Have you ever seen two people arguing that the iPhone has the best UI and Samsung has the best image quality? Or maybe heard your mom say that Starbucks has the best coffee in the world and nothing can beat it? All of these show how much a brand has embedded its identity in our lives. And what is the secret to keep people talking, buzzing, arguing, and mentioning your brand? Some good brand awareness!
In this brand awareness masterclass, we’re going to show you what, why, and how brand awareness makes your business unforgettable. Want to make your mark in the world of consumer conversations? Dive in!
What is Brand wareness?
Brand awareness is like how well a brand is known and recognized by people. It’s not just about knowing a brand exists; it’s more like how familiar and connected people feel with it. When a brand nails it, people easily remember and pick it out from the crowd. Kind of like Coca-Cola or Gucci, their brand awareness is so brilliant that everyone knows that a tick belongs to which brand and checkers belong to which luxury brand.
Picture it as the starting point of a friendship between a brand and its audience. It’s about making a mark in people’s minds so they remember you when they’re thinking about a certain product or service.
To make it happen, brands need to keep their message clear, show up in different places, and leave a positive impression. The goal? To be the name that pops up in people’s heads when they’re making choices. Brand awareness is like becoming the friendly and trusted face in a sea of options.
Different Types of Brand Awareness
Brand awareness comes in three main options: Brand recognition, brand recall, and brand dominance. Let’s break them down:
Brand Recognition
This is when you can spot a brand just by looking at its logo, slogan, or other identifiers. Think of McDonald’s – those golden arches are so recognizable that you’d know it’s McDonald’s even if you weren’t actively thinking about it.
Brand Recall
Here, it’s about remembering a brand when someone gives you a little nudge. For instance, if someone asked you to name a soft drink, and your mind goes straight to Coca-Cola, that’s some solid brand recall.
Brand Dominance
This happens when a brand is like the go-to superhero in its product category. Take Kleenex, for example. Need a hand towel to wipe your face? Most people automatically think “Kleenex.” It’s practically the product’s synonym.
So, whether it’s a familiar logo, the first name that pops into your head, or the top choice without a second thought – that’s brand awareness doing its thing in different ways.
The Importance of Brand Awareness For Your Business
Your Brand Awareness = Your Success
Measuring brand awareness is like having a built-in success meter for your business. It’s not just a number; it’s a tool that brings your team and organization together. Why? Because it’s straightforward, and everyone can get on board. The big shots at the top love it because it’s a clear measure, and tracking it is like plotting your business journey. Simple rule: if awareness goes up, you’re on the right track.
Now, let’s talk about improvement. What does it really mean? It means business success and hitting those goals you set. Picture this: you know the percentage of people who know about your brand and roughly how much of the market you’ve captured. Now, put those numbers side by side.
The game plan? Turn that brand awareness into brand consideration – make people not just know you but think about choosing you. The end goal? More people are buying from your brand, and what is the market share percentage? It’s going up, up, up.
Your Brand Awareness = Association
Brand awareness is like the magic wand that creates associations in our minds. Let me paint the picture for you: ever heard somebody say they got an electric car, and Tesla is the only thing you can think of? Or faced a question and thought, “I’ll just Google it”? When making copies, did you casually say, “I’ll Xerox them”?
Chances are, you did. But here’s the catch – notice how some words are in capitals. Those are brands, not just regular words. In a brandless world, we’d call it an electric car, use a search engine, call it a copier. But it’s way more fun to name-drop the brand, even if we’re not talking about their specific product.
That’s the effect of brand awareness. It links actions and products with specific brands, making us subconsciously swap out common words for these branded terms.
Your Brand Awareness = Brand Equity
Think of brand awareness as the architect of brand equity. Brand equity is all about a brand’s value, shaped by what consumers experience and how they see the brand. Positive vibes mean positive brand equity, and, unfortunately, the reverse is true too.
Now, let’s unwrap the perks that come with positive brand equity:
- Premium Prices, Please
When people see your brand as top-notch, you can charge more.
- Stock Prices on the Rise
Positive brand vibes can do wonders for your stock prices. Investors love a brand that’s riding the wave of positive perception.
- Business Expansion
Ever thought about adding new products or services to your lineup? Positive brand equity gives you the green light for expansion. People trust you, so they’re game to try your new offerings.
Now, the burning question: How do you get this brand equity thing going and growing? It’s all in the hands of brand awareness. You put your brand out there consistently and keep the experiences as positive as possible. This will lay the foundation of a strong brand equity.
Your Brand Awareness = Trust Building
Brand awareness is like the trust-builder extraordinaire. Here’s the deal: the more people know about your brand, the less skeptical they become. Why? Well, first off, if you’re always on their radar, they don’t have to start from square one to understand what your brand is all about. It’s like meeting an old friend – you pick up right where you left off.
But here’s the trust-boosting magic trick: people talk. If your brand is a familiar name in conversations among friends, family, and colleagues, trust just skyrockets. Knowing that the people in their circle are aware of and confident in your brand makes it a whole lot easier for others to jump on the trust train.
How to Build and Improve Brand Awareness?
Are you already obsessed with building brand awareness? You have to keep in mind that the examples that we’re giving, like Coca-Cola or Nike, were not one-shot wonders. These brands took a fair share of time before they started receiving the recognition they deserved from the people. So, be patient and follow these strategies:
Start with the Target Audience
To make more people aware of your brand, start by figuring out who already knows you using surveys and tools like Google Analytics. Once you’ve got that, dig a bit deeper to really understand your ideal audience – not just their basic details but what they really care about.
It’s not just age or where they live; it’s more like knowing what keeps them up at night or what makes them happy. Think about The Economist – when they wanted more people to know about them, they didn’t just look at numbers. They got to know their readers, creating stories that hit home.
Create an Identity No One Can Forget
Crafting your brand identity is like building the heart of your brand awareness. Start by defining what makes your brand special – its unique value, mission, and core values. These become the pillars that shape your brand’s personality and where it stands.
Then, dive into the visual side. Create a logo, tagline, and overall look that you think is perfect for your brand. These elements are like the face of your brand – they need to be memorable enough so anyone can remember your logo or even the colors of your brand theme by looking at it. An expert tip? Keep it consistent everywhere, be it your website, social media, or any marketing materials.
Pen Down Your Content Marketing Strategy
Crafting a killer content marketing strategy is like turning up the volume of your brand’s voice in the digital crowd. You create a magnetic pull that draws in new audiences while keeping the flame alive with existing ones.
Think of it as your brand’s megaphone in the online world – delivering a message that’s not just heard but remembered. This strategy keeps you popping up in front of the customers, and you soon become a reliable companion in their eyes.
Think like a Person
Imagine your brand as a new friend. Just like in budding friendships, you’d want to know their likes, dislikes, and what makes them tick. Well, brands do the same. They figure out these traits and show them off. It’s not just about selling stuff; it’s about being more, being relatable.
Think of it as having a real conversation instead of a sales pitch. This approach clicks with people, making them more interested in what your business is all about. And guess what? Social media is like the hangout spot for this connection. A whopping 90% of people buy from brands they follow on social media.
Stay with the Community
Connecting with your community is all about making your brand a friendly face that pops up every now and then, and people slowly start to recognize it. Consumers crave this connection, and engaging with them is the key to unlocking it. High engagement paints your brand as approachable, shining a spotlight on you in the eyes of your ideal audience.
Imagine you’re a travel brand. Hosting an Instagram contest where followers can win a weekend getaway? That’s like throwing confetti on your brand name – it’s fun, shareable, and spreads the word, boosting your brand awareness.
And it doesn’t stop there. Responding lightning-fast to comments, messages, and reviews on social media and review platforms is like being the life of the party. It shows you’re not just here to sell; you’re here to chat, to connect.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of SEO
Now comes some technical talk. Have you ever searched for a company with the best home remodeling services near me? When the search results come in, your natural response is to click the first one because we think that’s the most trusted and popular of them all. How did THAT particular brand come up on top?
Engaging with the community and creating a marketing strategy are all actually dependent on one crucial pillar: SEO. SEO is what is working behind the scenes to make your brand come up on top whenever a person searches for related topics. This means that every time somebody searches for good realtors near Miami, the name of your firm is among the top finalists in the search results.
It’s all about competing for those keywords that shout, “Hey, we’ve got what you need!” These keywords are like signposts leading customers directly to your services and products.
If your website isn’t popping up when a customer is on the hunt, chances are they’ll stroll down the virtual street to a competitor’s shop.
Integrate the Strategy
Creating a strong brand awareness strategy is like tailoring a suit – it should fit your audience perfectly. Right now, we live in a world where people consume content in various ways, and an integrated approach is a must-have. Traditional channels like TV and radio still matter, but it’s wise not to put all your resources in one place.
There was a time when TV ads were all the rage and we immediately bought almost anything we saw on the TV. But times are different now and studies are suggesting that these advertisements don’t even work on the younger generation. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Facebook are proving effective in reaching these demographics. What does this mean for your brand awareness? This means that you have to keep your brand awareness as adaptable as possible to work it through different channels.
What NOT To Do When Building Brand Awareness?
Now that you know all the strategies that you have to implement, you might be thinking of just quitting the blog post and starting working on it. Not so fast! You have to first know what NOT to do when building your brand awareness!
- Ignoring Your Audience: Your audience is your compass. Ignoring their preferences is like going on a journey without a map. Take time to understand what they prefer what their needs are, and then adapt your strategy accordingly.
- Overlooking Consistency: Consistency is the only thing that makes your brand memorable. You have to keep all the elements of your awareness the same all over. Your messaging, tone, and theme should stay the same on all channels.
- Ignoring Online Presence: In today’s digital age, neglecting your online presence is like hiding in a bookstore without turning on the lights. Be visible where your audience spends their time. Maintain an active and engaging online presence to stay on their radar.
- Ignoring Feedback: Customer feedback is the only thing guiding your awareness on the right path. Listen to what your customers are saying, address concerns, and keep up the good image. It builds trust and shows your commitment to satisfy your loyal customers.
- Underestimating SEO: SEO helps you to be seen with the help of some digital expertise. Underestimating it is like expecting customers to find a needle in a haystack. Optimize your online content for search engines so your audience can discover you as quickly as a Google search.
- Rushing the Process: Remember, building brand awareness is a journey, not a sprint. Rushing it is like expecting a flower to grow overnight. Be patient. focus on delivering a quality experience rather than a rushed one that turns out to be bad. Allow your brand to grow organically because a lasting presence takes time and dedication.
Wrapping Up
So now you know that Coca-Cola or Wendy’s didn’t become famous because that one person tried it and said it was delicious. It was actually years and years of hard work that went into building a brand awareness that’s next to impossible to match. However, it’s not literally impossible.
This blog has actually provided you all the basics you need to start working on a stellar brand awareness campaign. From the start to the end, follow every single tip and you will find your way to an identity that people recognize from anywhere around the world.
Do remember to stay patient throughout the process or you will lose the actual purpose and end up misfiring the awareness. Best of luck!
