How To Build A Strong Brand Perception And Presence

Every great domain name has the right domain extension. It’s true! Believe it or not, those 3 or more characters can have a huge impact on how a brand and website are perceived. In fact, they’re equally if not more important than the domain name itself — as khula.studio goes to show! Here’s what you need to know. 

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What is a domain extension?

A domain extension is the last part of a website’s URL — the dot and letters that come after the domain name, such as .com, .org, and .net. Appearing at the end of the protocol (usually HTTP), the subdomain (commonly www), and the domain name, those additional letters become an integral part of the website’s URL. 

Also known as the top-level domain (TLD) in the early days of the Internet, domain extensions helped to classify websites. As we cover in this blog, whilst that’s still true for some domain extensions, it’s less so for others. 

This uncertainty can make it difficult to choose the right domain extension for a business’s website. Choosing the right extension can help establish online presence and connections with target audiences.

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Common types of domain extension

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages domain extensions. These are divided into two categories: generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs):

• Generic top-level domains (gTLDs) are the most common domain extensions that are not country-specific. Examples include .com, .org, and .net.

• Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) are specific to a particular country or territory. Examples include .ca for Canada, .uk for the United Kingdom, and .au for Australia.

• Sponsored top-level domains (sTLDs) are managed by a particular organization or community. Examples include .edu for educational institutions and .gov for government organizations.

• Infrastructure top-level domains (iTLDs) are used for technical infrastructure purposes. Examples include .arpa, which is used for reverse domain name resolution in the internet's DNS system.

• Internationalized domain names (IDNs) support accented letters and characters from non-Latin scripts. 

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20 popular domain extensions

Every domain extension has its own inherent meaning and purpose, whether that’s general or specific. Here’s a list of 20 popular domain extensions, with a short description of each one:

.com - The most widely used and recognized, it represents"commercial" and is historically used for commercial businesses and organizations.

.org - This stands for "organization" and is generally used by non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and other non-commercial entities.

.net - Short for "network", this is commonly used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs), tech companies, and other networking services.

.co - This extension is increasingly seen to represent "company" and is often used as an alternative to .com for commercial businesses.

.edu: Educational institutions such as colleges and universities use this extension.

.info - Representing "information", this is typically used for informational websites and resources.

.me - Originally a ccTLD for Montenegro, this extension is commonly used for personal websites or blogs.

.io - This extension once stood for the “British Indian Ocean Territory” but has been commandeered by tech startups and other tech companies. Input/Output can be written IO.‍

.biz - Referring to “businesses”, this extension is used for commercial businesses and e-commerce websites.‍

.tech - Commonly used by technology-related websites, businesses, and organizations.‍

.shop - Primarily for e-commerce websites and online stores.‍

.studio - Ideal for businesses and individuals who offer creative services such as photography, music, art, and design.‍

.agency - Popular with businesses that provide professional services such as marketing, advertising, PR, and consulting.‍

.photography - Photographers and photography-related businesses used this extension to showcase their work and services.‍

.art - For artists and art-related businesses to demonstrate their work and services.‍

.design - Designers and design-related businesses used this extension to showcase their work and services.‍

.digital - This extension is often used by businesses that operate in the digital space, such as digital marketing, web design, and software development.‍

.hair - The .hair extension can be used by hair-related businesses such as shampoo companies and hair salons

‍.xyz - This extension is a generic top-level domain that can be used for any type of website or business. It has been used to create memorable and unique domain names.‍

.wtf - The .wtf extension is a top-level domain that stands for "what the f***". It’s popular for websites that feature humorous or irreverent content.

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How domain extensions help your business

Any chosen domain name has to be paired with a domain extension. Making the right choice is important for two reasons: credibility and SEO. That’s because the domain extension influences how people perceive a website. 

A domain extension helps to signpost traffic to your site. It’s an all-important touchpoint and piece of a brand that is sometimes overlooked. For that reason, it's important to choose a domain name that complements the brand identity. Most importantly, it needs to convey trustworthiness, and relevance. 

Many Internet users will feel safe and familiar with .com, .org, and .net. For example, the .com domain extension is used by nearly half of all websites. This adds instant credibility to a website, making it feel more trustworthy than one with a comparable extension, such as .biz. 

However, when choosing a domain extension, the most important thing to consider is the audience of the website. Whilst having a less common extension won't necessarily impact search engine rankings, it could indirectly impact SEO by making the website less appealing. Location may also come into play here —  especially if the target market is in a particular geographical area. 

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4 tips for choosing the right domain extension

Here are 4 tips to help you choose the right domain extension for your website:

1. Where is your target audience? If your website is targeted at a specific country or region, consider using a country-specific domain extension. This will help your website rank in that country’s search results.

2. What’s the purpose of your website? The domain extension can help signpost your purpose. If your website is commercial, consider using a .com domain extension. If your website is for a non-profit organization, consider using a .org domain extension.

3. Does it help to define your brand? Your domain name and extension can help build your brand identity. Consider using a domain extension that fits with your brand image, such as .io for a tech company. 

4. Will your audience trust the domain extension? Trust is important. Many businesses choose to stick to recognizable domain extensions such as .com, .org, or .net, and avoid using obscure ones that may confuse or alienate their audience.

You may have a great idea for a business, a minimum viable product, and the readiness to go to market. But without the right branding, you’ll find it hard to connect your business with your target audiences, differentiate what you do from your competitors, and clearly define your brand identity system — so that it has purpose and consistency.  

With your budget ploughed into research and development, branding might have slipped to the near-bottom of your priority list. But investment now will help you to avoid picking up the pieces later as a result of ineffective short-term marketing strategies. Branding is a long-term investment. And it’s worth making it from day one if you value control and consistency over how your business is presented and perceived at every touchpoint with customers and clients.

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What is branding, and why does it matter to your startup?

At its heart, branding is about shaping perceptions, whether that’s clients, customers, or employees. It combines advertising and design to distinguish your organization from its competitors. By translating your position into assets such as visual identity and a website, and actions, like user experience and customer support services, branding can alter perceptions. Assets and actions are a powerful combination that work together to influence stakeholders’ minds. 

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Branding is an iterative process and a work in progress that tries to ensure that the assets connected with a particular product or service are distinct and clearly distinguishable. It is the art of differentiating your organization from your competitors, through strategies that enable people to quickly identify who you are, and what you stand for. 

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Whilst branding is often seen as the aesthetics of your organization, it also includes the story of your startup, the promise of what your product or service can do, and the value behind it. All of these elements combine to influence how employees, suppliers, and clients (both potential and current) perceive and feel about your organization. Feeling is really important.

Effective branding has the power to convert first impressions to lifelong customer loyalty, with the potential to transform indifference into zealous advocacy for your organization.

How clients and customers feel about your product or service will largely determine how likely they are to opt for your offering over a competitor’s. It’s the key that unlocks the doors of perception. And branding matters to your business for four key reasons:

• It creates an identity for your business.
• It helps you present your product or service to the world.
• It makes your business more memorable.
• It provides focus for people who work for you.

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Think of branding as the vehicle that drives your product or service to where it needs to go to reach your target audiences. Its primary purpose is to positively impact both short and long-term decision-making and create buy-in to your business. It’s like a blueprint for the way your brand is expressed at every touchpoint with stakeholders. 

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And that requires clear strategized thinking around who your audience is, what you can offer them, how you can align your brand with their needs, and where and when you can engage them. It’s about communicating with your target audience on their terms, in channels that they are most-likely or most-comfortable to use. 

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Understanding your audience requires strategical thinking around a number of key factors in order to present your product or service as the ideal solution for their perceived problem or need. By identifying who your audience is, their personality, their journey and emotional investment, you are then ready to engage and ultimately influence their decision to view your offering as the most suitable one.

The Branding Hierarchy Of Needs

At KHULA Design Studio, the way in which we help you with branding is through our ‘brand hierarchy of needs’, steps for progression which ensure you’re on course for a winning outcome.

It’s these branding fundamentals that give you the firm roots for your brand to grow.

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What You Offer

The keystone to building out your brand is your proven offer, product or service. Whether you’re selling handmade textiles, sports therapy, or after school child care, it’s important to consider what you have and what makes it unique. 

That means you’re going to need an oversight of the existing marketplace and where your offering fits in. Getting an informed idea about the shape of the landscape around your particular business and market means you can identify what’s already out there, and how yours is different. What are your potential customers’ current options?

Brand Positioning

It’s also critical to fully understand who it is your brand is connecting with. Only by understanding their pain points and personal preference can you ensure your branding strategy connects with your target audience. 

Clarity on what you offer enables KHULA Design Studio to come alongside you to help design your organization’s image, engineering brand associations that resonate in the minds of your stakeholders and help to shape their perceptions. What makes your brand different?

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Messaging

By ensuring your branding cleanly delivers your key messages, you can successfully define who you are in the minds of all stakeholders. Getting it right, is crucial to your future success.

When it comes to messaging, your brand makes the difference. We can help you to strategize your brand messaging in ways that set you apart from competitors with a powerful verbal identity clarifying your key messaging, and helping current and potential users to understand your brand and buy-in to it.

Design

From colours and shapes to typography and visual elements, all aspects of your visual communication are responsible for delivering your brand’s personality.  

Reinforcing your overall brand strategy and helping you to distinguish your organization from competitors, we offer a variety of design solutions, from brand identity and visual systems, to UX/UI and web design, that embody your brand positioning, messaging, and brand personality.

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Experience

Building your brand presence is an ongoing process, and it takes time and experience for it to evolve and transform. To help it grow, you need to ensure you’re offering an amazing customer experience at every touchpoint to create a memorable experience, every time. 

Does your branding do justice to your stakeholders' engagement with your business? Conversely, is your customer’s experience aligned with your branding?

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Who are you at your best?

There are lots of low-cost strategies you can use to set your branding on the right foot from the get-go. The first one? Make sure you know your brand’s personality. If you’re not able to describe the personality of your brand, then your customers and clients aren’t going to be able to either.

Set the tone for your organization by deciding on the characteristics of your brand, not to impose a set of behavioural rules on your employees, but to establish the traits that underpin your brand values.

This brand personality will be represented in all aspects of your branding, from visual elements like colours, to the copy on your social media channels.

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Getting an objective perspective 

The words you probably don’t want to hear: your brand is not for you. However devoted you are to your product and service, your branding needs to connect with potential customers and clients.

It can be difficult for startups to get objective feedback on their branding, especially if you’re a solopreneur, so surveys and client testimonials are a great way to measure the impact of your brand, so that you can check the message is getting out there, and being heard correctly.

It also enables you to highlight the benefits of what you do, ensure people know who you are, and mitigate any confusion surrounding your brand. 

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Your brand — in its own words

Which celebrity or public figure does your brand sound like? That’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. Your brand voice needs emotional guidelines, and identifying an actual voice for your product or service is a free and simple way to align those people representing it, from sales representatives to copywriters.

Across all channels, consistency is key if you want to create an authentic brand persona that engages your target audience on a deeper level.

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The value of visual consistency

Talking of consistency, effective branding also ensures that all of your touchpoints with customers and clients have a cohesive look and feel. Clear choices over logo, typography and colours will ensure you stay on brand no matter where you’re engaging with clients and customers. The value? 

Consistency builds loyalty and trust in your promise to deliver.  

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Building a brand identity system 

When a collection of visual design elements, such as your logo, typography, colours, packaging and messaging come together cohesively, you have a complete visual representation of your brand, or a brand identity system. For any startup, there are three fundamentals you need to consider as a minimum requirement of your branding needs:

1. Brand strategy ensures you have the right product or service in your market. Do you have the right brand positioning? Competitor and brand audits will enable you to do a gap analysis to build the cornerstone of your brand promise. This research will inform your next two steps: your brand identity. This research sets the tone for every future touchpoint of your brand, from your website to marketing materials. 

2. Brand identity and your visual system help your brand to leave a recognizable and memorable mark. As one element of this, logos can help you make a powerful first impression and convey your brand message and personality. As they become increasingly recognized, logos become a sign of authenticity and help to build trust. 

3. A website showcases your product or service to the world. Whether your business is based online or offline, don’t underestimate the importance of a professional website. Not only will most customers instinctively check your website when dealing with you, it will be their go-to for finding your contact details, and add value-added information.  

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Affordable branding tailored to your needs

Many startups and solopreneurs have small budgets which get eaten up by research and development, leaving little left over for branding. Startup branding doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. 

At KHULA Design Studio, we’re in the business of helping solopreneurs and startups build their brand through a range of services including brand strategy and design, copywriting, Webflow development, and SEO.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can elevate your brand, get in touch with us today. We’re always happy to talk branding.  

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Let’s just be honest – starting a business can be scary! But the reward of working for yourself, choosing which direction you take, and just being able to take ownership of something make the challenge 100% worth it.

True, there’s a lot to consider – but help is at hand! Our Ultimate Startup Checklist is our guide to everything new business owners need to think about.

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Phase 1: Get Planning

Choose a business or brand name. Make it unique enough that people will notice it, but simple enough that they will recall it. Oh, and make sure no-one else has it!

Create a business plan or strategy. Your plan of attack can be as simple as ‘selling books online’ (heard that one before!) and an overview of how to do that;  to an all-singing, all-dancing ten pager. But if you’re starting out, keep it simple. 

Scope out the competition! Scan your chosen industry to figure out who your closest competitors are and what they’re doing right/wrong.

Market research is key! Scour the market and industry needs to make sure your plan is solid.

Know your costs. Create a cash flow projection: estimate startup costs, sales, and expenses.

Figure out your business’ legal structure. Will you be a sole proprietorship? Partnership? Fully-fledged corporation? Scope out the best way forward. You can always change things around later.

Create a persona for your ideal customer. It might sound obvious, but do you know exactly who you’re selling to? Who are they? Where do they live? What do they enjoy doing? Give them a name. Know who they are.

Phase 2: Get Branding

Now comes the fun stuff… figuring out how to bring your brand to life – through words, images, and digital assets!

Verbal Identity

A Verbal Identity is the articulation of your brand through the use of distinct and focused language, expressed through words.

• Vision statement
• Mission statement
• Value proposition statement
• Tone of voice
• Key messaging
  

Need help crafting those words? We have a team of amazing copywriters at our fingertips! Click here for a free no-obligation estimate.

Visual Identity

You have a name, now you need a brand identity! The visual elements of a brand act as its calling card – communicating your style through images, shapes, and color.

• Typeface
• Symbol
• Typeface + symbol (logo)
• Colour palette
• Application mockups with the logo
• Brand book
  

Need help building out your brand identity? We got your back. Click here for an estimate.

Online Presence and Marketing

Building out your online presence – from social media to website – is another mission-critical step to get right! 

Social Media

• Pick and set up your social media channels and accounts
• Complete your profile (picture, bio, cover, links)
• Claim your page URL / username @
• Create a content strategy and plan
• Create a content calendar for each month
• Follow your favourite brands and competitors to see trends and spark ideas
• Perform a monthly social media audit and check results of posts and campaigns
• Come up with new experiments and campaigns to A/B test each month
  

Website

• Domain name registration
• Information architecture - site structure and plan
• Wireframes & UX (user experience) designed for the website
• Get User Interface (UI) design for web pages (look and feel of website)
• Develop website on a platform that best makes sense for your business
• Include SEO keywords, titles and descriptions into website
• Add Google tools such as Analytics, AdWords and Tag Manager
• The website must have a 401 error page, a privacy policy, and 301 redirects – if any.

Need help building out your online presence? We’ll help you build out a website you can 100% own and manage! Click here for a free no-obligation estimate.

Tip: Why not create a mood board of ideas, inspiration, visual and verbal elements that you like? It’s something you can keep coming back to – and great if you’re outsourcing your content, design, or development.

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Phase 3: Get Going

Finance is the beating heart of your new company. It’s something you need to keep on top of – you need to get paid, right? But just as important are the operational aspects of your business. The two go hand in hand.

• Open a business bank account 
• Set up your accounting system or outsource it 
• Business insurance 
• Line up suppliers, contractors and service providers
• Need stationery? (business cards, flyers, posters, letterheads, branded marketing materials, etc)
• File for Trademark, Copyright, Industrial design, or Patent
• Figure out if you need any business licenses or permits
• Figure out payroll, trade and taxes
• Set up your business email
• Set up an online working environment: where you’ll save documents and files (G Suite, Office 365 or similar)
• Create a Terms and Conditions document or website page

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Phase 4: Get Hiring

Taking on staff? Partnering with a co-founder? Be clear as possible about what you do, what they’re responsible for, and what kind of company culture you want to create. 

• Do you have an employee onboarding checklist and training schedule setup?
• Do you have all employee agreements and documents in place?
• Figure out company culture or create a culture manual
• Get a mentor or coach onboard
  
  

Phase 5: Get Marketing 

Time to figure out and refine your sales pitch and make sure everyone knows you’re open and ready for business! Your marketing matters!

• Do you need a CRM (customer relationship management) tool to capture and nurture customers?
• Create a marketing plan
• Email marketing and funnel setup
• Start a blog
• Social Media campaigns
• Setup a Google Adwords account
• Product photography

One Step At A Time

Keep in mind that not everything listed here will apply. And some points may become more relevant the further down the road to success you go – so be sure to keep this checklist close by!

That said, getting the basics in place is important. But as long as you have customers, a route to market, income, and are doing everything you should where taxes are concerned – you’re good to get started.

But if there is anything here you’re unfamiliar with, do delve a bit deeper online to find out if it’s something you can tackle yourself – or whether you can outsource it.

Hey – you can do anything, but you can’t do everything! If you’re looking for copy, content, design or development support, contact the KHULA^™ team today.

Book a call and see how we can help. Remember: you are not alone on this journey!