5 Innovative Online Tools for More Effective Brand Management

When managing your business’s brand, the most important factor to remember is that the best defense is a good offense. Good branding is the all about how effectively you are able to present your company in both a professional and personable sense.

Regardless of whether your company is a global business with leading roles in multiple international markets, or a startup company that is growing its local consumer base, how others view your brand is essential to the brand’s continued success. If your goals include market expansion and product growth – as most business owner’s do – then you will need to create and maintain a positive brand experience for your consumers.

Today, brand monitoring is an essential task necessary for any business to maintain a healthy image in the eye of the public consumer. This has not always been the case, as in the past when consumers talked negatively (or even positively, for that matter) behind our backs, we were never made aware – how could we be – as to their feelings for our brand. This is not true in today’s virtual environment. Consumers will talk about your brand with or without your consent. Whether their talk is good or bad is up to them, but will be heard by at least some no matter what. Generally speaking, talk on the web spreads like a forest fire and negative comments about your brand have the capacity to cause real damage to your company’s image.

Here are five online tools that may help you to build, maintain and manage a positive virtual brand.

Google Alerts

In order to build your brand in a way that will allow you to dominate the market, your brand or website should be ranking at the top of search engine results for your given name. However, your brand is likely not the only thing that is ranking for said name. Consistently monitoring content – new and old – as it makes its way into search engine results with your brand is the most effective way for you to actively manage your brand name and reputation. Google Alerts is an online tool, free of charge, which allows you to proactively monitor the results of new mentions as they occur with Google search results.

Wishpond

Delivering your brand’s message effectively through email, or by way of visits to your website and even through social media is a requirement of all businesses today – or it might as well be. Wishpond is a platform of useful tools that makes it effortless for brands to more efficiently and effectively control how they deliver their content. Additionally, the tool works as a lead generator, which is important for business growth. Wishpond can help you improve your online reputation and help you to keep your audience engaged via multiple social media platforms.

MeetEdgar

Social media management is arguably one of the most important areas to monitor when attempting to develop and maintain a positive business brand. Monitoring social media allows you to see how your name is being used among the masses. MeetEdgar allows you to keep a positive presence in the social media world by scheduling updates for all of your social media accounts. This automated tool saves you much time and effort in maintaining your ‘existence’.

Switch.co

Switch.co Business Phone System allows you to stay connected to your business from anywhere. With easy access to all of your Google accounts, social media connections and integration with Microsoft Office 365 you are able to manage your brand remotely. Update profiles, send emails, access documents and files – this tool is like having your whole office in the palm of your hand – quite literally.

Designhill / 99Designs

Having a logo is an excellent way to highlight your brand within the market. Making a great logo is no longer as difficult and costly as it once was. With the help of Designhill and 99Designs you can create a high-quality logo at a mere fraction of the cost of what a design agency would charge.

When it comes to brand management, there is hardly any other element that plays such an important role in leveraging the possibility of growth within your business like the company’s brand. With just a little research and implementation of useful automation tools like those listed above, you can be well on your way to a brand that shines beyond the rest.

If you have any recommendations as to useful brand management tools that business owners might employ, please share. We are very interested in hearing about your experiences with these tools, and how they have helped you effectively manage your brand!

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Peter Davidson is a senior business associate who works with brands and start ups to make efficient business decisions, and plan effective business strategies. With years of rich domain expertise, he loves to share his views on the latest technologies and applications through his well-researched content pieces. Follow him on Google+ and Twitter.