How Do Businesses Build Brand Image and Awareness?

It is well recognized in business that a key trait of success and longevity stems from having a strong brand image and awareness of your brand across the industry. Put simply, customers and clients are more likely to choose your products and services if they are aware of your brand and associate it with positive values and connotations. In 2023, the marketplace in every sector is highly competitive, with a large number of rival firms looking to gain a larger market share.

The explosive growth of the internet has enabled any company to trade internationally, with customers fully prepared to buy from companies based outside their country if a positive customer experience can be assured. Now, more than ever, it is vitally important that businesses build their brand image in the eyes of their target markets and the industry as a whole.

A strong brand image and high levels of brand awareness can combine to create a situation where customers will choose you over your nearest competitors and may be willing to pay a premium price for your products. This article will discuss a range of strategies and marketing techniques that allow you to build brand recognition and improve your brand image.

Use online influencers

In 2023, a key way to improve your brand image and increase customers’ awareness of your product lines is to utilize the services of online influencers. Influencers can be “traditional” celebrities such as film or sports stars who have gained public prominence due to their exploits in the public eye. However, today, an increasing number of online influencers have built a following of millions of fans and subscribers simply by being adept with social media channels and posting content that entertains and inspires their audiences. Well-known online celebrities such as PewDiePie have amassed legions of followers by gaming online and can reach a target market of millions of potential customers with a single YouTube stream or social media post.

In short, companies can boost their brand image by choosing to work with online influencers who will then promote their products and services on their channels for a fee. Established firms such as those that can be found at Influencer agency Los Angeles will work with a wide selection of influencers who can promote your company. The key is to pick an online influencer that posts about topics related to your brand, products, or services. For example, if you sell cookery products, it can be exceptionally effective to work with an influencer who makes cooking videos and then uses your products in their streams.

Know your target market

Another key way to boost brand image is to fully understand your target market. This should include their demographic information (age groups, interests, location, etc.) and qualitative information on their views and opinions. By narrowing your target market to specific niches instead of large groups of customers, you can tailor marketing strategies that appeal to their specific interests.

Focusing on different customer niches can also allow you to escape from directly competing with larger or more established companies. For example, if you are a sportswear manufacturer, you could aim at specific sports, such as swimming, or the market for school sports apparel. This will allow you to build a brand image that appeals directly to your customers and then produce promotional activities that appeal to their needs and wants.

In any business, defining a target market should take place in the early stages of its formation so that the brand can be developed from the beginning to appeal to the predetermined customer base. Knowing your target market will also allow you to identify the key competitors in this space and allow you to look for ways to differentiate yourself from them, so you are not competing solely on price.

Have a story

A significant part of effective brand building comes with your company having a back story that customers can relate to. The story of the business should explain why you began trading and what the purpose and mission of your organization is.

An excellent example is that of the back story and mission statement of cosmetics and beauty supplier The Body Shop. Founder Anita Roddick started this company in 1976 from a small shop in Brighton. The company aimed to provide natural and high quality beauty products whilst ensuring that their business practices were both environmentally and socially sound. The business operations are such that The Body Shop works with suppliers to create environmentally friendly products and help support local communities.

This story and mission statement for the company is one that many customers can relate to and approve of. The well-meaning story of the company and its values form part of the overall brand and the high esteem it holds ensures that customers will choose this company over other suppliers who do not have the same mission and values.

A Memorable logo

A company logo is one of the main ways to build brand image and awareness, and it is an extremely important factor in building any brand. Some of the most famous brands can convey positive connotations in the minds of consumers just by their logo. For example, in many people’s minds, the four rings of the Audi car logo instils thoughts of quality, prestige and reliability in consumers around the world. The logo is a simple design but is one that is instantly memorable and recognizable at a distance.

Ideally your logo should be something that can be recognized at a glance, even when it is small in size (such as when featured in a newspaper advert or on company stationary). It should appeal to your target market and be repeated in the same design consistency across all consumer touchpoints.

Memorable brand logos can create improved brand awareness, and when customers make the connection between the logo and favorable thoughts about the business, it can lead to higher levels of brand loyalty.

Market across social media

Another key way to build brand awareness and develop your brand image is to promote it across various social media channels. In the modern consumer culture, it is recognized that billions of people use social media channels such as TikTok and Facebook daily.

It is estimated that Facebook alone has 2.9 billion active users around the world. Promoting key products and services by targeting specific groups or channels on social media platforms can be incredibly effective in reaching an interested audience and building the recognition of your brand in the eyes of modern consumers.

Use appealing language

As a final point it is important to use a consistent tone of language for your company and its brand. The language used should appeal to your target market and ideally resonate with their core values and beliefs.

The products or services you are selling will also impact the language you use across all your customer touchpoints. For example, the language used by a company that sells perfume may contain aspirational words and phrases designed to appeal to one specific type of audience that are devised to make them want or feel like they need that product.

Conversely, a company that supplies components and parts to the automobile industry will seek to use language that projects an image of quality and reliability in its products. In short, clear and consistent language that helps define some of the key values of your product or your company’s mission can be an effective way to build your brand image.