Creating and maintaining a brand identity is not as easy as you may think, and by brand identity I do not mean burning your initials into your cow’s backside. It requires a clear vision and direction, understanding of your target market and a strategic plan for moving you brand up the ROI mountain, and an army of girl scouts armed with color copies of your ad to hand out after the jamboree…just kidding.  I have collected a list of website that will help you define and build you brand.

Sites that Teach About Branding

Before you build your brand, you need to understand how brands work. These sites provide some practical advice, case studies and various other insights that will prepare you for the journey of brand building.

1. Brandweek 

2. Brandchannel

3. All About Branding

4. Brand New 

5. Branding Strategy Insider

Sites That Build Your Brand

Once you are ready to start creating a brand identity, these websites will help you do it.  Each was selected, because it allows you to do things that create differentiation, specificity and clarity around your image.  Don’t follow the lemmings over the cliff!

6. Ning

This site is unique in the social networking world, because it allows you to easily set up your own complete social network.  Yes, you too can be a god!

7.iVillage

Become a contributor to the iVillage.  It has a large readership and your articles and ideas will be seen by millions.  iVillage also has a high propensity for having its content go viral, which is also great for your brand development process. Wait… you meant viral in a GOOD way, right… not in the sense that I’m going to need tamiflu or something, right?

8. SlideShare

Slideshare is like YouTube for presentations, and is great for building brand identities for service providers.  Presentations, allow you the space and time to explain your vision and ideas. You know who you are, make sure they do! Slideshare is also directly connected to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Linkedin, making it easy for your content to go viral.

9. Linkedin

Linkedin is a social network made specifically to build professional and business brands.  Its unique format, targets this market by including reference postings, resume uploads, and job postings right alongside spirited dialog and debate forums on all sorts of user generated topics.  It’s like a professional Facebook.