This is the first post in a series of posts about how to build your small business brand using social media. You can read the second post Small Business Social Media Branding Tips.

Social media is an increasingly popular way for individuals and businesses to build brand equity and brand strength. With more and more businesses turning to social media to marketing their products, services, and programs, it is imperitive that you dedicate the time to not only present your brand consistently across all media platforms, but that you actively protect your brand.

The first thing you need to do is secure your social media brand by registering your name and business name, where appropriate, on all of the different social media sites you will be using.

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Recently, a fellow entrepreneur asked me for some brand strategy advice and we ended up getting into a friendly debate about the difference between a logo design and a brand. This entrepreneur has a beautiful logo, but from my perspective not much of a brand to support it.

While his logo is on his business cards, brochure, website, email newsletter, and flyers, the message, the colors, the typefaces, the design, and even the voice used in the materials was completely inconsistent. If I cover up the logo on any of his marketing materials, I would have no idea who or what business the piece is for.

When I brought up this observation, he told me that his logo is his brand and asked, “My logo is on everything. Isn’t that enough?”

Unfortunately, when asked the question, “What’s the difference between a logo and a brand,” most entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners respond with the exact same question, “Isn’t a logo and a brand the same thing?”

No. They are not the same thing.

A logo and a brand are in fact two very different things that must work together cohesively. Here is a quick explanation of what a logo is, what a brand is, and how they are different.

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