When creating a marketing strategy, we tend to focus primarily on converting our leads into customers. While the lead nurturing process is important, that’s not where the marketing process should begin. If you’re not creating proper awareness and buzz around your brand, you won’t have any leads to convert in the first place.
Brand awareness is the first phase of marketing a company. Through making your target audience aware that your firm exists, you open the door for new leads and new customers.
Unfortunately, catching your audience’s attention isn’t always easy. Because many different brands and competitors are looking to grab the same individual’s eye, you need to stand out from the crowd. The best way to do that is through creating high-quality content.
High-quality content comes in many different forms. However, some are better for building brand awareness than others. Here are six types of content you should use to increase awareness of your company.
1. Create Storytelling Videos
Just about everyone enjoys a good story, which is why content marketing frequently uses storytelling. However, when someone is unaware of your brand, it can be difficult to get them to sit down and read a story.
Because videos are more much more visual than your traditional blog post, they can be an excellent way to attract your audience’s attention and make them stop and watch. Through using videos to tell a story about your brand, your customers, or what you offer, you can build a strong relationship with your target audience. The right story will help your customer remember your brand, allowing them to come back to you when they’re ready to purchase what you offer.
Videos are also perfect for social media sharing. Because users can watch videos without ever leaving their news feed, creating high-quality videos to be shared on social media can help you increase your views and attract new customers and clients. However, you want to be sure you’re creating interesting, informative, and shareable content.
2. Develop Informative Podcasts
Our customers and clients are constantly on the go. Whether they’re commuting to work or they’re taking care of their households and families, just about every demographic is constantly on the move. If you’re creating case studies and blog posts, it may be difficult for them to find the time to sit down and read through your content.
Podcasts present a great alternative to written content. Because a podcast is easy to turn on while working, driving, or cleaning, they easily fit into a busy lifestyle. Podcasts are also an effective way to attract new attention, grabbing the eye of users who may not be on social media.
Producing podcasts is a big commitment, but it can be well worth it in the long run. To bring in new business through podcasting, you want to be sure you’re creating valuable, informative, and high-quality conversations. Also, make sure you infuse strong branding. Because a user can’t just click a link to get to your page, you need to make sure they remember you after the session ends.
3. Design Interesting Infographics
Social media is one of the best tools for building awareness about your brand. Unfortunately, you need to compete with paid advertisements, personal pictures, and high statuses when trying to market on social media. To attract your audience’s attention, you need to create shareable content that makes your audience stop scrolling.
Infographics are also a great way to share dry content. Statistics, research, and graphs are all important for backing up claims and stating facts, but if you present them as a list in a blog post, would-be readers will probably ignore them. Finding a creative way to display this information in an infographic can bring more attention to your content.
High-quality infographics are also magnets for links, which can further increase awareness about your brand. Because infographics can be challenging to make, many people will feature your graphics in their content. When they link to you, you can improve your SEO and attract new audience members.
4. Write High-Quality Blog Posts
When we think about our online content, we most commonly think about blog posts. While blog posts can be one of the cheapest and easiest ways to upload new content to your website, you need to be strategic about the posts you’re uploading. Because there are a lot of blog posts out there, you need to create something that will stand out from the crowd.
High-quality blog posts not only improve your SEO and give you a chance to add your keywords to your website, but they can also share interesting information with your target audience. You should consider your audience’s needs, the questions that need answers, or the information they’re searching for online. The post should also be interesting and engaging so that readers will want to share it with friends and family.
If you want to use blog posts to increase brand awareness, you need to remember to write for your reader — not for a search engine. While SEO is important for building brand awareness, the most important interaction you will have is with your target audience. If your reader loves your blog posts, the SEO component will follow.
5. Interview an Influencer
When you’re trying to improve awareness of your brand, the best way to establish trust quickly is through a connection with an influencer. An influencer is someone in your industry or space that your target audience already trusts and values. However, your influencer shouldn’t be a direct competitor.
Because your target audience already cares about your influencer, hosting an interview with that person can increase the number of eyes you have on your content. When that influencer shares the content with their community, they’re essentially putting their stamp of approval on your content, which can increase trust with your target audience and convince more customers to purchase from you.
There are several ways you can conduct interviews. Whether you choose to post the interview in text or video form, be sure you have clear expectations about how the influencer will help to promote the content. Lay out expectations ahead of time so that neither of you is unhappy with the results and outcome.
6. Secure Guest Posting Slots
Guest posting is a strategy whereby you post your content on a previously established website. You also may choose to have guest posts on your website. Whichever path you decide to follow, guest posting can be a great way to spread awareness and bring new customers or clients to your website.
When you post on another site, you’re typically able to add a small blurb about who you are and what your company offers. This blurb can include a link back to your website, pushing readers to check out your page for more information. When you upload your guest post on an established page, your name gets in front of their audience.
Having guest posts on your site works similarly. When someone writes a guest post for your company page, they’re able to let their community know that they’ve uploaded new content. When a member of their audience clicks through to read it, they’ll come to your page. Once there, they can click around, check out your products, or read other blog posts.
Before you think about how you’re going to convert leads into customers, you need to consider how you’re going to attract those leads in the first place. Building awareness of your brand is the very top of your marketing funnel, so it’s important to ensure you’re doing all you can to attract the eye of your ideal customer.
When creating your content strategy, consider how these six ideas will help you improve awareness about your brand. Think about the needs of your target audience, the kinds of content they may be looking for, and what they may need to know about your brand. When you keep your audience’s needs in mind, you can attract high-quality leads and get new business.