When you think of the word ‘iconic’, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

For many people, it’s famous logos they see every day. From the golden arches of McDonald’s to the purple camera of Instagram, these logos are well-known all over the world and can be recognized at a glance by anyone who’s used the company’s products before.

These kinds of highly iconic logos are the perfect demonstration of what makes branding so powerful.

We’ll be exploring the topic of branding at length below, going into deep detail on what it is and why it matters to your business. After that, we’ll share some best practices for your branding, so you’re a true expert by the time you finish reading this article.

What is branding in business?

First, of course, we’ve got to establish a definition of the topic. Branding itself is the act of creating a strong identity for your company (more on this shortly).

Good branding should cover every possible area of your company. For example, if you’re branding yourself as an eco-friendly cleaning company, all your social media accounts need to make this clear. Your website should detail how you secure eco-friendliness. Your logo should instantly make people think of both cleaning and eco-friendliness.

In short, it’s about putting together a holistic image for your brand that’s more than just a facade. The best examples of branding all involve reflecting brand values, not just aesthetics, in all aspects of the brand itself.

What’s a brand identity?

A brand identity is a summary of who you are as a company. Maybe you’re friendly and approachable; maybe you’re witty and full of dry humor; maybe you’re serious and knowledgeable.

Brand identities are essential to successful branding. You can’t create or push an image for your brand if there’s no substance to that image, or if it’s very two-dimensional.

Let’s contextualize that with a good example of using your brand identity for branding purposes.

A quick glance at the RealVNC homepage reveals that it’s a piece of remote access software (RAS) that places a heavy emphasis on safety. This is a direct statement of the brand’s identity; it’s the first thing you see when you look them up. 

That focus on safety carries on throughout the rest of the page. Directly below the banner stating that they’re the safest RAS is the following image:

The familiar security shield icon beside the words ‘certifiably secure’ brings the idea of safety back up, both through words and visuals. The same effect is achieved again directly below, with the following visuals:

Consider the words that jump out right away: ‘secure’, ‘encryption’, ‘verification’, ‘safe’. These are all associated with increased digital protection, which helps highlight and shape the brand identity RealVNC communicates as one that centers on security.

What are some real-world examples of branding?

Following on from our RealVNC example, we’ll do a quick breakdown of a few other companies that really get their branding right.

8×8

Virtual communications solution 8×8 highlights their major focus on customer satisfaction right from the get-go when you click on their website. They show this in a few ways, most notably in how they treat you, the prospective customer viewing their content.

The language and iconography in the above screenshot both communicate their customer-centric brand identity. Rather than a bot or brand logo, the images associated with their chat feature are real humans (who look happy to be talking with you), paired with the green dot that indicates being available online.

This immediately creates an air of approachability.

The phrase ‘how can we help’ also puts customers’ needs first. Their priority is to offer help to you, not to get anything from you. Then there’s the fact that they use the word ‘chat’ twice, suggesting casual and friendly conversations between customers and the brand.

Facebook

Even when it’s blurry and at an angle, the icon that represents Meta’s flagship product is instantly recognizable.

Whether it’s conscious or not, you’ll likely have recognized the specific shade of blue used by the brand, as well as the font of the letter ‘f’. Plenty of people will also have specific feelings tied to that icon, whether those are more along the lines of ‘I chat to my friends there’ or ‘that’s where I go to talk about my hobbies’.

From just the combination of that icon and the name, you’ve also got a good idea of how Meta wants you to use their product. Facebook is for connecting with people, and it involves sharing, well, your real face (hence the name).

Dr. Martens

The work boot shape. The iconic yellow stitching. The thick rubber soles. The leather. These are the things that help make any pair of Dr Martens instantly recognizable, even in the absence of a visible logo.

Docs are a great example of visual branding, in no small part because they’re still identifiable regardless of how many different models and colors they come in. Their identity as a pair of shoes made by an iconic English retailer is always indisputable.

Nike

The Nike ‘tick’ logo has become an enduring symbol among major sports brands globally. Similarly, the ‘Just do it’ slogan is widely recognized as one of the most iconic slogans you’ll ever come across. Providing an inspirational message based around achieving your goals has helped Nike connect with leading athletes and contributed to their own goals of becoming one of the largest sports brands in the world.

Apple

The famous ‘apple with a bite taken out’ logo has become synonymous with cutting-edge technology married with sleek designs. At the heart of Apple’s branding is it’s simplicity and user-friendly products. They make you feel like you’re part of an exclusive club with every new product launch, and that’s what sets them apart in the tech world.

Top reasons why branding matters

Now that we’ve seen how branding looks in practice, it’s time to consider the reasons why you’d want to implement it in your own company. These are listed below in no particular order.

Establishing who you are as a brand

First and foremost is the fact that branding lets you essentially hold up a banner that says ‘here’s who we are, and what we stand for’. And the best part? You get to customize every part of that banner.

Doing this right lets you send out constant signals to anyone who sees your content, increasing your brand awareness. These inform viewers of your brand identity, letting them be drawn in without any direct interaction between yourself and the prospective customer.

Connecting with the right customers

When asking questions like ‘what is vendor risk management’, it’s always important to also ask how you can mitigate risks. One great way to do this is to make sure you’re appealing directly to the kinds of people you’re deliberately trying to target.

Broadcasting your brand identity is a fantastic plan to achieve this.

Showing the world who you are lets the right people flock to you. That’s true for both humans and brands, and is another solid argument in favor of using branding.

Standing out

In a world in which everyone can make their website and social media profiles look nice, it’s important to be more than just nice. You’ve got to be unique as a brand if you want to stand out, and that’s where branding is so great.

Consider the branding in the following HelloFresh image:

From the cheese to the chicken to all the vegetables, the lack of plastic packaging makes the whole box look more ‘fresh’, as the brand name suggests. Competitors looking at this image will know that the ‘fresh’ aspect of ready-to-cook meal boxes is fully associated with HelloFresh, just as customers will.

Retaining customers

A company with a strong brand identity is likely to deliver the same standard of excellence in its CX (customer experience) over time. This means that customers who are happy with your services once will be likely to return.

There’s also the fact that the kinds of customers who seek you out for your specific brand identity are likely to be interested in precisely that. This means they’ll stick with you after a successful purchase because they like your brand more than a one-off product.

Driving sales

Well-designed branding is a sales tool in its own right. That’s because it’s going to help you attract and retain customers who care about your message and identity, as laid out above.

And of course, with loyal customers come more sales.

As a bonus, your customers will know to come to you for any products that fit your messaging. If you usually sell comfortable and supportive boots, for example, customers will be more likely to think of you when they’re after equally excellent fancy dress shoes.

What is a branding strategy?

Next, we’re going to talk about ways to take the theoretics of branding and apply them in practice by means of a branding strategy.

Essentially, your branding strategy is your plan for turning your branding ideals into an observable reality. It should address how you’re planning to roll your branding out, what that branding looks like, and who’s involved with which aspect of the overall strategy.

For example, let’s say you’re looking to brand your contact center as a service (CCaaS) solution. Your branding strategy would outline which colors and designs your official media will use, as well as how you’re going to make sure you stand out as the best CCaaS provider on the market through those design choices.

Branding best practices

Lastly, we’ll go through some of the most important best practices associated with branding. By following these, you can ensure you’ll get your branding right every time.

Be consistent

Above all else, consistency is key when it comes to branding. This is because branding is all about creating an identity, and that identity needs to be recognizable if it’s going to have any impact on customers.

And recognition comes from repetition.

Or, well, not exactly repetition. You don’t want to just say the same thing over and over. What you do want is to make sure that every branded message is internally consistent, so your brand values and aesthetics stay the same.

Keep it simple

Consider the following image:

You’ll likely know the company behind the product within a second of glancing at the iconic Apple logo. That quick recognition comes, in part, from the fact that Apple’s famous logo is equal parts simple and effective. They use a basic apple outline instead of something photorealistic.

To put that into perspective, it’s always good to keep to a simple, strong concept. When things get complicated, you start to lose people–and, crucially, you miss out on that first-impression instant recognition that all branding should aim for.

Train employees

Even the strongest branding isn’t always fully intuitive. For example, is your brand ‘powerful’ or ‘strong’? What’s the exact color palette you use?

These are the kinds of questions every employee should be able to answer easily.

The best way to spread this knowledge is to take special care when you’re training newbies at your company. Make sure you give them extensive training on the topic of your branding, so any new employee can spot potential errors in branded content and come up with helpful branding suggestions.

Be accessible

While it’s good to have a clear idea of your target audience, you’ve got to make sure your branding is accessible to a broad variety of people. This helps you draw in more customers without alienating anyone.

For example, if you suspect that prospective customers might not all be familiar with the term VoIP, you’d be better off advertising your product as a voice-over IP phone system. Anyone who does regularly use the term VoIP will know what they’re dealing with, while people who don’t are still included.

Also, you may want to consider creating a product video that showcases your brand’s values and services. A well-produced product video can resonate with a wide audience, including those who prefer visual content over other formats.

Check on your progress

As we’ve established, branding doesn’t happen on its own, and it doesn’t always go quite the way you’re planning. Some things are bound to slip through the cracks, no matter how vigilant you are, but too many slips create a less unified brand identity.

Thankfully, there’s something you can do about it.

As long as you conduct an audit regularly enough, you’ll be able to catch any mistakes or incongruities before they become a problem. Make sure you’re always monitoring your progress with regard to branding, and you’ll be more likely to succeed in that department.

Final thoughts

Getting branding right takes time, as well as hard work.

You may have to go through a few different iterations of your company’s brand identity before you arrive at the best one. Just look at how many times the Google logo has been redesigned if you’re feeling unsure about reworking an existing image!

There’s also, of course, the matter of making sure that all your company content is branded uniformly. This is perhaps the most time-consuming part, simply because you’ll often have to filter through a lot of content, especially if your company has been around for a while.

However, branding is always worth it.

When you’re able to make that first impression on customers and leave a lasting mark in their minds, you’ll be able to rise above the competition. The companies that do branding well can carve out a name for themselves.

The post What is Branding and Why is It Important? A Detailed Explanation appeared first on Customer Happiness Blog.

Read the best UX/UI cybersecurity tips and tricks for 2024. Get the most out of your digital design!

The key components of any successful tool or software are user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). UI/UX makes a product visually appealing, easy to use, and secure. It’s a key factor in customer satisfaction, as it is responsible for the part of the software with which the user will interact most.

However, one aspect of UX and UI that often gets overlooked is the implementation of cybersecurity practices. Lack of proper cybersecurity measures during UX design can expose users to malicious attacks and data breaches.

There’s no denying that user trust is critical for successful businesses. To gain it, companies must improve security and ensure users that their data is protected.

The Need for UX Security 

According to a 2019 study by the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of a data breach is $3.92 million. That figure has risen by 12% since 2018. Additionally, the number of records compromised in a data breach increased by nearly 50% in the same period. This data highlights the importance of incorporating cybersecurity measures from the beginning of the development and interface design process.

Consider the story of the Target data breach in 2013. Target’s point-of-sale system had a vulnerability that allowed hackers to access customers’ credit card information, resulting in the theft of over 40 million credit card numbers and the identities of 70 million customers. 

Another example was the Equifax data breach in 2017. Hackers accessed the personal information of over 145 million people, including Social Security numbers and credit card numbers. It serves as a reminder of the importance of using secure encryption and having proper security measures in place.

While cases like this show the importance of incorporating more robust cybersecurity measures when developing a digital product, it is up to the UI/UX designers to ensure that any security features of an app or a website are taken into account from the very beginning, is visually appealing and does not interfere with the user experience.

The Principles of Secure by Design:

When designing secure UX/UI systems, several principles must be kept in mind. 

• The first is usability. The user interface should be easy to use and understand. This means that the interface should use familiar language and layout and be intuitive for users to interact with. 

• The second principle is security. The interface should be designed with security in mind (to protect user data and systems from cyber threats, such as malware or denial of service). The interface should use robust authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication, and it should be designed to minimize the chances of data breaches.

• The third principle is accessibility. The interface should be designed to be accessible to users with disabilities and thus have accessibility features, such as text-to-speech capabilities. It should be usable by a wide range of users. 

• Finally, the fourth principle is privacy. The interface should be designed to protect user data and privacy, minimize the collection and storage of user data, and protect user data from being accessed by unauthorized parties. 

Cybersecurity Tips for Satisfied Customers

1. Provide a Simple Authentication Method

Biometrics with single sign-on (SSO) authentication allows users to securely access multiple applications and services with one set of login credentials. This eliminates the need for users to remember multiple usernames and passwords and reduces the risk of unauthorized access to user accounts.

Examples of single sign-on authentication include Facebook Login and Google Sign-in. These services allow users to log in to any website or application with their existing Facebook or Google credentials. This makes logging in much simpler and more convenient for users.

2. Educate your Users

You can make users more aware of cyber threats by using the following practices:

• Customer Support: 

Provide excellent customer support by having a knowledgeable and friendly staff that answers customer questions quickly and accurately, setting up automatic notifications if the customer hasn’t logged in a while, or providing helpful information if they need to reset their password.

• Pop-Ups:

Use pop-ups to remind users of cyber security tips. For example, you can use pop-ups to remind users to change their passwords regularly, not to use the same password for multiple accounts, or that their account has been inactive for a while. This will help users stay aware of their security without compromising their user experience. You can even make use of pop-up surveys that allow you to evaluate your users’ security awareness or add an interactive element to the content.

• Security Checkpoints:

Implement security checkpoints to help users stay aware of the latest security threats and vulnerabilities. For example, you can use security checklists to verify the validity of the links they click on. 

• Security Education:

Provide security education to users to help them stay aware of the latest security tips and threats. You can do this by hosting webinars or sending out regular security tips. This way, users will be more informed about cyber security and will be able to take the necessary steps to protect themselves.

• Safety review systems:

Implement measures to ensure that users are following safety protocols. This can include peer-reviewing and rating systems that allow users to report suspicious behavior or report potential security issues.

3. Incorporate Robust Security Measures

Security tools are essential for keeping websites and networks protected from malicious attacks. They help protect user data, prevent unauthorized access, and provide enhanced security for user accounts.

App Security Features:

UI/UX designers should incorporate these features to ensure safe-to-use apps.

Security Questions

Security questions provide an extra level of security by verifying the identity of the app users. When clients reset their password from a new location or network, the system will prompt the client to select their security question and enter the answer before creating a new password. Below are some suggestions for security questions:

• What was the house number and street name you lived in as a child?
• What primary school did you attend?
• In what town or city did you meet your spouse or partner?
• What is the middle name of your oldest child?
• In what town or city was your first full-time job?

Secure Code

Secure coding practices entail writing code in a way that will prevent potential security vulnerabilities. This includes maintaining your source code and any third-party libraries in a secure state.

It’s a good idea to add these measures to your secure coding checklist:

• Code minification and obfuscation

Minification removes white space and line breaks from your code, while Obfuscation turns human-readable code into text that is difficult to understand

• Avoid shortcuts 

Such as leaving hardcoded credentials and security tokens as comments.

• Automated scanning & code reviews

A combination of regular secure code reviews and automated tools that scan your code for these vulnerabilities can help prevent such attacks.

• Avoiding components with known vulnerabilities

Avoid components with known vulnerabilities and constantly monitor components for new vulnerabilities throughout the development process; this will ensure the integrity of your code.

• Auditing & logging

Software with sufficient logging and monitoring will allow you to detect potential incidents when your code is deployed in a production environment.

Reliable Data Storage

To ensure your project data is secure, incorporate these data storage best practices:

• Store private data within internal storage.
• Use SharedPreferences in private mode.
• Store only non-sensitive data in cache files.
• Store data in external storage based on the use case.

Security Tools for UX/UI Designer Teams

When designing a new app, UI/UX designers should also use certain tools themselves to ensure maximum project security. These include:

VPN

With threats on the rise, encryption ensures that data cannot be read by anyone other than the intended recipient. With the help of a trusted VPN, UI/UX designers can protect their organizations’ and clients’ intellectual property (proprietary code, custom designs, frameworks, apps, financial data, contact information, schematics, and patents) from being stolen/used/traded by hackers.

It can also be used for access control – VPNs act as a data shield when users interact with apps and web properties over the Internet by keeping certain resources hidden. Organizations can control which users (designers or clients for example) have access to which resources by setting up several different VPNs. Each VPN assigns different users different internal resources and different data access levels.

Secure file sharing

With remote work becoming a norm, it’s essential for design teams to share files quickly and securely. Here are some secure file-sharing tools & software for business:

• Files.com
• FileWhopper
• Dropbox Business
• OneDrive for Business
• ExaVault
• Google Workspace Drive

Collaboration tools

When designing an app, having a reliable software development collaboration platform is key. Here are a couple of suggestions:

• GitHub 
• Jira
• Confluence
• Monday.com

1. Overdoing security kills!

Building trust through secure systems is important, but there has to be a good balance between security and functionality. Overdoing security kills the functionality and hence spoils the user experience. Following are some examples:

1. Putting in place overly restrictive rules for accessing accounts or completing transactions can frustrate users and cause them to abandon their attempts. Instead, implement measures that are easy to understand and follow.
2. Avoid Complex Captchas: Captchas are important for protecting against malicious bots and automated scripts, but they should not be so difficult that they become a barrier to entry. Instead, use Captchas that are easy enough for humans to solve but difficult for robots.

2. Take less and Give more 

Collecting too much data and storing too many cookies can hurt user experience. With the average internet user now facing 250 cookies and some sites collecting over 500 data points, it’s no wonder users are feeling overwhelmed. 

According to a study conducted by the Institute of Digital Relationship Management, reducing the number of data points collected by a website can significantly impact the user experience. The study found that reducing the number of data points collected from 500 to 50 significantly improved user experience.

In addition to boosting customer satisfaction, it can help protect users’ privacy and ensure they feel safe.

3. Make it Transparent

Designing for transparency is a great way to secure user data while still providing an enjoyable experience. Through collaboration from the design and security teams, organizations can create a user experience that is both secure and visually appealing.

Following are some examples:

• Simple privacy settings:

Providing users with simple and clear privacy settings allows them to adjust their preferences and determine what data they are comfortable sharing. Make sure that the safety features are prominent and easy to find – users should have access to a privacy policy or terms essential for understanding their rights and responsibilities. 

• Clear instructions: 

Provide detailed, yet easy-to-understand instructions on how to use the product responsibly and safely. This includes instructions on securing the product, properly using it, and being aware of their environment. Avoid using any technical jargon that could confuse users.

• Flexible data management:

Offering users the ability to delete their accounts and data anytime assures them that their data is secure and in their control.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to keep your business running successfully and to retain customers in the technology era, you need to adopt the principle of secure by design when working on UI/UX, to ensure usability, security, accessibility, and privacy.

UX Security tips like simplifying authentication methods, educating your users, utilizing security tools, avoiding complexity, collecting less data, infusing security into the design process, and making the product accessible for people with disabilities are all crucial steps for ensuring safety and increasing customer satisfaction.

The post Best UX/UI Cybersecurity Tips for 2024 appeared first on Customer Happiness Blog.