In the fast-paced world of marketing, it’s easy to forget about a critical tool: brand awareness.
Lead conversions and sale metrics tend to be a larger focus for many brands, and for good reason. But brand awareness isn’t something to overlook, as any added traffic can help increase conversions in the long term.
But when the time comes to increase visibility and promote your brand online, it’s often easier said than done. How can you stand out from the competition to showcase your message? If you’re ready to make your move, here are the four key steps to know.
1. Optimize Your Website for Search Engines
In today’s crowded digital marketplace, SEO — or search engine optimization — is a powerful tool that brands can’t afford to overlook. SEO is what helps improve your brand’s website in the search engine results pages. And since estimates suggest that over 90% of searchers never move past the first page of Google, it’s clear that the top of the results is the only place you want to be.
In terms of online brand promotion, SEO is the best place to start: though gains can be slow and subtle, it’s the best tool marketers have for long-term success. Luckily, getting started with SEO isn’t as intimidating as it might seem. Google has put together a helpful starter guide with the basics to set you off on the right foot.
2. Create Consistent Content
There are two main reasons for creating consistent content as a form of online promotion.
First, visitors and followers love consistency. An ongoing source of valuable content and interesting tips can keep them coming back for more where a static webpage wouldn’t.
Second, both search engine and social media algorithms value consistency as well. Brands that post regular updates, from blogs to Instagram posts, are more likely to appear in relevant users’ feeds or at the top of the search results.
In other words, consistent updates are a double win for your brand promotion strategy!
3. Get Reviews and Testimonials
Brands earn loyal followers only once they’ve established authority and trust. That’s hard to do in a vacuum in which your content is the only story promoting your brand, but it gets easier when you encourage others to endorse your brand themselves!
Online reviews and testimonials can be a great way to show social proof. The idea of social proof is that people are more likely to follow through with an action — say, following your brand online—if others go first, showing them the “correct” behavior. To truly build your brand, you’ll need to find ways to encourage others to share their opinions about you online.
4. Advertise
Advertising continues to be one of the most powerful ways of promoting brands online.
Most brands can get away with ads from a single service: Google Adwords. This platform has the lion’s share of the market, though some audiences may respond well to Bing, Yahoo, or Amazon ads. Don’t forget to consider video ads on YouTube as well!
Promoting your brand through advertising will require plenty of testing, a keen remarketing strategy, and regular updates, but it can be an effective way to increase visibility—for a price.
Promote Your Brand With the Right Strategies
When you want to promote your brand online, it’s important to navigate the overwhelming possibilities in favor of strategies that work. The steps above will help you learn to set yourself apart from the crowd, earning loyal followers that even convert to brand advocates in time. Though you’ll need to invest time and effort to make them work, the results are well worth the hassle!
Looking for more tips to help you in business and beyond? Check out our other posts for more details.
