this to work, to flourish, it needs to be nurtured along in a healthy and sustainable digital eco-system that embraces thoughtful branding.

2. Unified Branding Elements for Your Digital Eco-System

Branding Voice and Tone

Develop a distinct voice for your brand and use it consistently. Whether your tone is playful, professional, or inspirational, it should be the same across all communications.

This will make writing the content for your blogs, website, social media posts, SEO elements, ecommerce platforms so much easier. 

From experience, I’d suggest going with a voice or tone that is natural for you.

It is fine if it requires you to grow professionally for it as that is healthy. It is unhealthy and inauthentic to try to be something that you’re not. So give yourself time to experiment, grow and explore, and remember to be kind to yourself. From experience, your audience will appreciate seeing you grow and be authentic.

Branding with Tagline and Messaging

Use your brand’s tagline and key messages consistently. This reinforces your brand’s core values and mission.

So taglines are important but for many, it won’t be where you start. Coming up with a good tagline can be a combination of good luck and a lightbulb moment. A tagline is often three to five words long.

But, your key messages, that is different. You can have a lot more clarity about your key messages from an early stage as they come out of your purpose for being.

For instance, for Art Trails Tasmania key messages have been from the start about building a supportive and friendly creative community, helping to share and build key business and marketing skills so artists and makers can flourish financially, making it easier for art lovers to discover wonderful artists and get along to more inspiring creative events like workshops and exhibitions.

3. Cross-Platform Integration

Consistent Bios and Descriptions

Ensure your bios and business descriptions are consistent across all platforms. This includes highlighting your mission, values, and what sets you apart.

Again, this is about enabling your followers and supporters to quickly orientate themselves with you, build trust and authenticity.

While the concept of mission statements might sound and feel a bit too corporate for an arts and crafts creative business, authentic ones always feel natural and like a good fit. 

A fun way to go about figuring these out is to have a gathering of some of your fellow creative friends to come up with some ideas for each other, whether you are growing your professional artist profile, developing an arts and crafts workshop business, opening a gallery or any other creative income generating endeavour. 

Social Media Links

Include links to your other profiles and platforms in your bio sections, making it easy for your audience to find you everywhere.

It is also key to have the same social media handle across different platforms, eg. @arttrailstasmania is setup for both Facebook and Instagram.

While this isn’t always possible because of timing, it is ideal to have the same name across your social media pages, website and ecommerce stores.

5. Interactive and Engaging Elements

User-Generated Content

Encourage your audience to create and share content related to your business. Repost their work on your profiles to build community and engagement. 

So think of sharing photos of customers displaying your artwork in their homes, or fan art inspired by your work and credit the artist, or short video testimonials from satisfied customers discussing their favourite pieces.

Interactive Posts

Use polls, Q&A sessions, and live streams to engage with your audience. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook can be great for this.

While Facebook seems to only be allowing polls within Groups rather than on Business Pages, you can always subvert this with asking questions in the post and having answers in the comments.

6. Personalisation and Storytelling

Behind-the-Scenes Content

Share behind-the-scenes stories about your creative process. This can be done through Instagram Stories, blog posts, or your newsletter.

While many of us create from our dining table and don’t want to be showing a messy house, you can still take photos that are delightfully engaging.  While studio images are always a perennial favourite, so too are art and craft supplies and displays of your work in situ.

Customer Stories and Testimonials

Share testimonials and stories from satisfied customers. This can be particularly effective on your website, blog, Etsy store, and social media profiles.

7. Consistent Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

Aligned CTAs

Use consistent calls-to-action across your platforms. Whether it’s “Shop Now,” “Subscribe,” “Join Us,” or “Learn More,” keep the messaging aligned.

Again, it is about consistency supporting the overall nature of your business and allowing your audience to feel safe in the digital environment you are nurturing.

Seamless Navigation

Ensure your CTAs guide your audience smoothly from one platform to another, enhancing their overall experience. 

You don’t want to apply shock treatment to your followers, you want them to experience the well-being that comes from consistency and feeling that they can trust your small creative business.

4. Increased Engagement

Regular and synchronised content keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more. It shows that you are active and invested in your community.

5. Efficient Marketing and Branding

Consistent branding across platforms maximises the impact of your marketing efforts, ensuring that your message is reinforced at every touchpoint.

6. Stronger Community

A cohesive digital eco-system fosters a sense of community among your followers, as they can connect with your business in various ways and on different platforms.

7. Higher Conversion Rates

A professional and consistent appearance can lead to higher conversion rates, as customers are more likely to purchase from business they trust and feel connected to.

Why This Is Important

Building Trust and Connection

Trust is foundational for any relationship, especially in business. A cohesive digital eco-system and branding assures your audience that you are reliable and professional. 

It also helps in forming a deeper connection with your followers, as they can relate to your consistent brand story and identity.

Customer Loyalty with Branding

Consistent branding helps in building a loyal customer base. When customers recognise and value your business, they are more likely to return and recommend you to others.

Competitive Advantage

In a competitive market, a strong and cohesive branding presence sets you apart. It makes your business more memorable and attractive to potential customers.

Effective Communication

Consistency in your branding ensures that your message is clear and effective, reducing the risk of confusion or misunderstanding. 

By integrating these elements, you create a seamless and engaging experience for your audience, enhancing your business’s reputation and fostering deeper connections with your followers and customers.