The Importance of Digital Marketing: How To Increase Your Brand Recognition Online and Beyond
Digital marketing is an essential part of any successful business because it's crucial for building awareness of your brand and improving customer engagement. If you're looking to increase your brand recognition, read on to learn how you can leverage digital marketing to boost your brand's visibility.
1. Invest in Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), increasing its visibility and leading to more potential conversions. One of the best ways to increase brand recognition is to get your company on the top pages of relevant search results.
"When developing an SEO strategy for your business, start by researching relevant keywords related to your products or services," suggests Gina Iovenitti, Growth Operations at Carda Health. "Then, create content using those keywords on your website pages and in blog posts or articles."
By investing in search engine optimization, you can increase the visibility of your website, establish yourself as an industry expert, and drive more targeted traffic to your site. This will ultimately help you to increase your brand recognition.
2. Publish Consistent, High-Quality Content
Part of a strong SEO strategy is consistently creating high-quality, relevant content for your target audience. This shows that algorithm that your content is valuable and needs to be seen — but that's just the tip of the iceberg.
"One of the best ways to deliver value to potential customers is to provide quality content," shares Miles Beckett, CEO and Co-founder of Flossy. "When they know they can trust you as a resource, it will increase the likelihood that they will become a customer."
Ensuring your company is publishing quality content offers a multitude of benefits that support the bottom line. A digital marketing strategy must feature a solid content plan.
3. Create Compelling Visuals
Visuals are a fantastic way to tell a story without using words and are a must in creating brand recognition. People are drawn to visuals and are more likely to remember an image or video than text alone.
"While visuals are great aesthetically, they provide a much deeper benefit," explains Drew Sherman, VP of Marketing at RPM. "They help create an emotional connection with the viewer and make complex topics easier to understand and digest. When done well, visuals instill a feeling in them they won't soon forget."
Using visuals in your digital marketing efforts can help you increase engagement, boost website traffic, and ultimately drive more conversions. According to a study by Venngage, 98% of marketers surveyed place importance on using compelling visuals in their marketing.
4. Take Advantage of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is one of the most effective ways to increase your brand recognition, as these individuals have a high influence with their large number of followers. By partnering with influencers, you can extend your reach and target potential customers who may not have been exposed to your brand otherwise.
"When you work with influencers, they can create content that will showcase your product or service to their followers," explains Michael Baghoomian, CEO of Muscle MX. "They can also participate in campaigns, contests, giveaways, and other activities that will help spread the word about your brand. This is an effective way to gain visibility and build credibility."
When building influencer partnerships, ensure the influencers you reach out to are a wise fit for your brand. Take the time to research potential influencers and find ones whose audience is similar to yours. Also, ensure that the influencer is passionate about your product or service before entering into an agreement.
5. Invest in Paid Advertising
Paid advertising allows you to reach a larger, targeted audience as an effective way to boost your brand recognition and visibility. Many different types of paid advertising can be used to promote your business, such as Google Ads, social media ads, and display ads.
Brooke Galko, Marketing Coordinator at PUR Cold-Pressed Juice discusses the benefits of paid ads: "Paid ads give you the ability to target a specific audience while helping you reach a larger audience. You can easily track results, allowing you to make informed decisions about your future campaigns. It's a cost-effective way to promote your business that can help you generate more leads and sales."
Paid advertising is an investment that can take time to perfect. It requires reviewing analytics to see what's working and what isn't. Once you find that sweet spot, it's incredibly worthwhile.
6. Develop a Strong Social Media Presence
Building a social media presence isn't just about having a high number of followers. What matters most is creating a community of loyal fans and offering value. While social media pages can be a great way to generate sales, it's even better at delivering valuable information that increases brand recognition.
"You have to get past some of the numbers in social media," warns Natalia Morozova, Partner at Cohen, Tucker & Ades PC, Immigration Law Firm. "You could have a hundred thousand followers and still not reach sales goals, but if you have just 1,000 loyal followers, you could easily meet sales goals. As long as you're creating valuable content, you'll bring the right people to your brand."
When developing a social media strategy, keep your target audience in mind. Provide content that will be beneficial to them, and allow them to see for themselves the benefits of what your company offers.
7. Implement Email Marketing
Email marketing allows you to directly reach customers, prospects, and leads with targeted messages that offer value. One of the most powerful ways to use email marketing is to reach out to people who have already expressed an interest in your product or service. By using personalized emails to introduce yourself and your offerings, you can quickly start building relationships and developing trust.
"Email marketing keeps you top-of-mind with potential and current customers," explains Erin Banta, Co-Founder and CEO of Pepper Home. "This encourages repeat purchases and builds loyalty. Consider segmenting your email list to create more personalized and relevant messages for each subscriber, which can help to further engage your readers and increase conversions."
Email marketing continues to be the best sales driver among digital marketing efforts. Developing a strong strategy is essential to reap the maximum benefits from this marketing medium.
8. Host Webinars and Online Events
With more people working from home and connecting with businesses online, there has never been a better time to host webinars or other online events. These events can provide an interactive platform for engaging with customers, as well as an opportunity to introduce them to your products or services.
"When planning your event, consider what type of topics and content you would like to cover," suggests Bryan Jones, CEO of Truckbase. "You could host a Q&A session, demonstrate how to use one of your products, or simply provide useful industry knowledge."
After the event, continue the conversation with the attendees. Thank them for their participation or ask for feedback. Foster that relationship through email marketing or social media to create a lasting impression.
9. Get Involved in the Community
Getting involved in online communities can assist you in reaching your target audience while helping your brand understand them better. Within these communities, you can identify opportunities to share your content, introduce your product or service, and generate conversations about your brand.
"Being an active member of an online community means taking the time to engage with people and interact with them on a personal level," explains Susan Kim Shaffer, President and Co-Founder of Pneuma Nitric Oxide. "This is how you build relationships and gain customers' trust. Building a strong connection with your customers will ultimately help you achieve success."
Some easy ways to get involved in the community are by attending events, sponsoring local charities, or hosting webinars or contests. These activities will help you increase your brand visibility and recognition in the local community and online.
10. Offer Discounts and Deals
One of the best ways to attract customers (and new buyers) is through special offers, such as discounts and deals. This type of marketing can also help you stand out from the competition and boost your reputation as an industry leader.
"The key to successful discount and deal campaigns is to make sure that the offers are attractive and targeted towards the right audience," warns Max Ade, CEO of Pickleheads. "You also want to ensure that the offers are easy to redeem and track, so you can evaluate the success of your campaigns."
By offering discounts and deals, you're more likely to capture the attention of potential customers who may not have known about your business before. With a little creativity and planning, you can create successful offers that will help increase your brand recognition and generate more leads.
Final Thoughts
Brand recognition is one of the most important metrics a business can focus on. With the right digital marketing strategy in place, you can effectively expand your brand's reach to capture the attention of your target audience.