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Branding vs. Marketing vs. Advertising: What’s the Difference (and Why It Matters)

Each is connected, but certainly not the same: knowing the differences will empower your business

Jocelyn Hittle's avatar
Jocelyn Hittle
Oct 09, 2025
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If you have attempted any business venture in the past, you’ve probably heard these three words thrown around — branding, marketing, advertising.

But does anyone know what they really mean for you, or your business? Do you need all of them? What should come first when you are focusing on getting your ideas off of the ground?

Let’s cut through some of the noise and understand these pillars of business promotion.

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Branding: Who You Are

Branding is the soul of what you are doing.

It is not only your logo, your colors, or your typography — it should encapsulate the feeling you want people to get when they see what you have made. It is your story and should explain your values, why you do what you do.

For independent creators or founders, branding should start with clarity:

  1. What do you stand for?

  2. What do you want people to feel when they experience your work or your product?

  3. How do you want to be remembered?

Once you know the answer to those three questions, every decision you make regarding creation starts to make more sense to you and to your audience.

Marketing: How You Connect

Marketing is how you share your story.

It is the bridge between you and the people who love what you do — But first they have to know that you are out there!

For small businesses and artists, marketing doesn’t have to mean huge campaigns, it should be revolving around the most real way to communicate your value to your target audience.

This could mean:

  • Building an email list

  • Telling your story through short-form video (this is also sometimes called ‘anchor content’

  • Showing your creative process online

  • Collaborating with others who share your audience

The goal with marketing should always be to connect deeper into your audience.

Advertising: How people find out about you

Advertising is what happens when you invest in visibility.

It is the paid side of marketing: running social ads, boosting posts, or sponsoring content to reach new people.

But, if your branding and marketing aren’t clear first, advertising won’t fix that; it will just muddy the signal more.

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