By using organic or paid Digital Marketing Strategies brands are boosting their brand awareness. Brand awareness is the degree to which consumers have an understanding of a particular brand. Brand awareness is necessary to bring brand equity (positive image of the product in the consumer’s mind). Brand Recognition and Brand Recalling come under brand awareness.
In Traditional marketing, strategies like print, broadcast, direct mail, and telephone contacts are used to build brand awareness. The traditional method offers a linear one-way communication with the customer. Adding to that, the cost of marketing tools and contacting groups of broadcasters make traditional marketing a tedious formula.
Social Media platforms and the Internet have revolutionized marketing schemes. Businesses are working on online(digital) marketing to offer dual and effective communication with consumers/ customers. Sources tell that 70% of internet users want to learn about products through content versus traditional advertisements. Creating fresh, informative content and keeping consumers entertained adds to the structure of digital marketing.
However, Digital Marketing cannot fully outcast traditional marketing. Modern/ Online marketing still uses Old traditional marketing strategies of using catchy taglines, captions, and distinct logos.
Why is digital marketing necessary for brand awareness?
Using digital marketing, your brand can get recognized by a larger audience, which will boost your brand awareness. Using ad campaigns, you can project your brand multiple times and leverage the mirror exposure effect, which will aid in brand awareness and recognition.
Getting known is not enough; you have to convert these visitors into your customers. Using the best-suited digital strategy, you can make your consumer/visitor get the consideration phase, where they become aware of your brand. If your digital presence and description are lucrative enough, these visitors will choose your brand and become your customers.
According to Latest Reports, 71% of consumers who have had a good social media service experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to others. When your customers, existing and new ones, receive the quality product or services, they won’t stop talking about you. Your brand’s fame will spread wide in no time. At this stage, if brands made UGC (User Generated Content), then brands can be trusted, loved, and defended by their customers.
Loved and defended mentioned above imply that digital marketing will allow your brand to form a community, including your consumers, brand, and digital marketers/marketing agency.
Ways to build brand awareness.
1) Hashtags for #BrandAwareness
To set a trend or get involved in a trend, a hashtag is important. Whether it is to support or boycott something, hashtags play a significant role in Netizens' communication. People supporting your ideals can connect with your brand using your hashtags on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, Pinterest, or other platforms. When people would know, hear, and use your hashtags, they would know more about your brand. This will undoubtedly strengthen your brand awareness.
2) Using Color Psychology for better brand recognition
Color psychology reveals the fact that colors do impact our hunger and purchases. A brand can use its own unique color palette to boost brand awareness. The role of brand personality can impact color combination. Brands can check their target audience and then use a color accordingly. Brands can take inspiration from competitors in their industry but authenticity will get them better brand awareness and audience’s support, or else the “copycat” tag will get attached.
3) Feed the audience with Free Trials and Samples
The word “free” brings happy as well as suspicious emotion. Consumers research and study more when the free word is attached to any content or posts or purchases. Brands are getting smarter with their ideas. Almost every brand has implemented the policy to display subscription offers with a free month trial. Giving away free presentations/slides, e-books, PDFs, the master- class is another tricky way to hook your potential.
4) Involving in a Social cause for brand awareness
Humanity and kind deeds matter more rather than an individual or brand’s background. Thus, to enhance brand awareness, you can initiate or get involved with the organization working for social causes. Your effort and support for these causes and activities will positively impact your existing customers and visitors. Your brand’s followers and subscribers count will increase. Not only will sales rise, but your brand will also achieve a reputation for being there for needy ones. Brands can use social listening tools to identify social causes, their brands can support.
TWO Effective Ways to increase brand awareness
1) Content Marketing to reach out to the greater audience
Brands are very cautious about their content since content reflects brand values and descriptions of products. To enhance better content marketing, regular content production using Infographics & videos, PPTs should be done. Later these contents would be posted on Social Media and Official Websites. Brands use Quizzes, graders, checklists, mentions, polls & surveys, Contests, and Giveaways to make their content more interactive. You can even use offline magazines, news sources to publish your content or company news.
2) Networking with niche industry
Getting your article published in Guest Blogging will help you get recognized by the bigger brand’s audience. Likewise, You can opt for borrowing authority from Facebook groups or podcast teams. Your brand would be given the authority of using other’s platforms to provide informational or inspirational sessions. It will increase your audience as well as brand awareness. Brands can introduce Referral Programs, become a partner and sponsor for Local/Industry, and even form a PR team for networking purposes.
Challenges and threats for brand awareness
- Savvy Customers have facts and figures about your brand and your competitors. They can have a fixed mentality and stay in dilemma whether to purchase or not. It’s challenging to get this diverted mind to your brand.
- The economic downturn can also affect your brand awareness.
- Adjusting with Traditional Media and Digital Marketing.
- Staying authentic and competitive at the same time.
- To have accountability and consistency to maintain the right image.
Solutions
- Revisit and redesign your digital strategies.
- Keep your network with people in your niche industry.
- Keep balance with digital marketing and print media.
- Consider outsourcing for extra effort and involvement.
Article by – Marching Ants