Brand

Why is the human side of branding something startups can’t afford to ignore? When we talk about branding, most minds jump straight to logos, taglines, and colour palettes. But for startups, whether B2B/B2C or, as I like to call it, H2H (human to human), the most powerful branding doesn’t live in visual identity or marketing campaigns. It lives in what we can’t see: emotions, trust, and human connection.

Elevating a business from startup to scaleup is something research widely suggests will only be achieved by around one in 200. That means, of the 900,000 companies which launched in 2023, only 4,500 will reach that next level of success.

In the world of business, your brand is more than just a logo, a colour palette, or a catchy slogan. It’s the sum of how people perceive your business, the value they associate with it, and the emotional connection they feel toward it. This collective perception is what we call brand equity and it’s one of your most valuable business assets.

Branding isn’t just a marketing gimmick. It impacts all aspects of your business from retaining employees to your pricing, and to the sustainable growth of the business.

After over two decades in the industry, we know that eCommerce brands have the power to manage their own PR strategies successfully, without the need for an agency.

As a Communications and PR expert with over two decades of experience across the public, private, and third sectors, I’ve learned that great communication isn’t just a business asset – it’s a wellbeing essential.

Startups move fast. There’s product to build, funding to raise, customers to win over. With so much going on, branding often gets pushed down the to-do list. It’s seen as something to worry about later, once the MVP is out, the investors are in, or the team’s a bit bigger. But here’s the thing: if you leave branding until later, you’ll end up playing catch-up.

In an endlessly hyper-digital world of scrolling, where thumbs move faster than minds and attention spans last only as long as a heartbeat, standing out has become both a science and an art.

While you have a million things on your agenda as you begin a startup, there is one thing that can never be an afterthought: guarding your brand with a good trademark strategy. A mistake here can cost you more than money and time – it can cost you your brand identity.

Launching a startup? Congratulations, I’m so excited for you! Now, buckle up because this journey is likely to be fast, unpredictable and like nothing you’ve ever known.

Storyblok announced research that reveals that UK companies are losing an increasingly large sum of money each year due to poor website experience despite spending a substantial amount on marketing technology.

As we are in 2025, one thing is becoming crystal clear: businesses can no longer ignore SEO. The digital space is more crowded than ever and standing out has never been more challenging or more crucial.

Imagine a scene where a working professional spends weeks preparing tasks and projects for a tech leadership community. Hours are focused on designing the valuable information and the result is a wild success.

YouTube has revolutionised video streaming for two decades. Not only has it adapted to the rise of TikTok and Instagram via YouTube Shorts, but recent studies show that Gen Z users are still more likely to use YouTube than TikTok. 

In the world of startups, grabbing media attention is both essential and frustrating. Founders often tell me, “We need PR, but we don’t have any news!” The truth is, that early-stage startups rarely have major announcements like funding rounds or acquisitions. So how do you make headlines when there’s nothing obviously “newsworthy” happening?

Startups can’t afford to waste time and money on events that don’t deliver real business results. In today’s competitive landscape, every event must drive outcomes that fuel growth.

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to acknowledging, recognising, reflecting, acting, speaking up, celebrating, and empowering women, I’m reminded of the immense power we each hold through PR and our own publishing platforms – such as our social media profiles, personal blogs, websites, newsletters, podcasts, video channels, online courses/webinars. These all allow us to create and share our stories and messages directly with the world.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising everything, and the design space is no exception. AI offers startups innovative tools to enhance creativity, streamline processes, and reduce costs. When startups have limited resources at the start, AI is an excellent option to overcome challenges.

PR and visibility expert Amanda FitzGerald shares five ways you can be seen as the go-to expert in your field.

Are you making the assumption that high profile press coverage is only for those businesses who have reached a certain audience size?