A 2005 study by the Department of Business at Kristianstad University found that brand awareness was the most influential factor in first-time consumer buying scenarios. The other major factors were brand loyalty, price, quality, and advertising, according to the study.
Smartphones have become an extension of the American consumer. Nielsen estimates 65 percent of Americans own smartphones and spend at least 60 hours per week consuming content across all their mobile devices. Your brand must have a way to reach the masses and constantly remind them of your products and services to maximize profits. These three methods will help you get started:
Social Media
The 2014 Social Media Marketing Industry Report found 92 percent of marketers believe social media is an integral part of their overall marketing strategy. It’s essential for every business to have a presence on the “Big Three” social channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Profiles on LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Stumbleupon are also important for expanding your overall reach.
One of the most important keys to a successful social media campaign is consistency. For instance, the Facebook page for DriveTime, a used car dealership network, uses its logo and same color scheme on Twitter and its home page. Customers know exactly who they are dealing with when they see the signature green logo regardless of online channel.
Social media should be used to showcase your brand and engage customers at a personal level. It can also be used to build trust, boost traffic to your Web page, and increase search engine rankings. Though keeping social media platforms up-to-date can be done by just about anyone, consider hiring a specialist if you’re just getting started. Elance and Fiverr.com are two options to find a freelancer who can do the job for you.
Blogging
A 2012 data analysis by Hubspot found 92 percent of companies that published blog entries multiple times daily acquired at least one new customer in the process. Further, blogging was identified by marketers as the top method for increasing traffic to their Web pages.
Blogging is the one medium that can make your company stick out among the crowd. All the fancy SEO tricks in the world cannot substitute for quality content that is searchable, clickable, and sharable by readers. Content is king in the world of SEO, and marketers who are serious about brand awareness ensure their blogs are active and full of useful information.
The same person you hire as a social media expert could double as a blogger. The two work hand-in-hand, as you create content on your homepage and promote it via social media. Odesk and Writer Access are two sources to consider for freelance writers and bloggers. Remember the content should be interesting and clickable first, and advertorial second.
Google Adwords
MarketingZone.com asked 500 business owners who use Google Adwords if the advertising system works for them. Most pointed out how inexpensive the program is, but also clamored about the immediate results it can offer in search engines. At the same time, marketers generally said the program is hard to use, pricing is somewhat arbitrary, and its difficult to get a Google representative on the phone for customer service.
Despite the wide ranging reviews of Adwords, the fact remains you can get paid search results for the keywords of your choice that appear on the first page. Adwords is especially cost effective when your keywords are not as common. Adwords Express was introduced by Google to address some end user complaints about the platform being difficult to use. A new company could certainly benefit from paid advertising while building an organic link portfolio via their blog and social media platforms.
Business owners should do a brand awareness survey before and after incorporating all of the above marketing techniques into their overall strategies. The results are sure to keep profit margins positive and marketing personnel motivated.