The fundamentals of brand awareness

Brand awareness is a topic frequently discussed when developing marketing strategies. But what is it really? Why should we focus on it, and what is the benefit?

When you get down to it, brand awareness is just how familiar customers are with our brand.

Familiar things are characteristics of the brand, such as its usefulness, quirky messaging, fun design, services, or images of a particular brand of goods or services. The term building brand awareness basically means we’re building greater recognition and recall of our brand with consumers. 

This blog looks at what your business can do to keep your brand being remembered and top of mind with consumers.

Why brand awareness matters

Heard about the marketing funnel? Literally, think of a funnel.

The top of the funnel is the biggest, widest piece in the marketing process. That biggest piece is where we introduce and educate consumers to our brand. 

During the brand awareness phase of marketing, we’re building trust.

Consumers purchase from brands they trust and recognise over those they don’t. Education on what your brand does and how it solves a consumer’s problem builds towards a trusting relationship. 

Think about it this way - you’re not likely to trust someone the first time you meet them. The same goes for building trust in your brand - you need to earn it through education. When you have trust, you have strong brand awareness and are more memorable amidst competition.

Establishing a consistent brand identity

Liken developing your brand’s identity to sketching a standout character for your business, one that’s unforgettable and loved across all channels. This is what sets the tone for every interaction customers have with your brand.

The cornerstones of your brand identity

Visual identity involves considering your brand kit—that’s your logo, colour scheme, typography, and imagery—elements that become interchangeable with your brand. For instance, Apple's clean, minimalist design reflects its brand ethos of simplicity and innovation.

Your voice and tone to position your brand communicates your values and personality. For example, consider the content you create. Do you want it to sound friendly, authoritative, or quirky? Or do you want to adopt a professional, insightful, and engaging tone? Consistency in this voice helps build a relationship with your audience.

Consistency across the board

There’s no quick fix for building brand identity. What’s needed is consistency.

When you’re consistent with your messaging, visual identity, and brand tone and voice, you ensure that no matter where your brand appears—be it on your website, social media, or packaging—your audience feels a sense of familiarity and trust. 

Working from a brand style guide helps ensure consistency across the board. It sets the rules for how your brand looks and communicates, ensuring consistency across all mediums and touchpoints.

The Impact of a strong brand identity

What does it take to be well-recognised and stand out in a crowded marketplace? 

Building a well-established brand identity does more than make you recognisable; it differentiates you in a crowded market, builds loyalty, and can even command a price premium.

The impact of a strong brand identity is like planting a garden —it requires time, dedication, and a bit of patience. But the growth you'll see is worth every moment!

Mastering multi-channel marketing

We all know how much marketing noise there is. Your audience's attention is vied for in all directions. Multi-channel marketing is about being present strategically rather than trying to be everywhere all at once.

Here's how to ensure your brand resonates across all platforms.

Selecting the right channels

Understand where your audience spends their time.

Is it scrolling through Instagram, searching on Google, or perhaps engaging on LinkedIn?

Each platform serves different purposes and demographics. Spend time researching your audience’s preferences to help you select the right channels.

For instance, B2B companies may find more value in LinkedIn, whereas visually appealing brands thrive on Instagram.

Creating platform-specific content

Trying to get away with the one-size-fits-all approach with your content?

Sorry! That’s not quite how this marketing game works. While the message will remain the same, you’ll need to tailor your content to fit the unique context of each platform.

For example, while LinkedIn content is changing, it’s still largely more professional and informative. On the other hand, Instagram content is often more visual and casual. Crafting platform-specific messages ensures your brand speaks directly to your audience’s varied interests.

Measuring success and making adjustments

Brand awareness strategies should never sit idle - they aren’t something to ‘spray and walk’ from.

Measuring success,  adjusting, and adapting to changing environments is key to staying relevant and resonating with your audience.

Key metrics to watch

Some will argue it’s difficult to track building brand awareness,  but certain metrics can help gauge its impact:

• Reach and impressions: How many people are seeing your content?

• Engagement rates: How many are interacting with your content through likes, shares, comments, etc.?

• Website traffic: Is there an increase in visitors from your campaigns?

• Brand mentions: How often is your brand being talked about online?

Leveraging tools like Google Analytics, social media analytics, and third-party brand monitoring tools can help you understand visual impact. 

The power of adaptation

Analysing performance data isn't just about celebrating wins or pinpointing losses. Insights help guide your next moves.

Those insights will gauge if a certain type of content consistently performs well, or when specific channels don’t produce the expected ROI. Analysing data provides evidence and helps refine your strategies and experiment with new approaches. 

Let the insights you gather allow you to adapt and change to build a better connection with your audience.

Knowing your audience inside and out

Growing your brand only begins with understanding your audience intimately.

This understanding is more than just a checkbox.

Success hinges on knowing your audience. Get it right, and you’ll deliver messages that resonate deeply, making them feel seen and connected.

That's the power of deep audience insight.

Beyond basics: The art of listening

Taking time to stop and listen to your customers offers useful insights into decision-making.

Reviewing social media, customer feedback, and analytics isn’t just a data-gathering exercise; it provides a story.

• What challenges do your customers face daily?

• What aspirations drive them?

This goes beyond mere engagement—when you listen, you hear how daily routines influence decisions, forging a connection that's more than skin deep.

Tailoring your message. Precision meets personalisation

Customer insights ensure you craft messages with precision and personalisation.

It's like writing a letter to a good friend—you know their likes, dislikes, and what makes them tick.

A tailored message makes for a more personal and relevant conversation. That’s only possible when you know your customer well. Without understanding, you risk creating messages that only attract crickets. 

Continual learning. A relationship that grows

Relationships evolve, which means being open to adapting your strategies.

The environment doesn’t stay static; your audience will appreciate your efforts to stay in tune with their changing needs and preferences. More understanding equals greater loyalty to your brand so stay active with what’s happening in the market. ,

The goal is not just to know your audience but to become a trusted ally in their eyes and build a lasting relationship.

When you achieve that, your messages reach them and inspire action and loyalty.

Need more marketing help?

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I’m keen to ensure that business owners get the right solutions for their organisation and don’t waste time and resources.