Ever wondered why some brands instantly come to mind when you think of specific products? Take Nike – when you think of athletic wear, their swoosh logo and “Just Do It” slogan probably pop into your head. That’s brand awareness at work.
Increasing brand awareness means making your target audience familiar with your brand’s existence, values, and offerings. It’s the foundation of marketing success – after all, people can’t buy from you if they don’t know you exist.
Whether you’re a startup finding your footing or an established business expanding your reach, brand awareness helps you stand out and create meaningful connections with potential customers.
So, let’s explore how to build brand awareness.
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What is brand awareness?
Brand awareness represents how familiar your target market is with your brand and how easily they recognize it.
It goes beyond just knowing your company’s name – it’s about the immediate associations and emotions people have when they encounter your brand.
Think about the last time you reached for a tissue – did you call it a tissue, or did you say “Pass me a Kleenex”?
That’s the highest level of brand awareness – when your brand name becomes the core symbol for the product category itself, like Google for online searches or Band-Aid for adhesive bandages.
Brand awareness exists on different levels. At the basic level, people simply recognize your brand (like knowing the McDonald’s golden arches when they see them).
At a deeper level, they understand what makes you unique (like Tesla’s association with electric vehicle innovation and sustainability).
The strongest awareness is when your brand leads the category (like Zoom became the default term for video calls during the pandemic).
Understanding and building brand awareness is crucial because people tend to choose brands they know and trust over unfamiliar ones.
Related: Branding glossary
Why is increasing brand awareness important?
When you’re trying to grow your business, brand awareness plays a crucial role in your success. It’s not just about having a great product – people need to know you exist and trust your brand before they’ll consider buying from you.
Brand awareness impacts your business in several key ways. First, it builds trust and credibility. People naturally gravitate toward familiar brands when making purchasing decisions.
When working with a local skincare brand, we found that customers were 3x more likely to purchase after they had seen the brand mentioned in multiple places.
Building brand awareness also drives word-of-mouth marketing. When people know your brand well, they’re more likely to recommend it to others.
Take Patagonia. Their strong brand awareness isn’t just about recognition. It’s about their association with environmental responsibility, which makes customers proud to recommend them.
For instance, in 2011, Patagonia sponsored an ad in The New York Times that took up an entire page. It encouraged people to purchase from them only when necessary, aiming to support sustainability and reduce excessive consumerism.
Moreover, brand awareness gives you a competitive edge. It helps you stand out in saturated markets and often justifies premium pricing.
It also makes launching new products easier because you already have an audience that knows and trusts you.
Finally, increasing brand awareness shortens your sales cycle. When prospects are already familiar with your brand, you spend less time and money convincing them to trust you.
This is particularly important in B2B settings, where building trust is crucial for closing deals.
Remember, brand awareness is an investment that compounds over time, creating a foundation for sustainable business growth.
What are the best tactics to build brand awareness?
Building brand awareness requires a strategic mix of different tactics. Here are the techniques I have seen work consistently for different businesses over the years, regardless of their industry or size.
Content marketing
Content marketing is an effective way to increase brand awareness while providing real value to your audience.
The key is to focus on solving your audience’s problems rather than promoting your products. You do this through blog posts, videos, or podcasts.
One approach that works well is the 80/20 rule – make 80% of your content educational or entertaining, and only 20% promotional.
To get started, identify topics your audience cares about using AnswerThePublic to discover common questions in your industry.
Then, create helpful content addressing these questions. For example, if you sell skincare products, provide content about skincare routines or ingredient education.
Related: What is content marketing
Leverage social proof
Social proof marketing can significantly boost your brand awareness by leveraging the experiences of your existing customers and partners.
People trusted recommendations from other customers more than traditional advertising. So, you should have a system to collect and showcase authentic customer stories.
This could be through testimonials, reviews, or user-generated content.
For instance, Dove commemorates various forms of beauty using their “Real Beauty” initiative. They feature genuine women who talk about their individual journeys and experiences with Dove.
The key is making it easy for customers to share their experiences. Create simple feedback forms using Google Forms, or use a tool like Yotpo to automatically collect reviews after purchases.
Share these testimonials across your marketing channels. But keep it genuine. Avoid over-editing or using only perfect reviews.
Remember to engage with people who mention your brand. Thank them for sharing positive feedback and address concerns professionally.
This engagement often encourages more people to share their experiences, creating a positive cycle of brand awareness.
Engage your audience on social media
Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn connect you directly with your customers to build brand awareness. Glossier, a beauty brand, excels in this by consistently posting visually appealing content and interacting with their followers.
To enhance engagement, consider running interactive polls or Q&A sessions. This invites your audience to participate and feel more connected to your brand.
For example, on Instagram, you can use the story feature to host these polls or Q&A sessions. Plan weekly interactive sessions on your social media platforms.
This will encourage prospects to engage with your content and build a stronger connection to your brand.
Partner with influencers
Another powerful way to build brand awareness is by leveraging influencer partnerships. Collaborating with influencers can give your brand immediate exposure to their established audience.
For instance, fashion brand “Daniel Wellington” gained massive popularity by partnering with Instagram influencers who posted photos featuring their watches.
To implement this, start by identifying influencers in your niche with a large following and high engagement rates.
Reach out with a personalized message explaining how their brand aligns with your products or services.
Tools like BuzzSumo or AspireIQ can help you find suitable influencers. Use these tools to track and analyze engagement metrics, ensuring your efforts translate into meaningful brand awareness.
This strategy not only increases your visibility but also builds credibility through trusted voices in your industry.
Search engine optimization
SEO involves making tweaks to your website and its online reputation to rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential customers to find you. This helps you increase brand awareness.
To implement this, focus on using relevant keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, and titles.
Use a tool like Google Keyword Planner to research popular search terms in your industry. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your website content.
The keywords will also give you ideas to create high-quality content that addresses common questions your target audience might have.
Monitor your site’s performance with tools like Google Analytics to track improvements. By consistently refining your SEO strategies, you’ll increase your visibility and attract more visitors, building stronger brand awareness over time.
Join events and exhibitions
Participating in industry events and trade shows is another specific way to build brand awareness. These events provide a platform to showcase your offerings while networking with potential customers and industry professionals.
Take “Salesforce” for instance—they regularly participate in events like “Dreamforce,” which helps them maintain a strong industry presence.
To implement this, research upcoming trade shows or conferences relevant to your business. Identify key events in your industry and plan to attend or exhibit.
Prepare promotional materials like brochures and business cards using tools like Canva.
During the event, engage with attendees by offering live demonstrations and collecting contact information for follow-up.
By actively participating in these events, you’ll increase your brand’s visibility and build valuable connections.
Email marketing
In this method to increase brand awareness, you send targeted email messages to your subscribers to keep them in the loop with your brand.
Take “Grammarly,” for example—they effectively use email campaigns to share tips, updates, and personalized insights with their users.
To implement this, use a platform like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to create and automate email campaigns.
Start by building an email list through your website or social media channels.
Offer incentives like exclusive content or discounts to encourage sign-ups.
Design a monthly newsletter that includes valuable content, such as industry news, blog highlights, and special offers.
By consistently engaging with your prospects through email, you’ll strengthen your brand presence and build lasting relationships with your subscribers.
Host webinars
Online workshops allow you to share valuable knowledge while positioning your brand as an industry leader.
For example, software company “HubSpot” frequently hosts webinars on marketing strategies, attracting large audiences and increasing their brand recognition.
To implement this, choose a relevant topic that addresses common challenges your target audience faces. Plan and schedule a webinar on a platform like Zoom or Webex.
Promote your event through social media, email marketing, and your website. Use a tool like Canva to create visually appealing promotional materials.
During the webinar, engage with participants through Q&A sessions and interactive polls.
By providing useful content and interacting with your audience with webinars, you’ll enhance your brand’s visibility and credibility.
Create a referral program
A referral program encourages existing customers to refer your brand to their friends and family in exchange for rewards or discounts.
Dropbox is a great example—they significantly grew their user base by offering extra storage space to users who referred others.
To implement this tactic to build brand awareness, design a simple and attractive referral program that offers incentives your customers value. Use tools like ReferralCandy or Friendbuy to set up and manage your referral program.
Promote the program through your website, email, and social media channels. Track the performance and make adjustments based on user feedback.
By using your existing customer base, you can tap into new networks, increasing your brand’s reach and awareness.
Encourage user generated content
Creating user-generated content (UGC) campaigns is another effective way to increase brand awareness. UGC involves encouraging your audience to create content related to your brand, such as reviews, photos, or videos.
A great example is “GoPro,” which has built a strong brand community by showcasing videos and photos taken by their users.
To implement this, launch a UGC campaign with a specific theme or challenge. Create a branded hashtag and invite your customers to share their experiences using it.
Promote it through your social media and email newsletters, using a tool like Hootsuite to track submissions.
Showcase the best content on your social media channels or website to motivate more participation. Recognize and reward the best contributions with shout-outs or small prizes.
By leveraging your customers’ creativity through user generated content, you’ll increase engagement and brand visibility.
Final thoughts on building brand awareness
Building brand awareness is an essential aspect of growing your business, and there are numerous strategies to achieve this goal.
Each of these techniques offers unique benefits and, when combined, can create a powerful brand presence.
By consistently implementing these strategies, you’ll foster strong connections with your audience and ensure long-term growth for your brand.
Did I miss anything? Did you try these tips? Do you have any questions or comments? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.
