Podcast
142 - How to Build a Brand That Sells: Strategies for E-Commerce and Service Businesses with Kristina Rajzer
Nowadays, having a great product or service isn’t enough. If your brand identity doesn’t click with your target audience, they’ll scroll right past, no matter how good your ecommerce store looks.
In this episode of the SEOLeverage Podcast, Gert Mellak chats with Kristina Rajzer, the brains behind some seriously impactful branding strategies at Recognized. They break down what makes a branding strategy for e-commerce sites and other businesses actually drive results, why your personal brand might be your strongest asset, and how to stay consistent across social media channels—even when you're short on time.
Table of Contents
Why Branding Is More Than Marketing
With AI shaking things up, the ecommerce branding strategy is more important than ever. Years ago, influencers said no matter how the ecommerce industry evolves, your brand messaging is what truly lasts. That’s never been more relevant than in today’s online store landscape.
While Gert typically focuses on search engine rankings and ecommerce marketing, he brought in Kristina to go deep into the branding process. As a brand strategist, Kristina sees branding efforts as a long-term business play, not just a marketing campaign.
It's all about creating emotional connections and driving customer engagement through a unique and strong brand identity.
The Differences Between Corporate and Personal Branding
After years in marketing, Kristina Rajzer works in branding and quickly sees that branding isn’t just a part of marketing efforts — it’s a bigger, long-term strategy. She helps companies and their leaders build brands that actually connect.
She says corporate branding focuses on the company’s image through things like partnerships and employee culture. On the other hand, personal branding is all about the people behind the business — CEOs, founders, investors. When their personal brands are so strong, the business benefits too.
For Kristina, branding isn’t about logos or colors. It’s about how you communicate and make people understand who you are and what you stand for. Just showing up isn’t enough — the message has to land.
Most founders don’t start with a clear brand. They usually have a big idea or mission, but things evolve. Marketing handles the short term, like selling a product. Branding is the bigger picture and the long-term story of the business.
The Power of a Personal Brand in E-Commerce
For small and medium e-commerce businesses, your personal brand is your most valuable asset. You can change your marketing strategy or switch products, but your brand stays—it’s the emotional connection you build with your audience. It’s like your business soul.
Even if you're not actively working on it, you're already creating a brand voice through how you talk and interact. Your story, values, and what you stand for are the foundation of your brand. A lot of companies think they need a full brand strategy from day one. But really, you just need to start by understanding who you are and what you want to bring to the world. A strong brand takes time.
For small ecommerce brands, personal branding matters more than corporate branding. People stick around not just for your product, but for you. In an era where AI-generated content is everywhere and trust is low, a strong personal brand helps you stand out and build real relationships with new customers.
Some e-commerce founders grow their audience through a personal brand first, then launch other products and brands. That approach shows just how powerful human-to-human branding really is.
Steps to Build a Personal Brand That Works
Kristina says if you’re a founder, don’t go solo—get support early. Building a personal brand takes time, so bring in help.
Some steps include:
- Skip being everywhere online
- Focus on fewer platforms that actually matter
- Create quality content consistently
- Do audience research first
- Know where your target market hangs out
- Your YouTube and LinkedIn audiences might want different things
- Study platforms, dive into Reddit threads, and find out what problems people really care about
People follow people, not logos. A strong personal brand builds trust and loyalty and gives you more leverage, especially if you shift brands or launch new offers.
Kristina splits her time between offline networking and online strategy. She invests more in her own name than the agency brand.
Your personal brand is your most valuable asset—build it with intention.
Is Your Personal Brand Actually Working?
You know your brand works when people search your name, land on your site, and book a call. That’s a clear win. If traffic jumps, mentions increase, and your name shows up in industry blogs or AI answers, you’re building real authority.
Branding doesn’t need to link directly to sales right away. It’s more about visibility—getting PR hits, blog features, and homepage traffic. Someone sees you speak, reads your post, hears your name, and then Googles you. That branding loop brings in a new target customer and nurtures repeat purchases.
Want to grow faster? Treat your brand like your best client. Give it time, strategy, and priority. A consistent branding effort always pays off, online and offline.
Sometimes, one team member becomes the face of a company without planning. If that person leaves, the brand elements lose momentum. That’s why alignment matters, so make sure the right people represent the ecommerce business.
Real, behind-the-scenes content beats boring company news every time. Think: raw videos, real stories, people in action. That’s what builds trust and connection. So, if people search for you, talk about you, and show up at your digital doorstep? Your ecommerce brand is definitely working.
Why Consistency in Branding Matters
If your message looks different on every platform, it confuses people, and it totally throws off Google and AI. LinkedIn says you’re a consultant, Instagram says lifestyle designer, Pinterest says woodworker, and YouTube says influencer? Google sees four different people.
That’s why consistency is key. Share your personal side, sure—but tie everything back to your core brand. If you want to post about hobbies, that's cool. Just build a separate profile or micro-brand so it’s clear and doesn’t mess with your main image.
Personal branding actually helps SEO big time. When your loyal customers connect to you, they also connect to your company. Google sees that connection and starts building trust with your content.
Also, don’t overthink “being authentic.” Share what feels right—but ask yourself first, “Am I okay if people comment on this?” or “Does this post help or just hurt my brand?” You don’t want one emotional post to tank your credibility or scare off clients.
Bottom line: keep it clear, consistent, and intentional. Be human—but stay professional.
Final Thoughts
Everyone has challenges, but at the end of the day, you're still showing up to ask for the sale. And for that, people need to trust you and see the best in you. Sharing a vulnerable moment can be powerful, but in B2B, buyers need to justify their decision—they won’t choose someone constantly showing weakness.
It helps to separate your content. Have a profile for personal interests like dogs, gardening, or surfing. That’s great for the community, but potential customers don’t care about your dog in the background—it won’t help you close a deal.
Personal branding is about how you inspire and build trust. Ask yourself: Do I want just to be seen, or do I want to build something bigger and lead an audience that believes in my mission?
For SEO and building a branding strategy for e-commerce sites and other businesses, consider hiring a trusted partner like SEOLeverage. We’re here to help you along the way.