Simply put, Internet Branding is all about finding ways to positively influence a consumer's impression of you, your company, and your product.

Big companies have been branding themselves for a long time. The goal is to be the "brand name" of a particular product or service. Television and print have long been the area for the vigorous branding battles that companies have engaged in for years, and you've been a participant, whether you realize it or not.

What is the product name you automatically associate with tissues? And what company do you think of when you think of a cola based soft drink? How about fast food french fries?

In many cases, two or more companies have spent millions of dollars trying to get you to think of their name when you think of "French fries" and "cola." Who won your vote?

This is what branding is all about. Lately, the internet has opened up a whole new playground for brand battles, and while it may be difficult for smaller entrepreneurs to compete with the big spenders on television and in magazines, the World Wide Web is a far more accessible playing field.

There are many inexpensive things you can do right now to start branding your company's image in the mind of consumers.

1) What's your name? Buy domain names for yourself and your business and point them to your main website.

2) Blog. There is a lot to be said about blogging for brand recognition. Most importantly, it builds trust and rapport with customers, and that can mean repeat business.

3) Network. Online, that is. Myspace, Facebook, Digg, Twitter, and sites like this are a great way to put your name out there and keep it visible to customer.

4) Learn About Search Engine Marketing. There are lots of honest SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tips and tactics that can help you optimize the content you put online in order to rank high in the search engines for many keywords people may be searching for.

Start studying this topic and don't ever stop. It may feel overwhelming at first, but it's one of the best tools in your branding arsenal. If necessary, enlist the services of a Search Engine Marketing firm to help you if you get stuck.

These are some basic steps to help get you moving in the right direction. The more you employ these steps, the more ideas you'll get about internet branding. If you stay diligent, you will be able to increase your brand recognition and watch your business grow as a result.