90 Branding Statistics to Help You Make a Good Impression

Branding is about so much more than striking the right creative note.

The rise of the internet and digital marketing has unleashed a new world of possibilities for brand marketers. Before the internet, brands were built in boardrooms and carefully curated for the public.

Now? Brands have immediate access to their customers through social media channels, email marketing, and other digital platforms. It's easier than ever to find your target audience using marketing technology, hyper-personalized marketing, and more.

But that immediate access also comes with increased competition. It's easier for buyers to research their favorite brands before they buy. And the concept of brand loyalty has wavered as customers increasingly have more purchasing options. It's easier for them to find a new brand to do business with if your business isn't up to their standards.

Making the right first impression on the buyer is crucial in a world where new options are a Google search away. Business owners that can master the art of building a great brand can increase their customer loyalty, generate brand awareness, and mostly importantly, build an emotional connection with their customers.

90 branding statistics you need to know

If you’re looking to give your brand a fresh new look, then understanding how customers perceive brands is crucial. This article will walk you through the most important branding statistics you need to know to be successful.

General branding statistics

Before you can jump into the nitty gritty of how a brand impacts each part of your business, it’s important to understand the branding landscape. Here’s a snapshot of the current branding ecosystem and what you’ll need to do to stand out.

• The top five most valuable brands in 2020 (measured in U.S. dollars) in order are: Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung.
• 50% of companies say their customers expect great design and cross-channel consistency from their brand.
• 70% of marketers say consistent branding is the most important thing to keep in mind when communicating with existing customers.
• Nearly half of all employees believe they don’t have the tools to effectively enhance their employer brand.

• 35% of companies say an internal agency or design team has primary responsibility for managing their brand, while 14% of companies use an external design firm or agency to manage their brand.
• 29% of companies say they have no formalized brand guidelines.
• 21% of brands say their brand guidelines are not written anywhere and are instead communicated verbally.
• 27% of companies that have brand guidelines say they don’t enforce their guidelines regularly.
• 39% of companies say they struggle with employees creating off-brand content.
• Only 25% of companies say they have formal brand guidelines that are strictly enforced.
• 28% of companies say their internal design team has the authority to make changes to their brand on their own.
• 62% of marketers think their company brand has moderate to excellent visibility, while 38% say their brand has little to no brand visibility.

B2B branding statistics

Does your branding strategy need to change depending on your audience? You bet. B2B brands are starting to see a shift in how consumers research and purchase products. If you manage a B2B brand, check out these statistics to see how you stack up.

• 90% of B2B customers start their journey with a Google search.
• B2B consumers make 12 searches on average prior to engaging on a specific brand’s site.

• 73% of B2B executives say that customer expectations for more personalized experiences is higher than ever.
• 80% of the B2B buying process takes place with zero human contact.
• 77% of B2B buyers state that their latest purchase was very complex or difficult.
• Focusing on the customer experience, starting from front-end sales to ongoing support, can increase revenue by 5% to 10%

B2C branding statistics

Marketers at B2C companies face a unique challenge when creating their brand. B2C customers value personalization and customer experience when choosing which companies to do business with. Here’s a look at some of the top B2C branding statistics your team needs to know.

• 48% of consumers report that they are more likely to become loyal to a brand during the first purchase or experience.
• 77% of B2C consumers make purchases based on a brand name.
• 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands who provide relevant offers and recommendations.
• 72% of consumers say they only engage with marketing messages that are customized to their specific interests.

• 55% of marketers don’t feel they have sufficient customer data to implement effective personalization.
• 47% of consumers will go to Amazon if the brand they’re shopping with doesn’t provide relevant product suggestions.
• 90% of consumers are willing to share their behavioral data if additional benefits are provided that make shopping cheaper or easier.

Employer branding statistics

Think your employer brand only affects revenue? Think again. Your employer brand can impact everything from your online reputation, employee retention, and the kind of candidates applying to work at your company.

• 96% of companies believe employer brand and reputation can positively or negatively impact revenue, yet only 44% actively monitor the impact of their brand.
• 46% of Glassdoor members read reviews before they speak with a company recruiter or hiring manager.
• Companies with positive brands get two times as many applications as companies with negative brands.
• 40% of Millennials say market reputation has the biggest influence on their impression of an employer.
• 51% of recruiters say that employee branding is the number one investment that they will increase in the next year.
• Organizations that invest in employer branding are three times more likely to make a quality hire.

• Fewer than half (49%) of employees would recommend their employer to a friend.
• Employee turnover can be reduced by 28% by investing in the employer brand.
• 80% of talent acquisition managers believe that employer branding has a significant impact on the ability to hire great talent.
• 78% of job candidates say the overall candidate experience they get is an indicator of how a company values its people.
• 90% of job candidates would apply for a role when it’s from an employer whose brand they recognize.
• 50% of candidates say they wouldn’t work for a company with a bad reputation – even for a pay increase.
• When making a decision on where to apply for a job, 84% of job seekers say the reputation of a company as an employer is important.
• 82% of investors believe that brand strength and name recognition are becoming more important in guiding them in their investment decisions.

Personal branding statistics

Building your personal brand is much different than building a corporate brand identity. Whether you’re a solopreneur, a freelancer, or just someone looking to make a good impression, these personal branding statistics can help guide you.

• Leads developed through employees’ social media activities convert seven times more frequently than other leads.
• On average, employees have 10 times more followers than their company's social media accounts.
• Content shared by employees receives eight times more engagement than content shared by brand channels.
• Sales reps who use social media as part of their sales techniques outsell 78% of their peers.
• 82% of customers trust a company when their senior management members are active on social media.
• Employees at companies that invest in personal branding initiatives are 27% more likely to feel optimistic about their company's future.

• 85% of U.S. recruiters and HR professionals say that an employee’s online reputation influences their hiring decisions at least to some extent.

Brand design statistics

Do things like colors and logo design really impact your brand image? Can the right font make or break your sales goals? While branding is so much more than just the visual elements, there’s evidence to suggest the aesthetics of your brand can impact your business.

• Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola, Google, and FedEx were voted by consumers to have the most visually appealing logos.
• A signature color can increase brand recognition by 80% (like the Starbucks green or IKEA yellow and blue).
• 73% of businesses invest in design to help their brand stand out against the competition.
• Choosing the right colors for your brand can boost brand recognition by up to 80%

• 67% of small businesses are willing to pay $500 (or more) for a logo.
• The right color can improve readership by 40% by making messaging easier to read and more visually appealing.
• It only takes 50 milliseconds for consumers to judge the visual appeal of your brand.
• 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual.
• 90% of snap judgments that consumers make about products have to do with color.
• 72% of the best brands are named with made-up words or acronyms.

Digital marketing and branding statistics 

Looking for a way to promote your brand to the masses? Social media, SEO, content marketing, and other digital marketing tactics can be the best way to cut through the noise. But before you start building your online brand presence, be sure to check out these statistics for guidance.

• The top three channels SMBs plan to extend their employer brand are company website (69%), online professional networks (61%), social media (47%).
• Nearly 52% of people say they post on social media at least once a month about products they've purchased.

• 80% of consumers ignore ads on the sides of websites or search results – regardless of the search engine they are using.
• 50% of LinkedIn users say they are more likely to buy from a company they interact with on LinkedIn, in fact 80% of B2B social media leads stem from LinkedIn.
• 43% of consumers feel the urge to make a purchase after viewing an advertisement on Instagram.
• 38% of users will stop interacting with a website if the layout is unattractive.
• Long landing pages generate up to 220% more leads than above-the-fold calls to action.
• 88% of Pinterest users will buy something that they have pinned.
• Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23%.
• 80% of marketers say they use visual assets in their social media marketing.
• 64% of consumers make a purchase after viewing a branded social video.
• 33% of Millennials, compared to 20% of Gen X and 6% of Boomers, say their purchasing decisions are influenced by things they see online.
• Consumers spend 10% more time looking at visuals on a website than reading text.
• Companies that focus on maintaining brand consistency across all channels have seen an average growth of 33%.
• 25% of companies say consistent branding contributed to their overall revenue growth.
• 42% of online shoppers base their opinion of a website based on the overall design alone.
• Having a video on your landing page can boost conversion rates by up to 86%.

Branding and customer trust statistics

Customers are increasingly looking to do business with companies that give back to the community and offer increased levels of transparency. But how much do these efforts really impact your bottom line?  

• 95% of employees say negative online reviews of their products or services is the biggest factor damaging their employer brand.
• 70% of people say they’ve changed their opinion about a brand after the company replied to a review.
• 92% of marketers believe that most or all of the content they create resonates as authentic with consumers. Yet 51% of consumers say less than half of brands create content that resonates as authentic.
• 58% of consumers view user-generated content (UGC) as the most authentic form of content
• 64% of consumers have stopped purchasing a brand after hearing news of that company’s poor employee treatment.

• 64% of consumers say that shared values help them create a trusted relationship with a brand.
• 53% of decision makers have eliminated a vendor from consideration based on information they did or did not find about an employee online.
• 92% of people trust recommendations from individuals (even if they don’t know them) over brands.

Branding is the heart of marketing

As long as there are businesses creating products, branding will continue to arguably be the most important aspect of marketing. If one main point was made clear from these statistics, it’s that every consumer group has a different preference. Ensure you fully understand who your target market is before you begin branding your products and services to appeal to them.

Ready to kick your brand into high-gear? Learn more about the importance of choosing the right brand language for your product.