Low brand awareness is a choice about focus, so first find out where you are unknown, and which steps deserve your budget.
Low brand awareness rarely has one cause, and it rarely has one fix. A brand can be well known in one region and unknown in the next.
It can also be recognised by name and still be left out when people compare options.
These five tips start with understanding the market. Then they cover the main ways to become better known, so you can choose which fit your situation.
Tip 1: Understand your market before you spend
Start by defining the problem precisely. Ask who does not know you, in which market, and for which need. Without that, a campaign can reach people who were never going to buy.
- Look at what people in your category are searching for and comparing.
- Find out which channels your target audience actually uses.
- Build customer personas from values, interests and motivations, using evidence and not assumptions.
A brand awareness SWOT analysis helps organise your findings. It sets your strengths and weaknesses against the opportunities and threats in the market. A brand health tracking survey adds a recurring measure of awareness and perception.
Also check how demand for your brand develops relative to the market and competitors. A brand position that is falling behind calls for a different plan from one in a shrinking category.
Tip 2: Create a clear story, and repeat it consistently
People need a simple reason to remember you. Build your brand story around a need your audience recognises. Be clear about why your brand exists and what it does differently.
- Check which associations people already hold with your brand.
- Look at competitors' messages to find a position that is still open.
- Adapt the format per platform, and keep the core message the same.
- Test visuals with A/B tests, instead of relying on internal preference.
Consistency is usually cheaper than a new idea. Before you add a campaign, check whether your existing channels tell one recognisable story.
Tip 3: Use social media where your audience already is
Social media can extend your reach, but only on the right platforms. Choose channels based on where your target audience spends time. A smaller number of well-run channels usually beats a thin presence everywhere.
- Study what works for others in your category, and what clearly does not.
- Join conversations with your followers, and reply to what they ask.
- Encourage customers to share their own content and experiences.
- Choose influencers on relevance and engagement, and not on reach alone.
Social listening helps here, because it shows conversations and sentiment around your brand and topics. Pair it with a view of demand, so that you know whether interest is actually growing.
Tip 4: Build partnerships that reach new audiences
A partner can give you access to an audience that already trusts them. This works best if that audience overlaps with your target group. It should still be new enough to you to make a difference.
- Compare the partner's audience with your target market before you agree.
- Co-create a product or content that neither of you could offer alone.
- Promote the collaboration on both sides, so that both audiences see it.
- Keep your own voice, even when you adapt to your partner's audience.
Agree in advance how you will measure the result. Otherwise it will be hard to decide whether to repeat the partnership.
Tip 5: Engage with communities and causes that fit
Community and cause marketing can build awareness and positive associations. It needs a genuine link with what your brand does. A cause that does not fit can do more harm than good.
- Choose a cause that matches your values and your customers' concerns.
- Take part in local events where you can offer real support.
- Show the concrete results of your contribution, and avoid general statements.
This route usually builds slowly. It suits brands with a long horizon, and it works less well as a quick fix.
How to choose between these tips
You will rarely be able to do all five at once. Use three questions to set priorities:
- Where is the gap largest? Choose the market or group where awareness limits growth most.
- Is demand there? Check whether interest in the category is growing, stable or declining.
- What can you sustain? Awareness takes repetition, so pick what you can keep funding.
External support, such as brand awareness consulting, can help with a specific question. Tailored advice is most useful once you know what you want to decide.
Measure what changes
Set a baseline before you begin, so you can see what actually moves. Use a recurring survey for recognition and perception. Add your own traffic and sales data, and an outside view of demand for your brand.
Trendata provides that outside view through its brand position perspective, using aggregated demand signals only.
It shows how demand for a brand develops relative to the market and competitors. Together with your own measures, that helps you decide where to put budget next.
