Trends are powerful. Just think about how often you’ve seen the latest TikTok dance. Or how you notice something unique in your industry, and then it’s everywhere just a few weeks later. 

Following a trend with your branding seems like the path to instant success. But that’s not the whole truth. In fact, while being trendy can cause a spike in your social media engagement or web traffic, it’s not usually sustainable.

Sustainable brand recognition requires consistency. That means choosing brand elements and imagery that align with your target audience and consistently using them.

So, how do you balance trendiness and consistency in your branding? Let’s start by understanding the benefits each approach offers. Then, we’ll look at how to balance them for the best results.

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The Benefits of Consistent Branding | Is it better to follow branding trends or stick with consistent brand elements? Find out how to leverage trends while maintaining consistency!
Is it better to follow branding trends or stick with consistent brand elements? Find out how to leverage trends while maintaining consistency!

Trendy Branding Benefit #1: Better Engagement

Trends, by definition, are always changing — they feel fresh and exciting. They also tend to reflect current events or interests, so following a trend can make your brand attract more notice from a larger audience.

Additionally, tapping into a trend can drive engagement. People may see how your brand has incorporated trendy imagery or messaging and feel more excited about engaging.

If you carefully choose the trends you follow, you can showcase your brand’s agility. Your longtime followers will notice when and how you update your brand — successfully incorporating a trend shows that your business is adaptable and innovative.

Related post: 5 Ways to Extend Your Branding From Website to Social

Trendy Branding Benefit #2: More Relevance 

Following a trend can also make your brand feel more relevant, which can be especially important for online business owners. 

The digital products market is big, and it can be difficult to stand out from competitors. By embracing trends, you can show your audience that your business is attuned to what’s happening at the moment. 

Customers who feel confident your brand will stay relevant are more likely to remain loyal in the long term.

Following a trend can also give your brand a chance to go viral. While a viral post or marketing campaign won’t stay at the top of the charts forever, it can significantly expand your audience. 

As long as you have a plan to convert all those new leads, you can expect an increase in profitability. 

Consistent Branding Benefit #1: Brand Recognition

While it can be advantageous to follow trends, building a consistent brand can offer even more benefits. Consistently using well-designed brand elements — logos, fonts, and colors — helps increase brand recognition. 

Brand visuals aren’t the only place to embrace consistency. Think about your messaging, too! 

Focusing on a clear, consistent message helps your audience become more familiar with your business’s values, mission, and offers. Make sure your messaging aligns across every part of your brand — website, social media, content, and products.

Related post: How to Create Your Brand Guidelines in Just a Few Hours

Consistent Branding Benefit #2: Professionalism

Consistent branding also showcases your business’s professionalism. This can be especially important for an online business where potential customers are particularly wary of scams and false advertising.

If you’re constantly changing your messaging, imagery, and tone to align with the latest trend, you’ll have a hard time inspiring trust. Your audience may worry that you aren’t confident in your offers. You also run the risk of confusing your audience, which can discourage them from working with you.

Consistency helps potential and current clients trust your brand more. They know what to expect, so they’re more likely to feel confident choosing to buy from you.

Related post: 5 Ways to Boost Your Confidence in Your Business

Balancing Trends and Consistency

Consistent branding helps build trust and grow awareness for your business. But following trends can be beneficial, too! Embracing the right trend can showcase your innovation and dramatically increase engagement.

Balance is the best approach to branding. Focus on building a consistent brand first — develop strong, clear brand guidelines for your voice, tone, messaging, and imagery. 

Once you’ve established the fundamentals, don’t be afraid to shake things up to follow a trend. Just make sure to choose those trends wisely. You don’t need to go after all of them! 

Evaluate each trend to determine if it’s relevant to your business and target audience. If so, feel free to hop on board — but remember, your brand fundamentals are non-negotiable. 

Try adapting a trend to fit your brand. If you can’t fit a trend into your brand framework, it’s probably best to let it pass.

Related post: Time to Update Your Brand? 4 Elements to Review

Final Thoughts

Consistency is paramount when it comes to branding. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace a trend occasionally. 

Set yourself up for success by building a library of versatile resources you can use to build and update your brand. You’ll find everything you need in the Momentum Biz Vault.

Momentum Biz Vault All-access Pass

This valuable resource bundle includes everything from Canva templates and stock photos to marketing guides and online workshops. In other words, it’s all the assets you need to freshen up your website, plus expert guidance to know when it’s the right time to get a little trendy. Unlock the Momentum Biz Vault today!