When you shop, do you buy a brand-name, or off-brand? These two commonly used terms perfectly illustrate the difference between brand awareness, and no brand at all. Most consumers would struggle to tell you the name of the generic products they see every time they purchase a well-known product. It’s been sitting in that spot on the shelf the whole time. Maybe for years. You might have even bought it before! But what is it called…
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What is Brand Awareness and Why is it Important?
Brand awareness is a marketing term describing the level of customer recognition a product name enjoys. The creation of brand awareness has the multi-pronged goals of creating customer loyalty and recognition of the product name, in an effort to increase sales.
People are more likely to purchase a product they recognize. Once you have achieved true brand awareness, you become “Coca-fied” into the fabric of the business world. Brand awareness can be achieved on a smaller, more local scale, or on a regional, national or even international scale – making the customers in that area yours to lose.
How Does Digital Marketing Increase Brand Awareness?
Of the 7.83 billion people on earth, 4.66 billion have an online presence. By tapping into social media and the digital world, you are astronomically increasing the odds of success in creating brand awareness. Customers are out there waiting to be found and encouraged – and they all spend money, and lots of time on the internet. Digital marketing first engages the customer using targeted advertising, enmeshes customers in an interactive experience through social media, and uses data to funnel resources to the right audience. A successful digital marketing campaign will create an emotional relationship between the customer and the product, thereby creating brand awareness in the same way you recognize the face of an old friend.
Online Brand Awareness Goals
There are several things excellent online brand awareness will allow you to do with your business. Excellent brand awareness will allow you to promote your brand and business on many channels, allowing other brands to profit from your success, while accessing their customer base. You will also find it easier to successfully launch new products and services for your loyal customers, and all the new ones they will bring in. Good brand awareness is a good business reputation, an important element of your online presence, which in turn ensures that you easily find and retain loyal customers.
Tips to Increase Brand Awareness
For an example of a successful digital marketing campaign, look no further than USPS flat rate boxes. A google search will immediately tell you the who, what, when, where, why, how and cost for a product most consumers recognize as a “good deal” or “easy to use.” USPS and other titans of industry all use a few different methods to build and maintain their brand awareness.
Social Media & Influencers
Create a strong social media presence on as many platforms as possible, with cohesive and cogent content which informs, entertains, and engages followers, friends and potential customers. Running ads on social media platforms is another way of reaching a broader, connected audience.
Design & Test Product Packaging
Put emphasis on creating an entirely original product design, incorporating market research into the colours, shapes and packaging that resonates with your target audience. Use the brand colours and design style across all digital platforms to create brand cohesion.
Search Engine Optimization
Utilize search engine optimization (SEO) to attract more potential customers to your website and social media platforms. Create and distribute this original SEO content in advertisements, banners, videos and blog posts.
Build Brand Partnerships
Partnering with a complimentary brand will allow you to use the power of two digital marketing platforms with a similar customer base, to build joint-brand awareness, in much the same way Victoria’s Secret successfully marketed their PINK line.
How Do You Measure Brand Awareness?
Measuring brand awareness is not like flexing your glamour muscles in the gym. It’s the real, drilled down metric of your success. Many businesses regularly conduct customer experience surveys to gauge the customer climate. Using business intelligence platforms to track web traffic has become vital to digitally-minded enterprises. Monitor your brand reputation by seeking out customer reviews, comments, and media coverage, and finally, social media engagement is a great indicator of your customer brand awareness. Trending hashtags, influencer mentions and shares all indicate a positive brand awareness in your market.
You want to be the face customers trust, and trust is first built through successful brand awareness. It’s important to define your brand awareness objectives early, and continue to maintain them as you grow, with the help of tools like social media, SEO and your loyal customers. Be the brand customers remember.
