What's a branding freelancer?

A branding freelancer is a digital marketing professional who specializes in helping businesses create, develop, and enhance their brand identity. They possess a deep understanding of branding principles, consumer psychology, and market trends.

Branding freelancers collaborate closely with businesses to craft a unique and impactful brand strategy, visual identity, and messaging that resonates with the target audience.

They could have experience in a variety of skills including: 

• Graphic design - from the website to the social media profiles and landing pages.
• Physical design - including package design, brochure design, and anything else that's needed.
• Experience using various design and marketing tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and Canva.

Why hire a branding expert?

Hiring a branding expert offers numerous benefits for businesses looking to establish a strong brand presence. Here are a few key reasons why you should consider hiring a branding freelancer.

Your brand is bland

If your product is great, but you're not seeing enough customer engagement, it may mean that your branding doesn't represent your product attributes well enough. Branding freelancers bring specialized expertise and extensive experience and can help you bring your brand to life.

They have a deep understanding of market trends, consumer behavior, and effective branding strategies that can elevate your business above the competition.

You need a strategic approach

What if you already have some elements of your brand in place? Sometimes your efforts could be disjointed and still not bring you the right results. For example, your social media strategy could be on point, but your site's conversion rate could suck. That's when you need a unified approach to tie everything together.

A branding expert takes a strategic approach to develop your brand. They conduct thorough research, analyze the market, and define your brand's unique value proposition. This strategic foundation ensures that your brand messaging, visuals, and overall identity align with your target audience's preferences and market demands.

Consistency and coherence

A brand strategist helps ensure consistency and coherence across all brand touchpoints. They create brand guidelines, establish a visual identity system, and provide clear direction on communicating your brand's values and messaging across various marketing channels.

Differentiation and recognition

Building a distinctive brand that stands out in a crowded market is essential. A branding expert helps differentiate your business from competitors, creating a memorable brand identity that resonates with your target audience. They employ creative strategies to capture attention and foster brand recognition.

How much does a branding freelancer cost? 

The average hourly rate of a branding freelancer is $21 per hour. That number highly depends on their experience, on the visual design project, and the type of professional services that they offer.

5 Must-have skills for every branding freelancer

To be an effective branding freelancer, individuals need to possess a wide range of skills. Here are 5 essential skills that a freelance branding expert should have:

Strategic thinking 

Branding freelancers should be able to think strategically and develop comprehensive brand strategies that align with business goals and target audience preferences.

Creative vision 

A strong sense of creativity is crucial for branding experts to develop unique and visually appealing brand identities that capture the essence of a business and resonate with potential clients.

Market research 

A branding manager should be skilled in conducting thorough market research to understand market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor positioning. This knowledge informs the development of an effective brand strategy.

Brand messaging

Crafting compelling brand messaging that communicates your unique value proposition is an essential skill for a branding expert. They should be adept at storytelling and creating a consistent brand voice across all communication channels.

Design and visual identity 

A branding freelancer must have proficiency in design principles and visual identity creation. They should be able to create or collaborate with designers to develop a cohesive visual identity that represents the brand's personality and values.

Difference between a brand designer and a brand strategist

While both a brand designer and a brand strategist play critical roles in the branding process, there are distinct differences between the two:

• Brand Designer: A brand designer focuses on the visual aspects of a brand. They specialize in creating the visual elements that represent the brand, such as the style guide, logos, typography, color palettes, packaging design, and other visual assets. They are very similar to graphic designers with a few specialized skills.
• Brand Strategist: On the other hand, a brand strategist takes a holistic approach to developing a brand's overall strategy. They focus on market research, competitive analysis, defining target audiences, brand positioning, and messaging. They ensure the brand's visual identity aligns with the strategic goals and resonates with the target audience.

Both roles are essential, and often work collaboratively to create a cohesive and effective brand.

How to hire the perfect branding freelancer in 4 steps

Finding the perfect branding freelancer for your business requires careful consideration. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you in the hiring process:

1. Decide on your goals 

Clearly define your branding goals and objectives. Determine what you want to achieve with your brand identity and the specific areas in which you need assistance.

2. Write a job description

Craft a detailed job description that outlines your requirements, including skills, experience, budget, and any other specific qualifications you are seeking in a branding freelancer.

3. Hire with Mayple

Instead of wasting your time on online marketplaces, picking from a list of hundreds of freelance designers and brand marketers, hop on over to Mayple. We're a trusted platform that connects businesses with top-notch branding freelancers. We offer a streamlined hiring process, matching you with experts who align with your goals and requirements. All our experts are vetted and have proven experience in specific niches.

Want more tips on hiring the best freelancer? Check out our guide on how to hire freelancers online.