How do I redeem a gift card that is apple branded that is virtual and not a digital gift card?

Follow the steps in this Apple Support article to redeem an Apple Gift Card.

How to redeem your Apple Gift Card or App Store & iTunes gift card - Apple Support

You can purchase Apple e-gift cards directly from Apple using the link below.

Apple Gift Card - Apple

The support article below explains what you can buy with an Apple Gift Card.

What you can buy with your Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance - Apple Support

How did you get this virtual gift card? However you got it, you can probably just click on the link by the way whoever sent it to you did and then you could redeem it.

Or it could be a phishing scam.

“Just click the link” = Bad recommendation.