Do people recognize your brand at the drop of a hat? Or are you obscured in the background like the majority? If you answered ‘yes’ to the first question, congratulations! You’re miles ahead of the crowd. But you’re a rarity. Most brands struggle for recognition, the result of brutal and relentless marketplace competition. Is there an antidote to this obscurity? Yes. Shadow brands can step into the limelight by following a simple line of action -- raise brand awareness.
A variety of strategies can boost brand awareness. One of the choicest is to build an authoritative brand image. How is this done? Simply publish content underscoring your industry expertise. Strive to become the big cheese on the block. But avoid guesswork. Instead, snoop around and find out what’s on the minds of consumers. What questions are they asking? What info do they crave? Once you know, simply publish content that addresses their concerns. Content, of course, can take a variety of forms – from blogs to podcasts. Use them all, and delight in the results.
Influencer participation is another proven awareness builder. Budget too skimpy for international celebrities? No problem. Increasingly, brands are using niche influencers to do their bidding. As with big names, the lesser knowns still have a knack for building audiences and trust, two of the most crucial assets in the known universe.
Finally, and this probably is the most important -- develop an effective SEO strategy. Yeah, some people still scoff at the notion. Don’t be one of them. When it comes to visibility raising, search engines rule the roost. The higher your rank, the greater the recognition. There’s simply no way around that.
The above strategies, of course, aren’t exhaustive – or even close. But they will start the process of nudging you out of the shadows. How far you go after that is all up to you – and a little luck.
If you have questions or comments about raising brand awareness, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.
You can connect with the Young Company team at 949-376-8404 #4033 or bart@youngcompany.com. And be sure to follow us for the latest brand marketing news and tips.