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Protecting Your Brand in the Digital Age
Ainsley Lawrence
February 19, 2020·4 min read
The rapid evolution of the internet has transformed the way today’s businesses function. Like with most other things, these transformations come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Businesses that have integrated the internet into the fabric of their brand have learned that “with great connectivity, comes great vulnerability.” With cybercrime on the rise, brands in the digital age are more susceptible to online attacks.
Due to the nature of the digital age, brands risk spending valuable time and money on trends that quickly lose popularity. Especially if done without the proper backup research.
For those businesses that have chosen to follow the rest of the world into the digital age, the decision could quickly turn into a fatal one. Business need to research the major concerns and risks that accompany going digital. Here, we will explore these important concerns when it comes to protecting your brand in the digital age:
What’s ‘In’ This Season?
The digital world is constantly changing with trends that control the way your consumers behave on the internet. The fluid digital world forces brands to keep up with the different needs and wants of their hyper-connected consumers. Standing out in the crowd and remaining relevant are two of the main goals when it comes to successful digital branding. However, maintaining this balance can be tricky for brand managers who are new to the digital world. Many businesses look to the youngest person in the company, is that efficient? Often dropping the ball can lead to your brand becoming nothing but an dated page on the internet. Thus, it is essential you are always aware of top digital branding trends and are able to leverage them to work in your favor. Some trends of today include:Immersive Interactive Technology
This sort of technology allows customers to have a voice in steering your brand in the direction they want to see it go. In this way, you are given customer-driven insight, while also boosting engagement with consumers.Video
Short videos and ephemeral content is the rage right now, and there’s no doubt that this should be included in your digital branding strategy. Marketing campaigns with static images alone won’t cut it anymore. The modern consumer has an appetite for instant gratification, so your strategy should cater to those preferences.
Data Science
Data science is a growing field and can revolutionize your business and its and branding. In fact, to quote a video by Ohio University, data science is extremely useful for providing “fact-based hyper-targeted information to aid in making real-time decisions.” You can use the insights gleaned from data to make better marketing decisions in order to seamlessly suit your digital audience’s needs.Authenticity
It’s easy to get lost in the noise of digital branding and enter a cycle of creating generic online content that doesn't stand out. Unfortunately, this won’t get you anywhere. Consumers in the digital age value truth, and want to know the purpose behind a brand. They want to know that a brand fills a unique niche, and is founded upon ethical values. Thus, you need to stay true to your brand and incorporate these messages into your digital strategy.Digital Security Concerns
Another risk of going digital is cybersecurity. Going digital, your data is at risk of being stolen or misused by cybercriminals. Today, more hackers are on the prowl, and will stop at nothing once they’ve acquired a target. You need to ensure that you have taken the right steps for preventing these potential security disasters. Being aware of employee haste, putting cyber safety policies in place, apply strict password security measures, and managing your cloud data carefully. These are just a few crucial steps you need to take to protect your assets. According to this article by Connection, phishing is one of the top cybersecurity threats today. To quote the article, phishing is, “when a scammer uses fraudulent emails or texts, or copycat websites to get you to share valuable personal information—such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, or your login IDs and passwords. Scammers use your information to steal your money or your identity or both.” Training your employees to spot and prevent a phishing attack is vital if you want to protect your brand and money. In general, it is a good idea to invest in cybersecurity training for all employees. While there are risks to running a business in the digital age, today’s world simply doesn’t allow for anything but. To reap any sort of reward, you need to be online. However, just because embracing the digital is a necessity doesn’t mean you should do it blindly. Considering the threats of today, it is foolish to simply exist in the digital age without protection. Staying current and applying cybersecurity measures are two critical steps to keep your brand protected from the risks out there.Ainsley Lawrence
Ainsley Lawrence is a writer who loves to talk about good health, balanced life, and better living through technology. She is frequently lost in a good book or podcast.