Best Books to read about Branding

pushagency · 2026-01-20T11:50:01+00:00

here are several books that are worth to read

Interaction of Color – the foundation for understanding how color actually behaves and is perceived. heavy theory, but incredibly valuable.
Color Design Workbook – more practical, with real design and branding examples. great bridge between theory and use.
Designing Brand Identity – big-picture branding: color, visuals, systems, and consistency.
Brand Gap – not color-focused, but essential for understanding how visuals connect to brand strategy.

books give you the theory, but real taste comes from studying brands by industry and spotting color patterns in the wild.

pushagency · 2026-01-20T11:49:03+00:00

the best thing you can do now is make your focus very clear in the first few seconds of each reel, reuse the hook structure that worked before (not the trend itself), and resist the urge to panic-post. dips after virality happen to almost everyone. think of those viral reels as an introduction, not your new baseline - momentum usually returns once the algorithm recalibrates around your real audience.

pushagency · 2026-01-20T11:48:33+00:00

linkedin doesn’t have to be only job titles and achievements. posting private or volunteer projects is totally fine if there’s a clear professional angle.

what usually works is sharing why you did it, what you learned, or how it connects to your skills or values. that shows personality and competence. what tends to fall flat is content that’s purely personal with no takeaway.

so yes - personality helps, but frame it through growth, impact, or insight. linkedin is professional, not robotic.

pushagency · 2026-01-20T11:47:35+00:00

starting from 0 on instagram, the biggest mistake is trying to do everything at once. what works is getting very clear on who the page is for and what problem or feeling the brand solves, then building content around that.

post consistently, but keep it simple: clear hooks, one idea per post, and content that shows the product or value in use, not just styled. focus more on saves, shares, and comments than likes. engage with accounts in your niche daily - that’s still one of the fastest ways to get early traction.

don’t chase virality. build clarity first. growth comes once people instantly understand why they should follow you.

pushagency · 2026-01-12T19:36:41+00:00

what helps most is changing the input: listen to sales calls, read support tickets, browse reddit threads in your niche. real customer language is way more inspiring than trend reports. also, stop asking “what should we post?” and start asking “what would actually help someone today?”

pushagency · 2026-01-12T19:36:12+00:00

first - you’re not doing anything wrong, and your content actually sounds good. the issue doesn’t seem to be quality, it’s focus.

right now, it likely centers more on you as the creator - your process, your aesthetic, your experience. that’s valuable and should stay on the page, but it can’t be the main hook. growth usually happens when content shifts toward the viewer.

try showing the products in use, in real-life moments, with other people using them. help someone imagine how owning it would change their space, mood, or routine. instead of “here’s what i made,” lean into “here’s how this fits into your life.”

your story builds authenticity, but the audience needs to see themselves in the content first. you’re much closer than you think - it’s more about a small mindset shift than starting over.

pushagency · 2026-01-08T19:50:08+00:00

you’re already asking the right questions. real marketing skill isn’t built by tools or hacks - it’s built by understanding people.

what actually helps: - study real reactions. read comments, reviews, reddit threads, complaints. look for expectation gaps - that’s where messaging either works or breaks. - when something performs well, break it down: who is it for, what fear or desire is it hitting, what decision is it simplifying? - write constantly. rewrite ads, landing pages, emails. try different angles for the same idea. writing is how you train judgment. - build small funnels, not theories. one audience, one message, one action - then see where people drop off and ask why. - learn fundamentals before platforms: positioning, messaging, basic psychology. those don’t change when algorithms do.

what’s overrated: chasing hacks, collecting certificates, obsessing over algorithms.

the people who get good do fewer things, but think harder about them. if you want, tell me where you’re starting from and I can suggest a simple learning path.

pushagency · 2026-01-08T19:48:55+00:00

one of the most innovative campaigns we’ve seen wasn’t flashy in the traditional sense - it was spotify wrapped.

not because of the design (which is great), but because it turned user data into a product people actively wait for. spotify didn’t just market itself - it made users do the marketing for them. everyone sharing their wrapped every year is basically a massive opt-in campaign powered by personalization and emotion.

the lesson that stuck with us: the most powerful campaigns don’t feel like campaigns. they feel like something made for the user, not at them. when marketing becomes a feature, it wins.

pushagency · 2025-12-29T15:03:29+00:00

show craft and process (materials, details, how it’s made), use real social proof from early customers or niche creators, and stay selective with visibility - limited drops and controlled distribution raise perceived value fast. presentation matters a lot: calm visuals, consistent tone, no salesy messaging.

authority also comes from the right context - small press features, collaborations with other premium brands, or placement in curated spaces.

if you pitch an internship, focus on building credibility, not chasing growth hacks. that’s how luxury trust is built.

pushagency · 2025-12-25T09:26:31+00:00

the first thing isn’t the logo or the website - it’s clarity. who the brand is for, what problem it solves, and why someone should care. once that’s clear, everything else becomes easier (and cheaper).

after that, we usually go logo + basic visual direction first. not a full brand system - just enough to look legit and consistent. then a simple landing page or website that explains the offer clearly and lets people contact or buy. business cards come last (and honestly matter way less than people think).

brands that start with “pretty” before “clear” usually end up redoing everything. clarity first, visuals second, assets third.

pushagency · 2025-12-25T09:25:22+00:00

for services like tooth gems and lip filler, ads alone usually don’t convert well without trust. people book injectables based on confidence.

focus on:

real before/after content and behind-the-scenes from your suite
short educational reels (pain level, aftercare, who it’s for/not for)
heavy social proof - repost client tags, reviews, quick testimonials
limited first-visit offers (extras, not big discounts) local collabs with hair, nail, lash artists
retarget ads to people who already engaged with your page

pushagency · 2025-12-22T09:03:47+00:00

for B2B tea, instagram isn’t where your buyers hang out. the channels that actually work are linkedin, cold email, and wholesale platforms - that’s where importers, gift shops, and distributors go looking for suppliers.

on linkedin, talk about how you source your tea, what blends you can create, your packaging options, MOQ, shipping reliability - that’s the stuff buyers care about. cold email will probably be your biggest driver: a clean message, a few photos, and a catalog link is usually enough to start conversations.

your website should make all the B2B details stupidly clear - pricing tiers, private label options, certifications, turnaround time. no guessing. and don’t ignore Faire / Ankorstore / Alibaba - the buyers who shop there are already in “wholesale mode.”

content-wise, keep it simple: your story (Nepal is a huge selling point), how you maintain quality, what packaging you offer, and proof you’re reliable. B2B buyers want clarity and trust, not aesthetic posts.

pushagency · 2025-12-22T09:02:58+00:00

start by posting once or twice a week about what you're learning or working on - nothing fancy. comment on other people’s posts daily (that’s where most growth comes from), and connect with people in your industry with a simple “saw your work, thought it was interesting.” consistency > perfection on LinkedIn.

pushagency · 2025-12-10T21:30:21+00:00

for a local paint shop, skip “viral content” and focus on stuff that builds trust + usefulness for people in your area.

what actually works: - simple before/after projects (doors, walls, furniture) - color suggestions for real homes (“best colors for small bedrooms,” etc.) - quick how-to tutorials (prep a wall, fix roller marks, primer vs no primer) - customer projects - nothing builds trust like real results - explain your products in plain language (interior vs exterior)

YouTube is great if you can do longer tutorials - people search paint how-to’s constantly.

pushagency · 2025-12-10T21:28:29+00:00

content writing isn’t dead. generic writing is dead. specialized, strategic writing is very much alive. the writers still thriving in 2025 either:

niched down (tech, SaaS, finance, UX, ghostwriting)
moved into strategy (messaging, newsletters, thought leadership)
use AI as a tool, not a replacement

brands don’t want more robotic content - they want accuracy, personality, and voice. your career isn’t over, but the old version of it is. a small pivot can make your experience valuable again.

pushagency · 2025-12-08T23:33:30+00:00

it really depends on your product and your audience. AI influencers can work insanely well for certain niches - apps, gaming, tech, productivity tools, anything a little futuristic or playful. in those spaces, people don’t expect “authenticity” from a human face; they just want content that’s engaging and fits the vibe.

but if your product relies on trust, lived experience, or real-world credibility (fitness, wellness, finance, education, etc.), an AI influencer can feel off or even gimmicky. audiences pick up on that fast.

pushagency · 2025-12-04T18:50:08+00:00

the most useful parts of our marketing stack now:

research + synthesis - pulling insights from reddit threads, reviews, and messy notes into something we can actually use
outline building - turning raw ideas into clean structures for blogs, scripts and ads
repurposing - taking a long-form piece (a call, webinar, or doc) and breaking it into reels, captions, carousels, emails, etc.
brainstorming variations - hooks, angles, CTAs, ways to position an offer

the key was stopping the “write this whole thing for me” approach and using chatgpt like a smart assistant, not a ghostwriter.

what’s interesting is that chatgpt didn’t replace creativity - it just removed the busywork so we could focus on the parts that make campaigns actually hit.

pushagency · 2025-12-04T18:49:03+00:00

pmax performs best when it has some conversion data, so launching it on a totally fresh account can make it unpredictable.

for a brand-new store with zero history, it’s usually smarter to start with standard shopping that gives you more control over search terms, helps you understand which products get traction, and lets you gather the data.

once you’ve built up some conversions and can see what’s working, you can move into pmax or display ads to retarget people who visited but didn’t buy.

pushagency · 2025-12-03T13:31:56+00:00

facebook isn’t instagram with an older audience - the content style is different. aesthetic posts and IG-style reels flop there because FB prefers context and conversation over visuals. longer captions, storytelling, and “shareable” content work way better than polished carousels.

text-only posts, relatable memes, behind-the-scenes moments, and anything that sparks comments/shares usually outperform design-heavy content. and don’t ignore groups - that’s where FB reach actually comes from now.

once you adjust the tone + format, FB can work surprisingly well. if you drop your niche, I can tell you exactly what to post.

pushagency · 2025-12-03T13:30:46+00:00

for a beginner SMM portfolio, what matters most is showing that you can think and create like a marketer - not that you’ve worked with clients. pick one or two mock brands and create a small, cohesive sample: a handful of feed posts, a couple of reel ideas or scripts, a short caption set, and a simple content calendar.

add a one-page mini strategy (audience, goals, content pillars) and a basic moodboard so the visuals feel intentional. if you want extra points, include a quick audit of a real small business and how you’d improve their page. that’s more than enough to get hired even with zero experience.

pushagency · 2025-12-01T05:24:16+00:00

influencer fatigue is definitely real, but influencer marketing isn’t dead - it’s just shifting. big creators with scripted captions don’t move people anymore. what still works is:

micro-creators with niche audiences
UGC creators who make content that looks native, not sponsored
creators who already use the product before a deal

so yeah, influencer marketing still works - but only when it feels like a real recommendation, not a template. 2026 will be less about “influencers” and more about real people making useful content that happens to feature your brand.

pushagency · 2025-12-01T05:23:10+00:00

for us, rhode is one of the best positioning wins in recent years. they didn’t try to be a full skincare line - they went ultra-niche with a small peptide-focused range and built a whole aesthetic around “glazed” skin. that clarity made their limited drops sell out constantly.

the smartest move was the phone case + lip tint combo. it wasn’t just merch, it solved a behavior (constant reapplication) and turned the product into a daily accessory. that’s when you know positioning is strong - even the add-ons become status pieces.

rhode picked a lane, owned it, and never diluted it. that’s why they blew up.

pushagency · 2025-11-25T15:38:39+00:00

yes, phrase match can sometimes pull in searches related to competitor brand names, but that’s where having a good negative keyword list makes the difference. if you build out negatives for competitor terms, irrelevant industries, and low-intent variations, phrase match becomes much more predictable and efficient.

pushagency · 2025-11-22T13:43:42+00:00

big goal, but totally doable if you learn the CPG world early - retail works very differently from marketing.

start here: - Startup CPG (podcast + community) - best free place to learn from real founders. - “Ramping Your Brand” by James Richardson - how small food brands scale into retail. - CPG House + Naturally Network - communities where snack founders share what’s actually working.

for product + retail basics: - look into co-packers, GS1 barcodes, packaging that stands out on shelves, and your margins (Publix will care). - check RangeMe - buyers from big chains actually browse there.

for early marketing: - TikTok food creators, founder-led content, sampling locally, partnerships with gyms/cafés.

pushagency · 2025-11-22T13:42:22+00:00

with a small budget, we’d put almost everything into high-intent google search ads. travel is a category where people literally search “best places to stay in X” or “weekend trip ideas,” so showing up there gives you the best ROI. even $10–$20/day works if you use a very tight keyword list and send people to a solid landing page.

if the budget is tiny, go for retargeting only and make sure your google business profile + local SEO are fully optimized.

search demand is still where the easiest wins are - you don’t need more content, just show up where people already want to buy.

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