Getting the public to recognize the brand and relate it to positive emotions and sensations is one of the great challenges of a startup.
Brand awareness is one of the concepts that all entrepreneurs should be clear about. On many occasions, perhaps too many, it is confused with other similar or related ones. This happens, for example, in relation to brand value. However, there are many notable differences between the two.
In a simple and open way, brand awareness can be defined as the way in which consumers recognize and remember our business. The higher this factor, the more audience will be familiar with your logo, messaging, and products.
Consequently, developing brand awareness is one of the great goals of marketers. In fact, according to some studies, up to 89% of them say so.
That’s why here are six tips on how to boost brand awareness if you’re an entrepreneur, increase the competitiveness of your products, and increase your long-term growth prospects.
1. Make your story known
One of the most effective mechanisms to attract the attention of customers, actual or potential, is to share your story and that of your brand. In this way, by making known your beginnings, the problems and challenges you have had to face, your hopes and your failures, you can not only make them know you thoroughly, but also understand you, empathize and feel identified, and create an emotional connection with them.
To give a few examples, the story can be based on the first steps of an entrepreneur, the corporate culture to which they adhere, the values that inspired you or the moments when you were about to throw in the towel and did not.
2. Harness the power of SMM
Almost everyone uses social media almost daily. For this reason, Social Media Marketing is a totally essential tool to be able to reach almost any target audience. Facebook or Instagram posts can be enough to attract an audience of different ages to your brand.
If you’re constantly communicating with subscribers, tag them in posts, ask them to try products, and share their impressions; you can also run exclusive promotions in “Stories”. This will make it much easier for you to determine who your product’s target audience is.
3. Don’t forget the image
It is true that in this era in which we have to live, the Internet and social networks are the undisputed protagonists in the world of marketing. However, this should not make us forget other ways to bring our brand closer to the public. The analogue world exists, and it still plays an important role in identifying our brand.
In this sense, the logo occupies a fundamental place. Who is not able to remember hundreds of them and automatically associate them with an emotion or an experience? Shape, color, and font choices are integral to crafting an image that not only affects people’s memories, but also generates a positive association.
Such is its importance that psychologists are often consulted when marketers want to make a really powerful logo, as marketers can advise them on which shapes and colors have a positive association with the marketing angle of an individual product or that of a company.
4. The influence of influencers
When it comes to increasing brand awareness, influencer marketing becomes one of the most reliable methods. Opinion leaders already have a significant loyal audience on social media. All you need to do is find an influencer who fits the brand and whose social media presence can be used for promotion.
A 2020 study conducted by Econsultancy on influencer marketing found that 61% of consumers, aged 18-34, have at some point been influenced in their decision-making by digital influencers.
Of course, honesty and authenticity are values on the rise. Therefore, it is important that the influencer with whom we partner transmits them. Sometimes, a good alternative is micro-influencers They may have a smaller reach but, according to that same Econsultancy post, micro-influencers outperform top-tier talent and 61% of consumers say they produce more relatable content.
5. Marketing events
Attending various marketing events is a great way to attract the attention of experts, industry professionals, and clients. There are different forms of events: a conference, a party, an exhibition or a seminar. You can contact the event planner to make a brand presentation and give customers the opportunity to have a real-life experience of the company’s product.
Participating in such events is a great opportunity to increase awareness, as it increases the ability to reach your target audience and create emotional connections with them. In addition, visitors to the event will tell about it on social networks. This will help reach a much wider audience.
6. How to Measure Brand Awareness
There are many simple ways to measure your brand awareness. In summary, these are some of the most effective:
- Check search volumes: Just take a look at your keyword research tool to see how many people are searching for each keyword. If you’re keeping an eye on its evolution, you should have a pretty good idea of how your brand awareness is evolving.
- Social media mentions: This way, you can know how many people are talking about your brand on social platforms. You can also see how much your posts are being shared. It’s also worth taking a look at the number of people who share your posts. If, in addition, you check the mentions of competitors, you will be able to get a more real view of what is happening on the networks.
- Website traffic: Direct traffic is a good indicator of how many people remember your brand and search for it specifically online.
