If you are learning about marketing, lead generation & related field, then you come across various terms. But some of those terms are thought to be either similar or very little different.
Such misunderstanding of terms should be cleared for your future references. Marketing vs Branding looks very similar but is having different meanings & purposes for a company.
Let’s look at what these 2 terms are & how they are different from each other.
Marketing vs Branding: Meaning
What is Marketing?
Marketing is about researching the target audience & competitors. Apart from this, promoting the Product, Service & Company through different tools & strategies. So, Marketing is a way to reach customers.
Things like social media, SEO, cold emails & content writing various other types come under marketing.
What is Branding?
Branding is about defining who you are as a company. It relates to what image & message a company sends to people. It refers to bringing the faith of customers into the company.
Logo, colors & website design are some of the things which describe the branding of the company.
Let’s understand this with an example.
When you hear or see about Apple. An image comes into the mind of a Quality product with classy looks & privacy of data. This is how branding works. It creates a reputation & expectation describing the company.
Marketing vs Branding: What is the difference between Branding Strategy and Marketing Strategy?
Marketing is about getting the attention of the target audience. Branding is about keeping the attention of the target audience.
With the stiff competition going on between companies, marketing helps you get customers. But a good branding strategy is needed to keep these customers & not lose them to your competitors.
Marketing is having a fixed timeline. Branding on other hand is a permanent strategy.
Marketing has starting point & an endpoint. The marketing strategy of different products can be different. Eg- Samsung bringing premium mobiles will market differently than the other Samsung mobiles.
But the Branding of Samsung will be same throughout the time.
Marketing is controlled by the company. Branding is controlled by the people.
Marketing is easier to be controlled than branding. The branding of a company depends on how people perceive it to be. Branding is more about listening to the customers on how to meet their expectations.
Marketing brings customers. Branding brings customers back again & again.
Marketing creates hype among the people to buy the product. But Branding gets you loyal customers who buy products from the same company.
Also, with good Branding, there is the word of mouth spread of the product which is the least investment & most rewarding way of networking for product sales.
Marketing vs Branding: What comes first Brand or Marketing?
The importance of marketing is not the same as it was in past. Branding has taken over the front seat now. Ways of Marketing or its medium can change over a period of time but the company will not be looking to change its Branding.
Branding comes first. Marketing comes later.
Branding describes what the company is. If Branding is not present for a company then marketing will not work as they will not have any direction with which they approach people.
Just like the company needs its customers to believe in the brand in order to do business with them, so do its employees.
As a result, Branding is more important than Marketing between Marketing vs Branding fight.
You will be surprised to know how marketing is confused with many other terms like Promotion, Advertising, Public Relations & Outreach. Do check them out if you also thought them to be the same.
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You can reach out through the comment section for any queries. Find more such simple & informative blogs on Growth Hacking & Marketing.
