When you take a moment to consider some of the most recognizable brands in the world, you could probably list a handful of elements they all have in common. Regardless of how huge their budget may be, they are also using similar tactics in order to get right in front of their target demographic.

Not only are they well-placed in terms of marketing and social media strategies, they are also covering subject matters that are interesting and intriguing to the people who matter the most.

As a small business it’s important to put your brand to work as much as possible, otherwise it’s a waste of high quality products and services.

When you have spent time and energy working on your branding it is so important to spread the word about your business and get it in front of as many people as possible.

So, how can you urge your target audience to take note of your brand right away? Here are eight methods to help you achieve this and allow your brand to stand out in a crowded industry.

• Talk About Topics That Matter to Them

If you really want to catch the eye of your target audience, you’ve got to engage them with your words first and foremost. Talking about subject matters that they really care about is going to urge them to click into your page and learn more about their brand.

Finding stories and informative topics that are related to their interests is so important, which is why market research is a huge part of growing your brand. Talking to people who would be the ideal candidate for your products or services can give you a good indication of what they’re looking for in terms of content.

• Create Branded Merchandise

If you really want to catapult your brand out into the world, you need to get clever with your branded merchandise. Once you start circulating your brand name and logo you may start to notice an impressive increase in the number of clients you get.

Printed tote bags, key rings, pens and so much more are the ideal branded merchandise items to catch the eye of your target audience and get them talking about your business.

• Work Alongside Influencers

Nowadays, you can never underestimate the power of influencer marketing, especially when you’re hoping to skyrocket your brand visibility. Before you jump head first into a brand collaboration, you need to do your research and be cautious about the influencers you work with.

One small step wrong could cost your brand a lot of sales and it could also tarnish your long term reputation too. Make sure you carefully consider who you associate with your brand, and ensure their values are aligned with yours before you make anything official.

• Try and Go Viral

Brands can go viral overnight as long as they make the right choices with regards to content. Staying on top of viral trends can be exhausting, but it’s worth staying up to date with what’s hot on social media.

Whether you’re dancing to a fun song, or you’re putting together a compilation into a hilarious video to entertain your followers, you can never have too many shots at creating viral a video online.

One piece of content could completely change your brand in a short space of time, so doing your research will always pay off.  

• Create Video Content

Much like viral trends, you need to keep up with video content if you’re using social media to promote your brand regularly. Staying on top of your social content can be tough, so it may be worth looking into an experienced social media manager to keep you up to speed.

Video content is proving to be much more lucrative for brand visibility than static images simply because they’re more engaging to online users.

• Use Paid Targeted Ads on Social Media

Getting your teeth stuck into paid targeted adverts is going to be a challenge, but the results will soon amaze you. Although it may be a lot to take in from the outset, you will start to see huge improvements in your social media following, sales and website clicks when you are smart about who you target.

With just a small budget you can leverage the power of pay per click ads and targeted social media ads in order to get your brand in front of the right people at the right time.

• Offer Loyalty and Referral Programs

As soon as you find one person who loves what you do, you need to capitalize on this and offer incentives to keep them around. You may find that a referral program works well for the type of business you’re running. When a friend recommends your business to another friend they could receive a reward or discount on a future product.

On a similar note, there are so many advantages to running loyalty programs for your business too. The longer you can keep your ideal target audience on board, the more exposure your brand will get. You can also encourage your clients to share their experiences on social media too so that the word of your brand spreads quickly and effectively. 

• Be Authentic

Authenticity speaks volumes when it comes to connecting with your target audience. Consumers are super savvy and they will be able to see through any inauthenticity that you might be portraying online. Be transparent and truthful about everything that’s going on in regards to your business and this will pay off when it comes to gaining trust from your audience. 

Hopefully, these ideas will inspire you to try some new methods with regards to brand awareness. Not only will you start to notice an increase in your social media engagement, but your brand will soon be positioned in front of the right people at the right time.

Your brand will go through many phases during its growth and evolution, but you can always be sure that you have the tried and tested methods to get noticed whenever you need to!