People can’t buy from you if they don’t know your brand exists. That’s the purpose of brand awareness — to help people recognize and recall your business when they need you. Making sure people know and remember your brand is where to use content marketing to build brand awareness.
Understanding Brand Awareness
Brand awareness is how readily consumers recognize your brand. Have they heard of it? Do they remember anything about what you do? Brand awareness is critical to your business’s growth because people can’t consider purchasing from you if they’ve never even heard of your brand.
But what you want from brand awareness goes beyond just an “Oh, that” moment. Yes, you want people to recognize your company’s name, but it’s also excellent if they associate specific details with your name.
For example, we don’t just recognize the name McDonald’s. We know what McDonald’s serves, how easy it is to find one, the consistency of their products, etc.
We tie thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviors, and preferences to brands. Those things help us differentiate and prefer certain brands over others. But all of these positive benefits start with brand awareness.
Children don’t want that Happy Meal toy until they know McDonald’s exists and has Happy Meals.
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Content Marketing’s Role in Brand Awareness
Awareness is the first step in the customer journey. That means, without it, you can’t make sales.
Back in the day, companies like McDonald’s spent tons of money on traditional advertising to make people aware of their brands. They erected golden arches seemingly everywhere and made TV commercials featuring Ronald McDonald so children would beg their parents to go. But that’s not the way brands get recognized anymore.
Today’s buyers go online when they’re thinking about buying something. More than 65% of people research online before making a purchase. Enter content marketing’s role in today’s customer journey. By having a website and doing SEO content marketing, your brand is more likely to show up for customers when they search for products or services in your category.
For example, let’s say I have a problem. It’s getting colder outside, so I like to have a mug of green tea in the afternoon. Kind of a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. But I’ve noticed that I bring the tea to my desk, then get distracted by calls or emails.
My tea gets cold before I drink it. I mentioned this frustration to a friend, who recommended I get a mug warmer. I can set my cup on the warmer, and my tea will stay warm until I finish it. This product sounds like a perfect solution to my problem, but I have no idea where to buy a mug warmer. So, I head to Google and type it into the search bar. Here’s what I see:
I find brands I’ve never heard of, varying products and price points, and even a story from “The New York Times” recommending specific warmers. If I scroll down past the ads, I also find smaller businesses that have written posts similar to the one from the “Times” and have links on their sites to buy those products.
That is content marketing’s role in brand awareness! It leads me from a Google search to content that makes me aware of new brands and helps me eliminate my pain point. My afternoon tea will be warm from here on out!
As a bonus, the money spent on content marketing (much less than those television ads featuring Ronald McDonald) will keep those brands showing up in search results potentially for years, driving traffic and leads to those companies’ websites while creating greater brand awareness.
Advice for Using Content Marketing to Build Brand Awareness
Now that you understand how content marketing can drive awareness, you want it to happen right now! That’s understandable. Once you have a tool that you know can make big things happen for your business, you want to use it. But here’s some advice before you dig in.
When using content marketing to build brand awareness:
- Know Your Audience. Understand your audience and their pain points. What are they likely to search for on Google? Be sure your content is anticipating their search intent.
- Use Keywords. Once you know what your audience searches for that your brand helps with, build your keyword strategy around those specific searches. You want your site to pop up when they ask Google their questions.
- Vary Your Content. Don’t focus on blog posts alone. You need product or service pages, emails, Google Business Profile, and a presence on social media. Post words, videos, graphics, photos, etc., to help people see, recognize, and consider your brand.
- Show Up Regularly. You can’t post once and expect people to flock to your site. You have to show up regularly for your audience. That means having a strong website, posting on your blog at least twice a week, and posting and interacting daily on your social media channels. Use the content marketing methods you choose to best serve your audience regularly.
- Be Patient. This piece of advice may be the most challenging. You have to be patient. SEO content marketing done right will always work for your brand, but it won’t work overnight. You have to trust the process and celebrate the steady increase in awareness.
The Lesson to Learn
Building brand awareness through content marketing takes a thoughtful approach but has lasting effects. Using content in these ways will attract more customers to your brand on social channels, your website, and even strategic partners who never heard of you before. Planning and executing a content marketing plan takes time, but the effort is always worth it.
The post How to Build Brand Awareness with Content Marketing appeared first on DigitalMarketer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What keeps an entrepreneur motivated?
Freedom to pursue my goals is my biggest motivator. There are limitations on how much people can earn, save and invest, buy, borrow, rent or drive, eat, sleep, play, and fly in this world. But those limits don't apply to us. We are free to pursue our dreams and make them come true.
But we cannot let ourselves become enslaved by these limitations. We lose sight of the fact we are in control of our destiny if we do. We are the captains for our ships. We are the architects of our lives.
I am driven by the desire for wealth that is beyond my wildest dreams. To create businesses that surpass the limits of human potential. To build businesses that will change the way people live for ever.
To create more powerful businesses than any government, more influential than any religion, and more enduring than time itself.
This is why I am here. I am determined to help entrepreneurs grow businesses faster than anyone else. Because success is for everyone.
Which is your most motivating thing in life?
Do you want to know my top motivations? Let me tell, you. To help others feel better about themselves is my greatest motivation. To make them realize that they are amazing, because they are. That they are worthy to be loved, because they are.
They are worthy of happiness.
I'm here to remind people that there is nothing more important than feeling great about yourself. Nothing. I'm willing to do whatever it takes for our world to be better.
Because when we feel good about ourselves, we become more open minded and compassionate towards those around us. It's a great thing to stop judging others based on superficiality. Instead, we start to see the person inside.
To motivate someone, it is important to let them know that they already have all they need.
It may be something they didn't realize, but it's why they've been struggling for so long with something. Because they knew deep down within they had the power and ability to heal themselves.
They only needed the right environment and support system. This was something they somehow lost sight.
Why did they lose sight of it? Because they were too busy trying to figure out where the problem came from. Trying desperately to fix it, without realizing that they actually had all the tools they needed to solve it.
They also forgot to mention that the main reason they couldn’t solve it was because the answer wasn’t in their heads.
So I am here to remind you that you have the ability to create an entirely new reality. All you have to do is learn how to tap into your own inner genius.
The rest will fall into place once you do. It's easy to make your dreams come true.
You see, I believe each human being has their own unique superpower.
All we need to do is learn how to use them.
How to Motivate Yourself as an Entrepreneur?
Finding someone who is motivated to do the same thing as you is the best way to motivate yourself. Ask someone who is working hard to achieve his goals how he did it.
Ask for advice, listen, learn and most importantly follow it. Admire someone who is successful.
Be the person you want to be. Learn from them. Take notes. Follow their example.
Keep moving. Keep moving. Never stop learning. Never give up.
Never listen to anyone telling you that you're not capable. Don't let anyone tell you that there isn't a path for you to follow.
Even though you may fail, that doesn't make it any less valuable. Failure is an opportunity to grow stronger. To learn more. To push harder.
Failure is just another step along the road to success.
You can start now. Do something today that will help you get closer to your dream.
Are you still waiting?
What are the 6 most important questions that motivate an entrepreneur?
Motivation is the main ingredient of any business. You can't motivate yourself to get out of bed each and every day. Without motivation, it'll be hard to finish your projects. Without motivation, it's impossible to reach your goals. So, how do we find our motivation?
You may wonder, "What motivates my mind?" The answer may surprise you. You might have been asking the same question for many years. You are missing one of the greatest rewards of life--the chance to discover your motivation.
There's nothing more motivating than discovering why you exist. You will then realize what drives yourself. You will find your purpose clearer and more meaningful. What is your purpose? This will help you stay motivated.
Look within to find your motivation. These are the questions you should ask yourself:
- What am I passionate about?
- What makes my heart beat so fast?
- What is it that lights me up?
- What gives you butterflies in your stomach?
- What makes me feel alive?
- What motivates you to come back to your work again and again.
Once you know your answers you'll be in a position to identify your true motivations.
Your motivation can help you get through tough times. It will help you find the strength you need. It will inspire you to work harder. It will motivate you to succeed.
And if you're like me, you'll never stop wanting to know what your motivation is.
Take some time to reflect on what motivates you. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you uncover.
What are the motivations behind entrepreneurs?
There are three main types of motivation for entrepreneurs. Each type has its unique set of strengths as well as weaknesses.
The most common form of motivation is external, where an individual wants to make more money. This motivation often stems from financial concerns.
Motivation is externally driven by personal ambition, desire, and interest. These types of motivation are very goal-oriented.
This is a rare form of motivation. Individuals with internal motivation do not necessarily seek out wealth; instead, they pursue other goals such as self-development, fulfillment, or service to others.
People with inner motivation are often called "passionate" when they find satisfaction in what they do.
Finally, intrinsic motivation is the least popular type of motivation. Intrinsic motivation is a person who finds enjoyment and satisfaction working towards achieving a goal.
Intrinsic motivation is a much stronger motivator than either external or internal motivation.
Inner motivation is a result of the inner self. It is based upon the belief that certain talents and abilities are inherent in people. These abilities and talents allow them to achieve things that no one else could.
Feeling fulfilled and satisfied when you realize your talents and abilities is a sign of happiness. It makes us feel that we are doing valuable work.
In short, intrinsic motivation makes us happy. This happiness is based on the knowledge that we are capable of achieving anything we set our minds to.
This feeling of accomplishment is what keeps us going through tough times.
If you don’t enjoy what it is, then why bother?
Click here for more information about motivational entrepreneurship.
What motivates entrepreneurs?
Passion drives us. But, we have an inborn desire to create something meaningful and make a difference. To make a difference for ourselves and our loved ones.
To give back. To help others. To leave a mark.
Most importantly, we love doing this. Because we feel called to live life fully, and have success in the things that matter most.
We are motivated by a sense if purpose and mission that cannot be achieved through money alone.
The key here is to find a way to combine business with pleasure. Entrepreneurship can be more than a career; it's a lifestyle.
This is why I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs become successful. My goal is to empower them to achieve their financial freedom and leave a lasting impact on the world.
I'm living proof of the fact that creating value is the best. Sharing your knowledge and expertise with others.
It is not enough to create a great product. First, you must understand your customers. What they are looking.
You'll always be able to improve your offerings if you do. You will provide more value.
If you can offer more value, customers will come back. Plus, more customers will mean more sales. Selling more products and services will result in more revenue. If you can generate more revenue, your financial independence will be possible.
You see, money isn't everything. It is the means to an ending. It's not an end in itself.
You cannot only focus on your money if you want to have a happy life. Focusing on positive change is also important. Contributing. Contributing. Creating something valuable. It's something that is unique. Something that adds meaning to your life and the lives of other people.
Entrepreneurship requires risk-taking. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to follow certain rules. Flexible means being open to change. Adapting. Adjusting. Improving.
As long as you stay true to yourself, keep your values intact and maintain integrity, you won't fail.
Entrepreneurship is a calling. A vocation. An opportunity to contribute. To build wealth. To influence history.
When you embrace all of these things, you will be the best version of yourself.
You will be unstoppable.
Statistics
- That means for $150,000, you could have bought 10 percent of Airbnb." (entrepreneur.com)
- I shifted my motivational point from something huge (and undefined) to improve by just 1% each day. (carolroth.com)
- “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know. (americanexpress.com)
- “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” (oberlo.com)
- Invest at least 30% managing those with authority over you and 15% managing your peers.” (americanexpress.com)
External Links
kabbage.com
- My Business Needs to Grow
- Kabbage by American Express
inc.com
cnbc.com
- This is Jeff Bezos's inspirational quote that he keeps on his fridge
- Billionaire Richard Branson: These are my top 10 tips for success
entrepreneur.com
How To
What are three things that keep entrepreneurs motivated and successful?
Entrepreneurs must be motivated. There is no motivation without which there can be neither drive nor determination to succeed. But what motivates you?
We are motivated by three things:
- We love our business
- Our vision/mission transcends ourselves
- We are passionate about helping others
Finding ways to tap into these motivations is key to staying motivated. We feel great pride and satisfaction when our business succeeds. When we have a big vision, we feel more satisfied knowing that we are making a difference in the world. And when we have a strong desire to help others, we feel fulfilled because we give back to society.
According to a University of Chicago study, the best way for you to motivate yourself is to be focused on the things that matter to you. His book, "Loneliness," states that "the best source for motivation is caring about someone." This will make us more engaged and motivated. It makes sense that we will feel more passionate when we care about something.
