Brand recognition is one of the most powerful tools for business success. When customers can quickly identify your brand through visual or audio cues like logos, colors, slogans, or jingles, you have achieved something special. This ability for consumers to recognize and connect with your brand creates trust, builds loyalty, and drives sales in ways that go far beyond simple advertising.
In today’s crowded marketplace, brand recognition helps your business stand out from competitors and creates lasting connections with customers. When someone sees your logo or hears your tagline, they should instantly know who you are and what you offer. This instant recognition is what separates successful brands from those that struggle to gain attention.
What is Brand Recognition?
Brand recognition refers to how well consumers can identify a specific brand through its visual or auditory elements without needing to see the company name. It includes all the ways customers connect with your brand through logos, packaging, colors, slogans, jingles, and other identifying features that make your business unique.
Think about the golden arches of McDonald’s or the swoosh symbol of Nike. These visual cues immediately tell you which brand you’re looking at, even without reading any text. This type of instant identification is what every business should aim for when building their brand presence.
Brand recognition works by creating familiar touchpoints that customers encounter repeatedly. When people see your brand elements consistently across different channels – your website, social media, packaging, advertisements – they begin to form mental connections. Over time, these connections become so strong that customers can spot your brand instantly, even in crowded environments.
The process involves both visual and emotional elements. Your brand’s colors, fonts, imagery, and design style create visual recognition, while your messaging, tone of voice, and customer experiences build emotional connections. When these elements work together consistently, they create a powerful recognition system that helps customers remember and choose your brand.
Brand Recognition Myths
Several common myths about brand recognition can mislead business owners and marketers. Understanding these misconceptions helps you build a more effective brand strategy.
Myth 1: Brand Recognition is Just About Having a Great Logo
Many people think brand recognition only comes from having an eye-catching logo. While logos are important, true brand recognition involves much more. Your brand recognition includes your color scheme, typography, messaging style, customer service approach, packaging design, and even the way your employees interact with customers. A great logo is just one piece of the larger brand recognition puzzle.
Myth 2: Brand Recognition Happens Overnight
Some business owners expect immediate results from their branding efforts. However, building strong brand recognition takes time and consistent effort. It requires repeated exposure across multiple touchpoints over months or years. Quick fixes and shortcuts rarely create lasting brand recognition that drives business results.
Myth 3: Only Big Brands Need Brand Recognition
Another common myth suggests that brand recognition only matters for large corporations. This is completely false. Small businesses and startups can benefit greatly from strong brand recognition within their target markets. Local recognition can be just as valuable as global recognition, depending on your business goals and market size.
Myth 4: Brand Recognition is Too Expensive for Small Businesses
Many small business owners believe building brand recognition requires huge marketing budgets. While investment is necessary, brand recognition can be built cost-effectively through consistent messaging, smart social media use, quality customer service, and strategic partnerships. The key is consistency rather than big spending.
Myth 5: Brand Recognition Equals Brand Awareness.
People often confuse brand recognition with brand awareness, but they are different concepts. Brand recognition means customers can identify your brand when they see it. Brand awareness means customers know your brand exists and understand what you offer. Recognition is more about visual identification, while awareness involves deeper knowledge about your brand’s purpose and value.
Importance of Brand Interactions
Brand interactions are the foundation of customer relationships and business growth. These interactions happen every time a customer encounters your business through any channel or touchpoint.
Building Customer Trust Through Interactions
Every interaction between your brand and customers either builds or damages trust. Positive interactions create confidence in your brand, while negative experiences can drive customers away permanently. When customers have consistent, positive interactions with your brand, they develop trust that leads to loyalty and repeat purchases.
Creating Emotional Connections
Brand interactions go beyond simple transactions. They create emotional connections that make customers feel valued and understood. When customers feel emotionally connected to your brand, they are more likely to become loyal advocates who recommend your business to others.
Improving Customer Experience
Each brand interaction contributes to the overall customer experience. From browsing your website to speaking with customer service representatives, every touchpoint shapes how customers perceive your brand. Businesses that focus on creating positive interactions at every stage of the customer journey see higher satisfaction rates and better business results.
Driving Business Growth
Strong brand interactions directly impact business growth. Customers who have positive interactions with your brand are more likely to make repeat purchases, spend more money, and recommend your business to friends and family. These interactions also provide valuable feedback that helps you improve your products and services.
Types of Brand Interactions
Brand interactions happen across many different channels and situations:
• Social media engagement and responses • Customer service calls and emails • Website visits and online experiences • In-store or office visits • Product packaging and unboxing experiences • Email marketing and newsletters • Community events and sponsorships • Partnerships with other businesses
Each of these interaction types offers opportunities to strengthen your brand recognition and build customer relationships.
Brand Positioning
Brand positioning defines how your brand fits in the marketplace and what makes you different from competitors. It establishes your unique place in customers’ minds and helps them understand why they should choose you over other options.
Creating Your Unique Market Position
Successful brand positioning involves identifying what makes your business special and communicating that difference clearly to customers. This might be your superior quality, better customer service, lower prices, innovative features, or specialized expertise. The key is finding something meaningful that competitors cannot easily copy.
Understanding Your Target Audience
Effective brand positioning starts with deep understanding of your target customers. You need to know their needs, preferences, challenges, and decision-making processes. This knowledge helps you position your brand in ways that resonate with the people most likely to buy from you.
Competitive Analysis and Differentiation
Brand positioning requires understanding your competitive landscape. You need to know what other businesses offer and how customers perceive them. This analysis helps you find gaps in the market where your brand can establish a unique position that competitors have not claimed.
Communicating Your Position
Once you have defined your brand position, you must communicate it consistently across all customer touchpoints. Your positioning should be clear in your marketing messages, website content, sales presentations, and customer interactions. Consistency helps reinforce your position in customers’ minds.
Types of Brand Positioning Strategies
Different positioning strategies work for different businesses: • Value-based positioning: Emphasizing cost-effectiveness or superior value • Quality-based positioning: Highlighting superior craftsmanship or performance • Benefit positioning: Focusing on unique benefits customers cannot get elsewhere • Problem-solution positioning: Addressing specific customer problems with your solution • Competitor-based positioning: Differentiating from competitors on key factors
Building Strong Brand Recognition
Creating powerful brand recognition requires strategic planning and consistent execution across multiple areas of your business.
Develop a Clear Brand Identity
Start by defining your brand’s core identity, including your mission, values, personality, and unique selling proposition. This foundation guides all your brand recognition efforts and ensures consistency across different channels and touchpoints.
Create Consistent Visual Elements
Design a cohesive visual identity that includes your logo, color palette, typography, and imagery style. Use these elements consistently across your website, social media, packaging, advertising, and all other customer touchpoints. Consistency helps customers recognize your brand quickly and builds trust through familiarity.
Tell Compelling Stories
Stories stick in people’s minds much better than facts or product features. Develop compelling narratives about your brand’s origin, mission, customer successes, and unique value. Share these stories through your marketing content, social media posts, and customer interactions to create emotional connections that support brand recognition.
Focus on Customer Experience
Every customer interaction shapes brand recognition. Ensure that customers have positive experiences at every touchpoint, from your website navigation to customer service calls. Exceptional experiences create positive associations that strengthen brand recognition and encourage customer loyalty.
Leverage Social Media Strategically
Social media platforms offer powerful opportunities to build brand recognition through consistent posting, engaging content, and community building. Use your visual brand elements consistently across platforms and engage authentically with your audience to build familiarity and trust.
Use Video Content Effectively
Video content is particularly powerful for building brand recognition because it engages multiple senses and creates memorable experiences. Create videos that showcase your brand personality, demonstrate your products or services, and tell your brand story in compelling ways.
Tracking your brand recognition efforts helps you understand what works and where to focus future investments.
Key Metrics to Track. Important brand recognition metrics include: • Branded search volume: How often people search for your brand name specifically • Social media mentions: Frequency and sentiment of brand mentions across platforms • Website traffic: Direct traffic and referral traffic from brand-related sources • Social media engagement: Likes, shares, comments, and followers across platforms • Customer surveys: Direct feedback about brand recognition and recall • Share of voice: Your brand’s presence compared to competitors in your industry
Tools for Measurement. Several tools can help you track brand recognition metrics: • Google Analytics: Track website traffic, search terms, and user behavior • Social media monitoring tools: Track mentions, sentiment, and engagement across platforms • Survey platforms: Conduct customer research about brand recognition and perception • SEO tools: Monitor branded search volume and keyword performance • Brand tracking software: Comprehensive solutions that monitor multiple recognition metrics
Setting Recognition Goals
Establish specific, measurable goals for your brand recognition efforts. These might include increasing branded search volume by a certain percentage, improving social media engagement rates, or achieving specific recognition levels in customer surveys. Clear goals help you focus your efforts and measure success.
Brand Recognition Examples and Success Stories
Learning from successful brands helps you understand what effective brand recognition looks like in practice. Apple: Minimalist Branding,Design and Innovation Apple has achieved exceptional brand recognition through consistent minimalist design, innovative products, and premium positioning. Their clean aesthetics, simple logo, and focus on user experience create instant recognition across all touchpoints. Customers associate Apple with quality, innovation, and sophisticated design. Coca-Cola: Classic Colors and Emotional Connection Coca-Cola’s red and white color scheme is recognized by 94% of the world’s population. The brand has maintained consistent visual elements while creating emotional connections through messaging about happiness, sharing, and togetherness. Their holiday advertisements and classic bottle shape are instantly recognizable worldwide.
Nike: Powerful Symbolism and Motivation Nike’s swoosh logo and “Just Do It” slogan create immediate brand recognition. The brand successfully connects with athletes and fitness enthusiasts through motivational messaging and partnerships with sports celebrities. Their consistent use of the swoosh across all products reinforces recognition. Starbucks: Experience and Atmosphere Starbucks built brand recognition through consistent store design, unique product names, and focus on customer experience. Their green logo, store atmosphere, and specialized coffee terminology create a distinctive brand experience that customers recognize instantly.
Building Brand Recognition Through Digital Channels
Digital platforms offer unique opportunities to build and strengthen brand recognition cost effectively.
Social Media Strategy
Develop a consistent social media presence across platforms where your target customers spend time. Use your brand colors, fonts, and imagery consistently in posts, and maintain a consistent tone of voice that reflects your brand personality. Engage authentically with followers to build community and recognition.
Content Marketing
Create valuable content that helps your target audience while subtly reinforcing your brand identity. Blog posts, videos, podcasts, and social media content should all reflect your brand voice and visual identity. Quality content positions your brand as helpful and trustworthy.
Video Marketing
Video content is particularly effective for branding and recognition because it engages viewers emotionally and creates memorable experiences. Create videos that showcase your brand personality, demonstrate products, share customer stories, and provide valuable information to your audience.
Email Marketing
Email campaigns offer direct communication opportunities to reinforce recognition. Use consistent branding in email templates, maintain your brand voice in messaging, and provide value that makes subscribers look forward to hearing from you.
Common Brand Recognition Mistakes to Avoid
Understanding common mistakes helps you build more effective brand recognition strategies.
Inconsistent Visual Identity
Using different logos, colors, or fonts across platforms confuses customers and weakens branding. Maintain strict consistency in visual elements across all touchpoints to build strong recognition
Copying Competitors
Trying to copy successful competitors’ branding strategies rarely works and can make your brand seem less unique. Focus on developing authentic brand elements that reflect your unique value proposition.
Neglecting Customer Experience
Poor customer experiences can damage recognition of your brand no matter how good your visual branding looks. Ensure that every customer interaction reinforces positive associations with your brand.
Lacking Clear Brand Guidelines
Without clear brand guidelines, employees and partners may use brand elements inconsistently. Develop comprehensive guidelines that specify how to use logos, colors, fonts, messaging, and other brand elements.
Focusing Only on Short-term Results
Brand recognition building is a long-term investment that requires patience and consistency. Avoid changing your branding frequently in search of quick results, as this prevents customers from forming strong recognition patterns.
The Future of Brand Recognition
Brand recognition continues to evolve with changing technology and customer expectations.
Video Content Growth
Video content is becoming increasingly important for recognition as consumers prefer visual content over text. Businesses that invest in quality video content will have advantages in building recognition and engagement.
Personalization Opportunities
Advanced data analytics allow brands to personalize recognition-building efforts for different customer segments. This targeted approach can make brand recognition efforts more effective and efficient.
Cross-platform Consistency
As customers interact with brands across more digital platforms, maintaining consistent brand recognition across all channels becomes increasingly important. Businesses must ensure their brand identity translates effectively across websites, social media, mobile apps, and other digital touchpoints.
Conclusion
Brand recognition is essential for business success in today’s competitive marketplace. When customers can quickly identify and connect with your brand through visual and emotional cues, you gain significant advantages in trust, loyalty, and sales.
Building a strong brand requires consistent effort across multiple areas: developing clear brand identity, creating memorable visual elements, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and communicating effectively across all touchpoints. While the process takes time and strategic investment, the results provide lasting value through increased customer loyalty, higher sales, and competitive advantages.
Success comes from understanding that brand recognition involves much more than just having a good logo. It requires creating consistent, positive experiences that help customers remember and choose your brand over competitors. By avoiding common mistakes, measuring your progress, and learning from successful examples, you can build a brand that drives meaningful business growth.
The digital age offers unprecedented opportunities to build brand recognition through social media, content marketing, video, and other online channels. Businesses that embrace these opportunities while maintaining consistency and authenticity will be best positioned for long-term success in building recognition that translates into loyal customers and sustainable growth.
Remember that brand recognition is an ongoing investment that pays dividends through stronger customer relationships and business growth.
In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, businesses are no longer just selling products or services—they are selling experiences. The ability to *create brand experience* that resonates deeply with customers has become a cornerstone of success. A well-crafted customer experience (CX) can differentiate a brand, foster loyalty, command premium prices, and ultimately drive long-term growth. This article explores the critical elements of creating brand experiences, with practical strategies and insights to help businesses thrive in an experience-driven economy.
Customer Experience Is the Differentiator
The modern consumer is discerning, with access to endless options at their fingertips. Price and product quality alone are no longer enough to stand out. What sets a brand apart is the emotional and functional connection it builds with its customers. To *create brand experience* that differentiates, businesses must focus on delivering seamless, memorable, and personalized interactions at every touchpoint.
Consider Starbucks, a brand synonymous with customer experience. It’s not just about coffee; it’s about the ambiance, the personalized cup with your name, and the consistency across locations. This holistic approach to CX transforms a routine purchase into a ritual, making Starbucks a case study in how to *create brand experience* that drives differentiation. According to a 2023 study by PwC, 73% of consumers say a good experience is key in influencing their brand loyalties, underscoring the power of CX as a differentiator.
To achieve this, businesses must map the customer journey, identifying every interaction point—from discovery to post-purchase support. By understanding pain points and moments of delight, brands can design experiences that feel intuitive and meaningful. For instance, incorporating user-friendly website navigation, responsive customer service, and thoughtful follow-ups can elevate a transactional relationship into a memorable brand experience.
Why Customer Loyalty Counts
Loyalty is the lifeblood of sustained business success. When customers feel emotionally connected to a brand, they are more likely to return, recommend, and forgive occasional missteps. To *create brand experience* that fosters loyalty, businesses must prioritize trust, consistency, and emotional engagement.
Loyal customers are not just repeat buyers; they are brand advocates. A 2024 report by HubSpot found that loyal customers spend 67% more than new ones and are 10 times more likely to refer others. Take Amazon Prime as an example. By offering fast shipping, exclusive content, and a seamless shopping experience, Amazon has built a loyal customer base that sees the brand as indispensable. This loyalty translates into predictable revenue streams and organic growth through word-of-mouth marketing.
To cultivate loyalty, businesses should focus on:
– **Personalization**: Use data to tailor experiences, such as personalized product recommendations or targeted email campaigns.
– **Consistency**: Ensure every interaction, whether online or in-store, reflects the brand’s values and quality standards.
– **Emotional Connection**: Craft experiences that resonate on a human level, such as storytelling that aligns with customer values.
By prioritizing these elements, brands can *create brand experience* that turns one-time buyers into lifelong advocates.
Get Premium Prices Through Exceptional Experiences
A superior customer experience can justify premium pricing. When customers perceive high value in their interactions with a brand, they are willing to pay more. To *create brand experience* that commands premium prices, businesses must deliver exceptional value that goes beyond the product itself.
Apple is a prime example. Its sleek product design, intuitive user interfaces, and premium in-store experiences create a perception of exclusivity and quality. Customers don’t just buy an iPhone; they buy into an ecosystem that feels aspirational. As a result, Apple consistently commands premium prices, with its products often priced higher than competitors’ offerings.
To achieve this, businesses should:
– **Enhance Perceived Value**: Offer unique features, such as exclusive access, superior design, or exceptional customer service.
– **Invest in Quality**: Ensure every touchpoint, from packaging to post-sale support, reflects premium standards.
– **Communicate Brand Story**: Highlight what makes the brand unique, whether it’s sustainability, craftsmanship, or innovation.
A 2023 McKinsey study found that companies with superior CX can charge up to 16% more for their products and services. By focusing on creating a brand experience that feels exclusive and valuable, businesses can unlock higher profit margins.
Strategize Customer Experiences for Long-Term Success
To *create brand experience* that delivers consistent results, businesses need a strategic approach. This involves aligning every department—marketing, sales, product development, and customer service—around a unified CX vision. Here’s how to strategize effectively:
Understand Your Audience Deeply
The foundation of any great customer experience is a deep understanding of the target audience. Use data analytics, surveys, and social listening to uncover customer preferences, pain points, and expectations. For example, Netflix uses viewing data to recommend content, creating a personalized experience that keeps users engaged.
Map the Customer Journey
A customer journey map visualizes every interaction a customer has with your brand, from awareness to advocacy. Identify key touchpoints—such as website visits, social media interactions, or in-store experiences—and optimize them for seamlessness and delight. For instance, a retailer might streamline the checkout process to reduce friction, enhancing the overall brand experience.
Leverage Technology
Technology is a powerful enabler of customer experience. Tools like CRM systems, AI chatbots, and predictive analytics can personalize interactions at scale. For example, Sephora’s Virtual Artist tool uses augmented reality to let customers try on makeup virtually, creating an engaging and interactive brand experience.
Train and Empower Employees
Employees are the face of your brand. Invest in training to ensure they embody the brand’s values and deliver consistent experiences. Ritz-Carlton empowers its staff to spend up to $2,000 per guest to resolve issues, ensuring every interaction feels exceptional. This commitment to employee empowerment helps *create brand experience* that feels authentic and caring.
Measure and Iterate
Use metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES) to gauge the effectiveness of your CX strategy. Regularly collect feedback and iterate based on insights. For example, Zappos uses customer feedback to refine its legendary customer service, ensuring it continues to *create brand experience* that delights.
Personalization: The Heart of Brand Experience
Personalization is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must. Customers expect brands to understand their unique needs and preferences. To *create brand experience* that feels personal, leverage data to deliver tailored interactions. For instance, Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” playlists use machine learning to curate music based on listening habits, making users feel understood and valued.
However, personalization must be balanced with privacy. Be transparent about data usage and give customers control over their information. A 2024 Deloitte survey found that 64% of consumers are more likely to trust brands that prioritize data privacy, highlighting the importance of ethical personalization.
Omnichannel Consistency
Customers interact with brands across multiple channels—online, in-store, social media, and mobile apps. To *create brand experience* that feels cohesive, ensure consistency across all touchpoints. For example, Nike’s omnichannel strategy allows customers to seamlessly move between its app, website, and physical stores, creating a unified brand experience.
Achieve omnichannel consistency by:
– **Integrating Systems**: Use a centralized CRM to track customer interactions across channels.
– **Standardizing Branding**: Ensure visual and tonal consistency in messaging, from social media posts to in-store signage.
– **Streamlining Processes**: Make transitions between channels effortless, such as offering in-store pickup for online orders.
Emotional Engagement Through Storytelling
Stories create emotional connections that transcend transactions. To *create brand experience* that resonates, weave storytelling into every aspect of the customer journey. Patagonia’s commitment to environmental sustainability is a powerful narrative that aligns with its customers’ values, fostering deep loyalty.
Craft stories that highlight your brand’s mission, values, or customer success. Share these through marketing campaigns, social media, or even product packaging. For example, a small coffee roaster might share the story of its farmers, creating a sense of purpose that enhances the brand experience.
Overcoming Challenges in Creating Brand Experience
While the benefits of a strong customer experience are clear, challenges abound. Common hurdles include:
– **Siloed Departments**: Misalignment between teams can lead to inconsistent experiences. Break down silos by fostering cross-functional collaboration.
– **Resource Constraints**: Small businesses may lack the budget for advanced CX tools. Start with low-cost solutions, like personalized emails or social media engagement.
– **Evolving Expectations**: Customer expectations change rapidly. Stay agile by monitoring trends and adapting strategies accordingly.
To overcome these, prioritize incremental improvements and focus on high-impact touchpoints. Even small changes, like faster response times or a more intuitive website, can significantly enhance the brand experience.
The Role of Feedback in Refining Brand Experience
Customer feedback is a goldmine for improving CX. Actively solicit input through surveys, reviews, and social media. Analyze this data to identify patterns and areas for improvement. For example, a restaurant might notice recurring complaints about wait times and implement a reservation system to address the issue.
Responding to feedback also shows customers they’re valued. A 2023 Zendesk report found that 70% of customers feel more loyal to brands that respond to their feedback. By acting on insights, businesses can continuously refine their approach to *create brand experience* that evolves with customer needs.
The Future of Customer Experience
As technology advances, the possibilities for creating brand experiences are expanding. Emerging trends include:
– **AI and Automation**: AI-powered tools can deliver hyper-personalized experiences at scale, such as dynamic pricing or real-time support.
– **Immersive Technologies**: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are creating new ways to engage customers, like virtual store tours or interactive product demos.
– **Sustainability and Ethics**: Customers increasingly value brands that prioritize social and environmental responsibility. Aligning CX with these values will be critical.
To stay ahead, businesses must embrace innovation while staying true to their core values. By anticipating trends and adapting proactively, brands can continue to *create brand experience* that captivates and retains customers.
Conclusion
Creating exceptional customer experiences is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative. By focusing on differentiation, loyalty, premium pricing, and strategic planning, businesses can *create brand experience* that drives growth and builds lasting connections. From personalization to omnichannel consistency, every element of CX must be carefully crafted to align with customer expectations and brand values.
The journey to exceptional CX is ongoing, requiring continuous adaptation and innovation. By listening to customers, leveraging technology, and telling compelling stories, brands can create experiences that not only satisfy but inspire. In a world where customers have endless choices, those who master the art of creating brand experiences will thrive.
In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, building brand awareness is a critical component of business success. Brand awareness refers to the extent to which consumers recognize and recall a brand, associating it with specific products, services, or values. A strong brand presence not only drives customer loyalty but also establishes trust, fosters engagement, and positions a business for sustainable growth. This article explores proven strategies to build brand awareness, offering actionable insights for businesses of all sizes. From delivering exceptional customer service to leveraging content creation, these approaches will help you create a memorable and impactful brand identity.
Why Building Brand Awareness Matters
Before diving into specific strategies, it’s essential to understand why building brand awareness is so important. A recognizable brand sets you apart from competitors, making it easier for customers to choose you over others. Studies show that consumers are more likely to purchase from brands they know and trust, even if alternatives are cheaper. Moreover, strong brand awareness can lead to word-of-mouth referrals, increased market share, and resilience during economic downturns.
Building brand awareness is not a one-time effort but a continuous process that requires consistency, creativity, and commitment. By implementing the following strategies, businesses can create a lasting impression in the minds of their target audience.
Provide Excellent Customer Service
One of the most effective ways to build brand awareness is by delivering outstanding customer service. Exceptional service creates positive experiences that customers are eager to share with others, amplifying your brand’s reach through word-of-mouth marketing.
The Power of Customer Experience
When customers feel valued and appreciated, they become brand advocates. For example, a 2023 survey by Zendesk found that 70% of consumers are more likely to recommend a company after a positive customer service interaction. To achieve this, businesses must prioritize responsiveness, empathy, and problem-solving.
Practical Steps to Enhance Customer Service
– **Train Your Team**: Equip employees with the skills to handle customer inquiries effectively. Role-playing scenarios can prepare them for challenging situations.
– **Personalize Interactions**: Use customer data to tailor experiences, such as addressing customers by name or recommending products based on their preferences.
– **Be Accessible**: Offer multiple communication channels, including phone, email, live chat, and social media, to make it easy for customers to reach you.
– **Resolve Issues Promptly**: A quick and fair resolution to a complaint can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal one.
By consistently exceeding customer expectations, you create a reputation for reliability and care, which naturally boosts brand awareness.
Be at the Forefront of Your Market
To build brand awareness, position your business as a leader in your industry. Being at the forefront means staying ahead of trends, innovating, and establishing yourself as an authority that customers and competitors look to for inspiration.
Stay Ahead of Industry Trends
Monitor market developments, consumer preferences, and technological advancements to keep your brand relevant. For instance, if you’re in the fashion industry, adopting sustainable practices can align your brand with growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products. Share your efforts through press releases, social media, or partnerships to gain visibility.
Showcase Expertise
Demonstrate your knowledge by contributing to industry conversations. This could involve:
– **Speaking at Conferences**: Present at trade shows or webinars to reach a wider audience.
– **Guest Contributions**: Write articles for industry publications or collaborate with influencers.
– **Certifications and Awards**: Pursue accreditations or enter award competitions to enhance credibility.
By consistently showcasing your expertise, you reinforce your brand as a trusted leader, increasing its recognition.
Provide Value—Walk the Extra Mile
Going above and beyond for your customers is a powerful way to build brand awareness. When you provide unexpected value, customers are more likely to remember and recommend your brand.
Examples of Going the Extra Mile
– **Free Resources**: Offer complimentary guides, templates, or tools that solve customer pain points. For example, a fitness brand might provide a free workout plan to website visitors.
– **Surprise and Delight**: Include small gifts or personalized thank-you notes with purchases to create memorable experiences.
– **Loyalty Programs**: Reward repeat customers with discounts, exclusive offers, or early access to new products.
Building Emotional Connections
Providing value fosters emotional connections with your audience. A 2024 Harvard Business Review study highlighted that emotionally connected customers are twice as likely to remain loyal to a brand. By consistently delivering more than expected, you create a positive association with your brand, encouraging customers to spread the word.
Write a Blog or a Book
Content creation is a cornerstone of building brand awareness. Writing a blog or authoring a book allows you to share valuable insights, establish authority, and reach new audiences.
The Benefits of Blogging
A blog on your website can drive organic traffic, improve SEO, and engage visitors. To maximize its impact:
– **Focus on Quality**: Publish well-researched, informative articles that address customer needs. For example, a home improvement brand could write about “10 Tips for a Budget-Friendly Kitchen Renovation.”
– **Use Keywords Strategically**: Incorporate terms like “build brand awareness” naturally to boost search engine rankings.
– **Promote Content**: Share blog posts on social media, email newsletters, and industry forums to expand reach.
According to HubSpot, companies that blog regularly generate 67% more leads than those that don’t. A consistent blogging schedule keeps your brand top-of-mind for your audience.
Authoring a Book
Writing a book takes more effort but can significantly elevate your brand’s profile. A book positions you as an expert and provides a tangible asset for marketing. For example:
– A financial advisor could write a book on “Retirement Planning for Millennials,” distributing it at workshops or selling it online.
– Use the book to secure media appearances, such as podcast interviews or TV segments, to further amplify your brand.
Whether through blogging or publishing a book, content creation helps you connect with your audience and build brand awareness over time.
Leverage Social Media Platforms
Social media is a powerful tool for building brand awareness, offering access to billions of users worldwide. By creating engaging content and interacting with your audience, you can increase your brand’s visibility and loyalty.
Choosing the Right Platforms
Focus on platforms where your target audience is most active. For example:
– **Instagram and TikTok**: Ideal for visually appealing content and younger demographics.
– **LinkedIn**: Best for B2B brands or professional services.
– **X**: Great for real-time updates and engaging with trending topics.
Social Media Strategies
– **Consistent Branding**: Use the same logo, colors, and tone across all platforms to create a cohesive identity.
– **Engage Actively**: Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and share user-generated content to build community.
– **Run Campaigns**: Launch contests, giveaways, or hashtag challenges to encourage user participation and increase reach.
A 2025 Sprout Social report found that 68% of consumers follow brands on social media to stay informed about products and services. By maintaining an active presence, you keep your brand in the conversation.
Partner with Influencers and Brands
Collaborations with influencers or complementary brands can expose your business to new audiences, accelerating brand awareness.
Influencer Marketing
Partner with influencers whose followers align with your target market. For example, a skincare brand could collaborate with a beauty vlogger to review their products. Ensure authenticity by choosing influencers who genuinely resonate with your brand’s values.
Brand Partnerships
Co-create products, host joint events, or run cross-promotional campaigns with non-competing brands. For instance, a coffee shop might partner with a local bakery to offer a “Breakfast Bundle,” promoting both businesses to each other’s customers.
Measuring Success
Track metrics like follower growth, website traffic, or sales generated from partnerships to evaluate their impact. Tools like Google Analytics or influencer platforms can provide valuable insights.
Invest in Paid Advertising
While organic strategies are essential, paid advertising can amplify your efforts to build brand awareness. Targeted ads allow you to reach specific demographics, ensuring your message reaches the right audience.
Types of Paid Advertising
– **Social Media Ads**: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer advanced targeting options based on age, location, interests, and behavior.
– **Google Ads**: Pay-per-click campaigns can place your brand at the top of search results for keywords like “build brand awareness.”
– **Display Ads**: Banner ads on websites or apps can increase visibility across the internet.
Best Practices
– **Compelling Creatives**: Use eye-catching visuals and clear calls-to-action to grab attention.
– **Test and Optimize**: Run A/B tests to identify which ads perform best, adjusting budgets and targeting accordingly.
– **Set Clear Goals**: Define whether your campaign aims to increase website visits, social media followers, or product sales.
Paid advertising, when executed strategically, can deliver immediate results and complement long-term organic efforts.
Host Events or Webinars
Hosting events, whether in-person or virtual, is an excellent way to engage your audience and build brand awareness. Events provide opportunities to showcase your expertise, connect with customers, and generate buzz.
Types of Events
– **Workshops**: Offer hands-on sessions related to your industry, such as a cooking class for a kitchenware brand.
– **Webinars**: Share knowledge on topics relevant to your audience, like “How to Build Brand Awareness for Small Businesses.”
– **Community Events**: Sponsor or participate in local festivals, charity runs, or networking events to increase visibility.
Promotion and Follow-Up
Promote events through email marketing, social media, and press releases to maximize attendance. After the event, follow up with attendees via email to nurture relationships and encourage them to share their experiences online.
Events create memorable interactions that strengthen your brand’s presence in the minds of participants.
Create Shareable Content
Content that resonates with your audience is more likely to be shared, expanding your brand’s reach organically. Shareable content is engaging, relatable, and often evokes emotion.
Types of Shareable Content
– **Infographics**: Visual summaries of data or tips, like “5 Ways to Build Brand Awareness,” are easy to share on social media.
– **Videos**: Short, entertaining videos, such as behind-the-scenes clips or customer testimonials, perform well on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
– **Memes or Quotes**: Humorous or inspirational content can go viral, especially if it aligns with your brand’s voice.
Encouraging Shares
Include share buttons on your website and prompt users to share content on social media. For example, end a blog post with, “Loved this article? Share it with your network!” Creating content that sparks conversation or provides value increases the likelihood of it being shared.
Measure and Refine Your Efforts
Building brand awareness is an ongoing process that requires regular evaluation. By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), you can assess what’s working and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Key Metrics to Monitor
– **Brand Reach**: Measure the number of people exposed to your brand through social media impressions, website traffic, or ad views.
– **Engagement**: Track likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates to gauge audience interaction.
– **Brand Recall**: Conduct surveys to understand how well consumers recognize and remember your brand.
– **Referral Traffic**: Monitor how many visitors come to your website from social media, partnerships, or other sources.
Tools for Measurement
Use analytics tools like Google Analytics, Hootsuite, or Brandwatch to collect data. Regularly review your performance to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
Consistency is Key
Across all strategies, consistency is critical to building brand awareness. Your brand’s visual identity, messaging, and values should remain cohesive across all touchpoints, from your website to your social media profiles. A consistent brand image reinforces recognition and builds trust over time.
Tips for Maintaining Consistency
– **Create a Brand Style Guide**: Document your logo usage, color palette, typography, and tone of voice for all marketing materials.
– **Align Teams**: Ensure marketing, sales, and customer service teams understand and adhere to brand guidelines.
– **Schedule Regular Audits**: Review your brand’s online presence periodically to ensure alignment across platforms.
Conclusion
Building brand awareness is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a blend of creativity, strategy, and persistence. By providing excellent customer service, staying at the forefront of your market, delivering exceptional value, and leveraging content creation, you can create a brand that resonates with your audience. Social media, partnerships, paid advertising, events, and shareable content further amplify your reach, while consistent measurement ensures long-term success.
Start by implementing one or two strategies that align with your business goals, then gradually expand your efforts. Over time, your commitment to building brand awareness will pay off, establishing your brand as a trusted and recognizable name in your industry. Whether you’re a small startup or an established enterprise, these approaches will help you connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression.
In today’s hyper-competitive market, building a brand that stands out is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. A strong brand doesn’t just differentiate your business; it creates an emotional connection with your audience, fosters loyalty, and drives long-term success. To beat the competition, you need a strategy for building a brand that resonates deeply with your target audience. This article explores the four key pillars of building a brand to outshine competitors: telling your story, showcasing personality, making it meaningful, and delivering a memorable brand experience. By leveraging these elements and focusing on building a brand, your business can rise above the noise and secure a lasting place in the market.
Tell Your Story
Every brand has a story, but not every brand tells it effectively. Building a brand starts with a narrative that explains who you are, why you exist, and what sets you apart. A well-crafted story humanizes your brand, making it relatable and memorable in a crowded marketplace.
Why Storytelling Matters?
Consumers don’t just buy products or services; they buy into stories that align with their values and aspirations. According to a 2023 study by Edelman, 65% of consumers say they feel more connected to brands that share authentic stories about their origins or mission. A compelling story, central to building a brand, can turn casual customers into loyal advocates by fostering trust and emotional engagement.
Crafting Your Story for Building a Brand
To tell a story that resonates, start with the “why” behind your business. What problem did you set out to solve? What personal experiences or values inspired your journey? For example, TOMS Shoes focused on building a brand around the concept of giving back—every purchase funds a pair of shoes for someone in need. This narrative of social impact has helped TOMS stand out in the competitive footwear industry.
When crafting your story:
Be Authentic: Share genuine experiences, struggles, or motivations. Avoid fabricating a narrative, as consumers can spot inauthenticity from a mile away.
Keep It Simple: A clear, concise story is more memorable than a convoluted one. Focus on one or two core themes that define your brand.
Make It Relatable: Highlight universal emotions or challenges your audience can connect with, such as perseverance, community, or innovation.
Sharing Your Story
Once you’ve crafted your story for building a brand, integrate it across all touchpoints—your website, social media, packaging, and customer interactions. For instance, Airbnb’s “Belong Anywhere” campaign weaves its story of connection and community into every aspect of its marketing, from host profiles to global ad campaigns. By consistently sharing your story, you create a cohesive brand identity that sticks with your audience and sets you apart from competitors.
Showcase Personality
A brand without personality is forgettable. In a world where consumers are bombarded with choices, a distinct brand personality is critical to building a brand that fosters a loyal following. Your personality is the tone, style, and attitude that define how your brand communicates and behaves.
Defining Your Brand Personality
Your brand personality should reflect your values and appeal to your target audience. Are you playful and quirky like Dollar Shave Club, or sophisticated and timeless like Chanel? To define your personality for building a brand:
Identify Core Traits: Choose three to five adjectives that describe your brand, such as bold, approachable, or innovative. These traits should guide your tone of voice, visuals, and interactions.
Understand Your Audience: Research your target demographic to ensure your personality resonates. For example, a youthful, irreverent tone works for Gen Z but may alienate older audiences.
Stay Consistent: Apply your personality across all channels, from social media posts to customer service responses. Consistency reinforces recognition and trust.
Bringing Personality to Life
Showcasing personality means infusing it into every aspect of building a brand. Consider Wendy’s, whose witty and sarcastic social media presence has made it a standout in the fast-food industry. Their cheeky Twitter roasts and humorous ads create a memorable persona that competitors struggle to match.
To bring your personality to life:
Use Visuals: Your logo, color palette, and typography should reflect your personality. Bright, bold colors convey energy, while muted tones suggest elegance.
Craft a Unique Voice: Develop a tone of voice that aligns with your personality. For instance, Innocent Drinks uses playful, conversational language to make its brand feel friendly and approachable.
Engage Authentically: Interact with your audience in a way that feels human. Respond to comments, share behind-the-scenes content, and show the faces behind your brand.
A strong personality not only differentiates you from competitors but also fosters an emotional connection that keeps customers coming back.
Make It Meaningful
To beat the competition, building a brand must involve standing for something bigger than just products or services. A meaningful brand aligns with its audience’s values, addresses their needs, and contributes to a larger purpose. By embedding meaning into your approach to building a brand, you create a deeper connection that transcends transactional relationships.
Why Meaning Matters?
Consumers today prioritize brands that reflect their values. A 2024 Nielsen report found that 73% of global consumers are willing to pay more for products from brands that support causes they care about, such as sustainability or social justice. A meaningful brand, created through building a brand, doesn’t just sell—it inspires and empowers.
Building a Purpose-Driven Brand
To make your brand meaningful, identify a purpose that aligns with your audience’s values and your business’s mission. For example, Patagonia’s commitment to environmental sustainability is woven into its approach to building a brand, from eco-friendly products to activism campaigns. This purpose resonates with environmentally conscious consumers, giving Patagonia a competitive edge in the outdoor apparel market.
To create meaning:
Align with Values: Research your audience’s priorities—whether it’s sustainability, inclusivity, or innovation—and integrate those values into your brand.
Take a Stand: Don’t be afraid to advocate for causes that matter to your audience, even if it’s polarizing. Brands like Nike have thrived by taking bold stances, such as their support for Colin Kaepernick’s activism.
Deliver on Promises: Meaning is only effective if it’s authentic. Ensure that your actions—such as ethical sourcing or community initiatives—support your stated purpose.
Communicating Meaning
Incorporate your purpose into your approach to building a brand and share it through impactful storytelling. Use blog posts, videos, or social media campaigns to highlight how your brand makes a difference. For instance, Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign showcases its commitment to body positivity, resonating with millions of women worldwide. By making your brand meaningful, you build a loyal community that competitors can’t easily replicate.
Deliver a Memorable Brand Experience
A brand is more than a logo or a tagline—it’s the sum of every interaction a customer has with your business. A memorable brand experience, a key part of building a brand, turns one-time buyers into lifelong advocates by creating positive, consistent, and engaging touchpoints.
What Is Brand Experience?
Brand experience encompasses every moment a customer interacts with your brand, from browsing your website to receiving your product to contacting customer support. According to a 2023 Forrester study, companies that prioritize customer experience outperform competitors by 80% in revenue growth. A seamless, delightful experience reinforces your efforts in building a brand and sets you apart in a crowded market.
Designing a Standout Experience
To create a memorable brand experience:
Map the Customer Journey: Identify every touchpoint—website, social media, packaging, and post-purchase support—and ensure each reflects your brand’s personality and values.
Prioritize Consistency: Ensure your branding—visuals, tone, and messaging—is uniform across all channels. Inconsistent experiences confuse customers and weaken your brand.
Exceed Expectations: Go beyond meeting basic needs. For example, Zappos built its reputation on exceptional customer service, offering free returns and 24/7 support, which competitors struggle to match.
Examples of Exceptional Brand Experiences
Some brands excel at delivering experiences that reinforce their approach to building a brand. Apple’s sleek, intuitive product design and in-store experience create a sense of exclusivity and innovation. Similarly, Starbucks transforms a simple coffee purchase into a personalized ritual, with customized drinks and a welcoming atmosphere. These experiences make customers feel valued, fostering loyalty that competitors can’t easily disrupt.
Measuring and Improving Experience
To ensure your brand experience remains competitive, gather feedback through surveys, reviews, and social media monitoring. Use this data to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement. For example, if customers complain about slow response times, invest in better customer support systems. By continuously refining your brand experience, you create a lasting impression that keeps customers coming back.
Conclusion
Building a brand to beat the competition requires more than a catchy slogan or a polished logo—it demands a strategic approach that connects with your audience on a deeper level. By telling a compelling story, showcasing a distinct personality, embedding meaning into your mission, and delivering a memorable brand experience, you can create a brand that not only stands out but also fosters lasting loyalty. In a world where consumers have endless choices, a strong, authentic brand is your greatest weapon against the competition. Start building a brand today, and watch your business rise above the rest.
The year that went by was full of turmoil – going out of the pandemic (read that as two years of restrictions and lockdowns), the war in Ukraine and a downtrend, rising inflation and dwindling personal finances. Search trends indicate a rosier story but conversion rates are a mirror of reality.
Truthfully, we were quite ecstatic that the world will bounce back. It was as though it said ‘I’ll be back’. Yes we were back for a few months and so was the inflation. Today, we are staring at an economic recession and it will be few months before we can dance a jig, party, travel or socialise.
Last year, we had written a detailed article on search trends – 22 Digital Marketing trends for 2022. Yes, clearly we were upbeat, and so excited that we were looking to turn a new leaf post-pandemic. Looking back, we feel that technology has progressed as expected but the market has not. Or, looking back, people were too scared to change and we analysed with the heart. Today, the scenario is quite different.
So, we were looking into search trends from Google and found it was confidently on the uptrend. But again, thinking from the heart and using a little common-sense, we found it hardly useful.
This not a pessimistic piece, it is more realistic and this analysis is from the heart as well as the mind. Every insight from you will be very useful make this a good and useful chatter.
Insights into Google Search trends in 2022 shows people across the world are experiencing heightened emotions, some parts more than the other.
The apprehensions on health, war-torn world, and dipping personal finances have changed people at a deeply emotional level. The uncertainties of life, as they are today, have changed us. On the contrary, only hope and optimism can save us, and that is what is driving the world including search. It is then quite understandable that customer behaviour has changed over the year and so did their needs and necessities.
People want to make amends and make up for lost time. They want to travel and make life socially bearable after a long hiatus. However, apprehensions and uncertainty rules them. The dynamics of these persisting changes will continue into 2023.
2022 saw two moods ruling search trends – uncertainty and optimism. And it seems, that will continue into 2023.
Making up for lost time
2022 saw an abundance of partying and weddings. According to Google, search for related keywords has boomeranged by about 300%. Many keywords are on the rise more in Europe, Africa and the Middle Eastern countries and we feel that the trend will continue across the rest of the world, in lesser percentages.
Health and wellbeing search trends
2022 has changed people’s priorities with health and wellbeing coming out on top. According to Google’s Search trends for health based keyword like yoga have been up by about 200%. This indicates probable bad business for packaged food, frozen food and ready-to-eat stuff. But, we cannot be sure because we are not from those niches.
Personal finances
With inflation ruling the economy and dipping personal finances, the concern has gathered momentum on search. Many countries are seeing energy bills going through the roof. According to Google, the search trends for finance related keywords have gone up by as much as 300%.
Travel search trends
Restrictions on travel are almost over. As I write this, there is a confusion on travel restrictions in China and regions around the war-ravaged Ukraine. People are hitting the travel keywords fast and with Airline prices spiralling upward, personal finances come into play. The inferences – people want to travel but are not able to. The search trend is relevant and present but conversion rates will be much below average.
Conclusion…
Your business may not be in the wedding, health, personal finances or the travel niche. You do have your search trends for 2022. Think insightfully and relate to these trends. You will know where your business is headed over 2023.
2023 may not see much growth in business, however, it is going to be foundational for the next year. Trends will be set and people will not change fast enough to get into the pre-COVID mode. Probably they never will. Of course, it is just our insight. What is yours? Use the comments to put them in.
Strategise your digital marketing based on the above search trends and economic factors and your own domain’s search trends, this is will help you fortify your digital marketing strategy for better and long-lasting results.
As a marketer, I am already scared. Another core update on the way? Should we be marketing or cater to Google’s algorithms? That is a million dollar question. There is no news on the changes that the September 2022 broad core update would bring. Let’s see what it could entail, as of now…
Google is the market leader in search and the secret is that it regularly improves its ranking algorithm. According to the MOZ grapevine, we do not rule out an average of 8 to 10 updates a day out.
These are smaller algorithms, but a larger one is called the core update. A core update causes tremors in SERPs and we can feel them far and wide in the search landscape. Understanding core updates is the key to better search rankings.
A core update involves changing the search engine algorithm in a major way. So, search engine algorithms are ever changing. However, the impact of a core update is much larger.
The September 2022 broad core update
There has been no buzz yet about the September 2022 broad core update. Google announced a September 12, 2022 rollout and said it could take about 2 weeks to show changes. Core updates are mostly generic and this update would affect all languages, geographies, categories, and domains.
Since 2020, we have seen 6 broad core updates, swinging the results with varying effects.
We do not yet know what the September 2022 broad core update would bring, but notable core updates we have from the search king are:
Penguin
Fred
Panda
Hummingbird
Pigeon
Rankbrain
BERT
Medic
Possum
Mobilegeddon
Freshness
What’s common across all these updates is that we have seen large SERP swings and we can expect the same this time around.
Small updates Vs Broad core updates
As we saw earlier, Google updates its search algorithm about 8 to 10 times a day. These are minor updates and they improve relevance and quality of SERPs. They affect a few pages, possibly about 0.1 to 1 percent of searches. Normally, webmasters see little into these.
A broad core update could affect 5 to 10 percent of searches and Google releases about 2 to 3 such updates a year. The September 2022 broad core update is one of them and may cause tremors in SERPs. Such updates are planned weeks ahead and take more time to roll out to Google’s data centres. The September 2022 broad core update is going to take about 2 weeks to roll out completely.
With a broad core update, the search engine algorithm changes drastically and ranking might go up or take a beating.
For example, you may have some great work to focus on a certain ranking factor and a core update may do away with the ranking factor. Since the factor is no longer in play, your ranking drops. Conversely, the update could add another entirely new ranking factor and the results will be the same.
A broad core update or a medium update may also impose penalties for not following or adhering to Google’s search game.
For example, the helpful content update that was rolled out in August 2022. Or, the Panda update that gave out algorithmic penalties for thin content websites.
An update like the #september2022coreupdate may affect more than just search ranking. It may affect alternative listings like featured snippets, knowledge graph panels and PAA (People Also Ask) results.
Helpful content update is a part of a core algorithm update and is a site wide classification. It continuously runs even during the September 2022 broad core update roll out.
However, if Google makes the helpful content update a part of the September 2022 broad core update, it will be premature to predict the results. We have already seen that the helpful content update did not cause too much of noise.
As of now, the helpful content update gets only a shrug from most webmasters and a few of them are expecting it to be a part of the September 2022 broad core update. I agree with them; I feel the helpful content update will be a part of the broad core update.
Since Google has always advised to focus on content to be on its good books, I feel the helpful content update has not been as effective as expected. And the September 2022 core update is going to swing the pistol on thin content sites differently.
Dealing with a core update
All of us as marketers have learnt the hard way to deal with impactful Google updates, however, just a reminder as to how we can reduce its impact, in case…
Identifying a core update
Look for announcements across Google blogs. Better still follow @searchliaison at twitter to get to know more about forthcoming updates and news from Google.
Preparing for a core update
First read about the update. Google normally announces the purpose of the update and its impact before rolling it out, but not always. For example, we are yet to understand the purpose of September 2022 broad core update.
If you feel that your website is going to be affected, you may need to tweak certain aspects of your search engine optimization process.
Don’t be on the offending website list for the coming core update. Follow Google’s webmaster blog to keep updated.
Responding to a core update
Once the SERPS change, keep track of your search console and do nothing yet.
The SERPs will bounce for a few weeks. Let them settle down before taking any action. This may sound like inaction, but it is best to act once the update has settled down.
Conclusion…
In our opinion, the September 2022 core update will not change SERPs much. And Google’s recommendation to contend with core updates has always been to focus on content. So, if you spot-on with content, there is nothing to worry. Also, with search trends changing due to the pandemic and with the helpful content update not disturbing the waters much, I do not see the September 2022 broad core update making waves.
Go on, comment below about how this core update is going to swing the SERPs.
Creating a link building strategy is not a simple process. For successful at link building, it is critical to understand a few subdued factors that effect the strategy, long-term.
We would not recommend link building for every business. More so, in the digital marketing space, even a marvellous link building strategy may not justify the spend on it.
Unlike most digital marketing components, a link building strategy is not really measurable. For example, if you have built 100 good (purported) links across the month and you get minuscule traffic from only 2 or 3 of those links, how do you justify the spend?
Of course, you may get more traffic from them in the coming months. Despite the forecast, is there a way to track a single user, coming from a particular link has converted?
For businesses that have thousands of users landing on their webpages, month on month, this is a significant challenge. Undeniably, links are important, only the link building strategy should be more dependable and organic than emailing and begging for (reciprocal or paid) links.
Link building is important. However, driving growth on one hand is tough, and there are many other, better opportunities out there than executing a link building strategy as a growth hack. A link building strategy can turn into a growth hack only when all related components are perfectly placed.
And that, my dear marketers is a great challenge. In this article, let us look at all those components that can sky-rocket your link building strategy to yield best results possible.
In this backdrop, let us explore the challenges and opportunities (blockers and enablers) of having a good link building strategy. We will take a digital marketing agency perspective on this.
Blockers to a link building strategy
Executing link building strategies is no simple task, and it is most undermined part of the search engine optimization process and mostly practiced due to certain myths. It has a lot of dependencies on other process and cutting through client red tape is an enormous challenge.
Internal issues
There are over 50 types of links you can build as a part of your link building strategy. Choosing from them will depend on your business, competition, and a few other factors.
Whatever your choices are, you will need permissions and approvals from various departments and people before you can proceed, not just your point of contact.
Or, the point of contact should take the responsibility for getting things done on time.
Any link building strategy will depend on content, for which you may take the campaign or a PR route, probably reaching out to people in the press. In the client space, the blockers are:
Technology – Client’s technology department can turn into a blocker when it comes to uploading your content (for the link), especially if it is a complicated process, unlike posting a blog post. You may not get it on time, hampering your success rate.
Content creation – The content creation team, including copywriters, UX and graphics teams, may not be working on the same schedule or speed that you need. They would also want to sign off on whatever is produced, and this is going to hamper your performance.
Communications – Client’s PR or communications team may have its own list of journalists or people who can help with your link building strategy. However, they may not want you to interact with people on that list. This hinders your ability effecting your success rate.
Legal – For businesses, especially in the health, medical, insurance and finance niches, producing any content will not help. Since 3rd parties regulate these niches, not everything can go on to the website. The content needs to be accurate and should not be misleading. If your client falls into one of these niches, it seriously impedes your opportunities to build links.
Outcomes of internal blockers
There could be more blockers than what we discussed above. Whichever may be the case, it is not impossible, and you can still go on with your link building strategies with minor adjustments. Let us see the outcomes when these blockers come into the picture, singularly or combined.
Delayed campaigns leading to lesser links than targeted, leading to wasted resources and lost opportunities. Let us not forget the frustration it brings.
Campaigns could get affected because of edited messaging, which could be tangentially different from what was intended.
Your targets may seem impossible at times because of lesser outreach and without your fault.
The above consequences are very real in the link building world. Blockers are the last thing you or your clients need. If we do not build links on scale and on time, there is no point in building them. If these blockers exist in your business, it is best not to waste money on a link building strategy.
Investment on link building should wait for a perfect time after these blockers are removed or you along with the client evolve a system to bypass them.
C-Club issues
When you are speaking to a client who needs SEO services (inclusive of link building), the first thing you will need to understand and clarify is how they interpret link building success.
Yes, your point of contact will tell you a few things:
Traffic
Number of links
Quality of links
Leads
Conversions
This is a good place to understand that the client interprets success in terms of revenue and sales.
However, depending on how the client’s business is aligned, you will need to ask a few more probing question. It is important to clarify how they visualise link building as a part of their SEO process and how valuable they think it is.
You will need to see how they measure your efforts and who looks at your reports.
Only your point of contact or if it goes higher to the C level executives?
You can use some hints to understand this:
Interviewing you about your process and how you measure KPIs.
Getting involved in shaping the link building strategy.
Setting up targets and objectives.
Being involved in the pitch and onboarding.
Budget allocation.
If any of the above happens, you can be rest assured that the C-Club is involved in the process and they take your performance seriously. If you don’t see any of these signs, it is probable that you are in for trouble soon.
A C-Club guy will look at allocating the budget and check the activities on which it is being spent. He or she will look at value for money and if it lacks, there is every chance that they will pull the rug from under your feet.
Lesson: Create value for the client.
Alternatively, if the client’s C-Club is not involved in your process, it means that it is not important for their business. In which case, work harder than normal to get things done.. Remember, internal blockers will be harder to manage.
Another aspect that you need to consider when the C-Club is not involved due to lack of knowledge about link building, they may not be interested in investing on it.
Lesson: Explain and prosper.
Website issues
Your client’s website may not be technically good or is buggy. In which case, your best of link building strategies will not yield results. When the website is fixed, they may see a little up rise in rankings. However, medium and long-term goals will go for a toss.
Link building has changed over time and is effective only when the website has good technical SEO and on-page SEO, caters to core web vitals and has good, optimised content. If these parameters are not in place, link building will be a waste of resources.
No website is 100% perfect, but the above basic parameters need to be catered to. They are critical to any successful link building strategy.
If the website is not technically good, you will need to tell the client to prioritise that process before opting for link building services. And, if you offer web development services, this rings an opportunity bell for you.
Enablers for a link building strategy
Now that we are done with the blockers, let us see how to build a workable link building strategy using existing online assets.
Good links from top-notch websites are critical to rank well, again, depending on the competition. The number of links coming to a webpage that you want to rank is important.
But, links are not the only ranking factor. So, there is no ‘perfect’ number of links to rank well. Links will improve your search rankings, but capitalising on them for maximum impact is necessary to make the most out of them.
Let us look at a few link building enablers that can help you create a good impact.
Search intent
Also known as user intent or query intent, search intent is the goal a searcher has while he types in the search query. If your aim is to attract relevant traffic that converts well, you need to align your links to match search intent.
Just having several links does not satisfy the user when he lands there, and therefore, your page will not rank well in the long term. If you looking at short-term result, probably you will succeed.
There is a simple way to check this. Look up the webpage in a tool like Ahrefs and if you see a strong domain rating along with links from too many root domains compared to the site ranking on the first page, you are not matching user intent properly.
Search intent optimization is a very important factor to rank well. I have written an article on search intent optimization, what it is and, how to measure it.
Apart from your link building strategy that built a good number of links, there are other factors like on page SEO or domain age that play a huge part. However, catering to search intent is primary for your link building process to be effective.
Without fixing the intent and content issues, solely relying on your link building strategy will be interpreted as gaming the search (by search engines) and Google will not take it lying down. And now it is time to optimise your web page content.
Content optimization
Search intent optimization will work wonders only when you optimise the content on your webpage. These factors go hand in hand to improve the bounce rate and rankings.
Link building is secondary to optimised content, and the entire effort of building links is wasted without user specific content that adds real value to the user. So, your link building strategy should focus on content optimization before deploying.
Promotional pages, low word counts and content specifically written for search engines will not cut the cake. The recent helpful content update from Google underlines the importance of content in simple terms. I have written an article on understanding helpful content update that can help you fix content on your webpages.
Now, let us focus on a high-quality link building strategy.
High quality link building strategy
Every back link you build to your webpage is unique. Some links can skyrocket your ranking, while some can bring them down alarmingly. So, all links are not created equal.
It is a general belief in the marketing community that more links will result in ‘better’ rankings. This is probably because high-ranking pages on SERPs have thousands of links.
The fact is that those thousands of links differ from each other and only a small percentage of them are high-quality links. They are the main reason for their ranking at the top.
Let us understand what a high-quality link is:
Link comes from a source which links to other external sites.
Link from a unique root domain.
Linking domain has organic and relevant traffic.
Link from a trusted, high DA site.
Link is not a ‘no follow’ and has no sponsored attributes.
Your link building strategy depends on many other factors. All you need to do is to ensure that the link will create a high impact on your webpage.
Every domain has a gold standard for links. For example, the gold standard for this website will be a link from HubSpot, Neil Patel or SEJ.
Always focus your link building strategy and efforts on unique domains that are trustworthy, have good authority, and provide value in your niche.
Outcomes of enablers
Once you have optimised the content for search intent and create links that add value to your webpage, what can you do next?
Keep updating the content on the pages that you have quality links to! This adds value to both the linked pages.
For every mention or link, share the page on social media platform to get traffic and generate social signals. Ask the linking site to share it on their own social media platforms.
Share the page with your email list to generate more passive links.
Conclusion…
Links are basically trust signals that Google understands and evaluates. If a high DA website is linking to your webpage, Google understands that your webpage is trustworthy.
Getting top tier links should be the focus of your link building strategy. Top tier links will lend authority to your website in the niche and slowly compound the effect over time.
The best way to understand helpful content update from Google is by honestly answering the questions posed on the Google Search Central Blog about this update. Let us take some time out to answer them by taking this website as an example.
We have done another post a few days ago on helpful content update and that was about the repercussions of not adjusting your content to this update. As an addition to it, this article is a guide to answering these critical questions and the reasoning behind them. This will help us better understand this update that promises to make the internet a much better place and a level playing field.
What better way to analyse if we are going to be penalised while the helpful content update rolls out. Before we go through the content on our website, we would like to answer the 15 questions posed on the Google Search Central Blog. And, you should do the same after reading this post. It will help us isolate bad content or pages, if any.
Once you analyse all your webpages, you will need to understand what Google wants by answering the questions below. Next, change the content on the affected pages as you think fit.
The first advice by Google is to:
“Focus on people-first content”
People-first content creators focus first on creating satisfying content, while also utilizing SEO best practices to bring searchers additional value. Answering yes to the questions below means you’re probably on the right track with a people-first approach.
For example, some links you have built over the years using your link building strategy, and a visitor land at your webpage, is the content helpful to him? Think…
Do you have an existing or intended audience for your business or site that would find the content useful if they came directly to you?
Google
Yes, my audience will find my content useful. Which means the content adds real value to real visitors and helps them understand or find something related to their visit intent. It does not focus on adding value to search engines using tactics like keyword stuffing, content automation, doorway pages, negative SEO on competitors, cloaking, sneaky redirects, link schemes and hidden links or text. If you have any such stuff on your webpages, it is wise to rethink, remove and go honest with great, qualitative content. To avoid being pushed down the ranks, understand the helpful content update, get it re-written or get it fresh. We can do it for you, get in touch.
Does your content show first-hand expertise and a depth of knowledge (for example, expertise that comes from having actually used a product or service, or visiting a place)?
Google
Yes, we are experts at what we do. Expertise shown across the table is always more powerful. Here, since we are using a website to showcase it, the only way we achieve this is by creating in-depth content. Showcasing knowledge helps in creating trust, uplifting the brand, getting repeat customers and finally, more sales. In understanding the helpful content update, you can evolve as an expert and a thought leader in your own domain. EAT is the way to go. It is a win-win all the way.
Does your site have a primary purpose or focus?
Google
Yes, our website has a primary focus. We are a vertically integrated bespoke, strategic digital marketing agency and our website demonstrates it. This means that we offer customised digital marketing strategies to align with your domain, your business vision and mission and your targets. We do not spray and pray like most other marketing agencies. They have the same roadmap for all businesses and domains. If we understand this helpful content update properly, we will rank higher in this highly competitive niche.
After reading your content, will someone leave feeling they’ve learned enough about a topic to help achieve their goal?
Google
Yes, what do you think? You have been through this post and are you feeling you have learned something up to now? And, will this knowledge help you answer these questions for your own website? If yes, then our content is meaningful and people-first.
Will someone reading your content leave feeling like they’ve had a satisfying experience?
Google
Yes, aren’t you happy reading this article up to this point? Can you say it satisfied you with the knowledge you have gained and help to answer these questions for your own website? Simply put, do you understand your readers? Do you write for them? Yes, you answered this one.
Are you keeping in mind our guidance for core updates and for product reviews?
Google
Yes, of course. As far as core updates go, Google says core updates can drop or raise the SERP, however that is not a penalty. When it drops, you may feel the need to do something. Give it some cool-off time and focus on creating valuable, informative, people-first content. That is the only thing Google rewards. And for product reviews, we have done many for customers and we have always followed Google’s guidelines.
Our recommendation: We recommend you keep answering and re-answering the above questions until you answer ‘YES’ to all of them. Keep identifying lacunae in your content, identifying bad webpages and understand helpful content update. Change, rewrite or put fresh quality content on those pages that do not cater to the above guidelines.
The second advice by Google is to
“Avoid creating content for search engines first”
Our advice about having a people-first approach does not invalidate following SEO best practices, such as those covered in Google’s own SEO guide. SEO is a helpful activity when it’s applied to people-first content. However, content created primarily for search engine traffic is strongly correlated with content that searchers find unsatisfying. How do you avoid taking a search engine-first approach? Answering yes to some or all of the questions is a warning sign that you should reevaluate how you’re creating content across your site.
Is the content primarily to attract people from search engines, rather than made for humans?
Google
No, of course not. We write for people with an intent to become thought leaders soon. Yes, we follow search engine optimization (SEO) best practices to enhance the content and help Google index our pages with a proper SERP and no more. Additionally we resort to content marketing with best practices in place. What is the point of writing content, if it does not reach the audience?
Are you producing lots of content on different topics in hope that some of it might perform well in search results?
Google
No, we are not producing lots and lots of content because, as we said earlier, we do not spray and pray. We create content with a discipline about happenings in the industry (like this post) and that which helps people overcome challenges by adding real value to them. And, we understand we will come on top, in time. Yes, we follow, SEO best practices and do live on hope, founded on hard work.
Are you using extensive automation to produce content on many topics?
Google
No, automation for creating content is a no go for us. Automation does not give quality and as far as we understand helpful content update, we are looking to write content that is considered people-first. Everyone has a distinct style of written communication and it is more of an art form whereas automation is more of a science. Expectations do not match. No, we do not create, use or encourage bot content.
Are you mainly summarizing what others have to say without adding much value?
Google
No, not at all, we only produce content that has not been produced before (like this one) or content that helps people solve a problem. Most content on the internet is about problems and no actual solutions. We are trying to address it by offering content that solves something.
Are you writing about things simply because they seem trending and not because you’d write about them otherwise for your existing audience?
Google
No. In this article, we are expressing our answers to help you sort out your website content after understanding helpful content update. This topic is trending as of now, but this article will remain forever to solve your issues, so we are writing for you, our existing audience.
Does your content leave readers feeling like they need to search again to get better information from other sources?
Google
No. Do you feel that way reading this? If yes, we would love your comments below on this ground. We will take action and make this page a comprehensive solution to understanding the helpful content update.
Are you writing to a particular word count because you’ve heard or read that Google has a preferred word count? (No, we don’t).
Google
No, because Google does not have a preferred word count. Yes, you read the correctly. Google indexes longer articles better, not because they are long, but because they are comprehensive and offer better information. Google indexes content that adds real value to readers.
Did you decide to enter some niche topic area without any real expertise, but instead mainly because you thought you’d get search traffic?
Google
No, if we do not have expertise in a domain, what will we do with traffic? In the long term, a business without expertise has to fail. We are not setting up ourselves for failure. We have been here for over 20 years and have no intention of leaving this space. If we understand the helpful content update correctly, we are setting ourselves up for a colossal success. Are you?
Does your content promise to answer a question that actually has no answer, such as suggesting there’s a release date for a product, movie, or TV show when one isn’t confirmed?
Google
No, for example, today, these questions have been asked and no one has answered them, as far as we know. Making false promises or asking misleading questions is a criminal waste of time, both for the publisher and the reader. Anyone who knows English can understand these questions on the Google Search Console Blog. The aim of this post is to find out if we are all on the path to progress. We are analysing our content based on these questions and we did not need to change any content.
Our recommendation: We recommend you think and keep answering and re-answering these until you answer ‘NO’ to all of them. Keep auditing your content. If required keep changing the content.
Here is a help sheet that you can use to answer the above questions with simplicity and define your SEO path.
Conclusion…
We have done our job of answering these questions and did not need to change a word of content. We are confident that our rankings will go North. And with the September 2022 Core Web update in the works, our final advice to every website out there is to be honest and refrain from gaming the search engines. They are way too intelligent for us and you will get yourself into trouble, if not today, tomorrow.
Announced on Friday 19th August, 2022, the helpful content update from Google is to roll out from 25th August, 2022, and it would take about 2 weeks to fully roll-out. Official launch date is yet to be announced.
As of now, this update will only effect the English language websites, however, this could change in the future. Google has termed this as a ‘meaningful’ update and said that it would profoundly effect technology, entertainment, education and shopping domains. As of now, we do not know the percentage of searches this could effect.
Marketers have began taking steps towards aligning their content to the impending (a lot of experience goes behind using this word :)) update. One of my favourite marketers @cyrusshepard tweeted:
And, my favourite tech-marketer @rustybrick tweets…
Here is his amazing video…
Why the helpful content update?
Google has been collecting loads of date from its feedback link on its search page, other links and social media about the quality of search results across audiences. Results say, searchers are not happy with what they are finding and this is Google’s attempt to improve the search quality.
How helpful content update works?
First, this update is slated to be a site-wide update, which means that it will effect the entire website and change ranking signals across all the webpages in there. The helpful content update will identify content that has low or no significant value to the searcher, automatically. This means that websites hosting content created solely for ‘SEO’ will be penalised.
What is unhelpful content?
“Tackle content that seems to have been primarily created for ranking well in search engines.”
“Help make sure that unoriginal, low-quality content doesn’t rank highly in Search,”
Google
Any website with pages containing unhelpful content, written solely for search engine rankings will perform poorly in search, hereon. This is reason enough to remove those pages unhelpful content, so that the other pages on the website containing helpful content could rank better.
How to classify?
This helpful content update will classify websites containing unhelpful content and apply this signal. Since the classifier is going to run continuously, coming out of this classification will take a few months to come out of. After long-time monitoring (validation of several months) of the classified website and if unhelpful content does not return, the classifier will stop applying.
How the update classifier works?
“Continue refining how the classifier detects unhelpful content and launch further efforts to better reward people-first content.”
“A natural question some will have is how long will it take for a site to do better if it removes unhelpful content? Sites identified by this update may find the signal applied to them over a period of months. Our classifier for this update runs continuously, allowing it to monitor newly launched sites and existing ones. As it determines that the unhelpful content has not returned in the long-term, the classification will no longer apply,”
Google
The classifier is fully automated and it does not come with any manual actions. However, Google has not specified a time-line on this classification, and is not expected to be specified. To add, it is a site-wide signal making it mighty harmful to thin-content websites and the ranking degrade could be quite harsh.
The effect of classification will depend upon the ratio between helpful content and unhelpful content on a website. Classification will depend on this ratio. So, more the helpful content, less the signal weightage.
So, websites that exist on the basis of ‘SEO’ will need proper pruning to survive and prosper beginning now. The content on such websites is normally thin and offers little or no value to the reader.
Will the helpful content update change SEO forever?
According to our experts, the helpful content update will change content strategies across the board. Remember how the Penguin and Panda updates changed content and link strategies respectively, a few years ago? This update, we understand along with most marketers, will be a successor to the Panda update and have a similar bang with a different flavour.
How does it hit you?
The tremors will hit the Google search planet and not on other Google surfaces, but it will spread quickly. Being a site-wide update, it is imperative that we audit the content across the website and just not the webpages that have thin content. SEO content creation will not be the same again after the helpful content update.
Being a site-wide update, SEO tweaks or tricks like moving thin-content pages to a sub-domain or to other folder will not work. To add, a #noindex tag will be of no help because it does not prevent Google from looking at those pages. The only way out is to remove the content classified to be unhelpful or make it supremely helpful.
“Any content – not just unhelpful content – on sites determined to have relatively high amounts of unhelpful content overall is less likely to perform well in Search, assuming there is other content elsewhere from the web that’s better to display. For this reason, removing unhelpful content could help the rankings of your other content.”
“How can you ensure you’re creating content that will be successful with our new update? By following our long-standing advice to create content for people, not for search engines. People-first content creators focus first on creating satisfying content, while also utilising SEO best practices to bring searchers addition value. Answering yes to the questions below means you’re probably on the right track with a people-first approach:”
Google
“How do you avoid taking a search engine-first approach? Answering yes to some or all of the questions is a warning sign that you should reevaluate how you’re creating content across your site:”
Google
Google asks these content questions. concisely, we think the following is the best pruned list.
The questions:
Is your content focussed on attracting visitors from search engine results?
Are you using AI content or any other automation to produce content on varied topics?
Is the objective of creating content is to rank better on search engines?
Are you rehashing other’s content with adding any value to it?
Is your content holistic or are your visitors looking to search again for the same information?
By the way, Google doesn’t have a word count, are you counting words to keep search engines happy?
Are you an expert on your topic or just skimming it for search engine performance.
Is your content answering questions or just beating around the bush?
Is your content ingenue meaning you lack expertise in what you are writing?
Do you keep Google’s core updates and guidance for all kinds of content you create?
Does your content need a revamp?
Besides answering the above questions, does your content meet the wants and needs of the visitor? Or does it meet the search intent?
We have already discussed the classic classification of search intent in our article on search intent optimization. Besides the broad intents we discussed there, there are certain sub-intents that you will need to consider while creating or revamping your content.
As a part of the sub-intents we discussed above, we can classify wants of a visitor as
Want to know – Visitors looking for information. Also called the ‘know’ query.
Want to do – Visitors looking at DIYs and How-Tos. Also called the ‘do’ query.
Want to buy – Visitors looking to purchase something. Also called the ‘buy’ query.
Want to go – Visitors in local search looking to go somewhere. Also called the ‘visit’ query.
6 Needs of the visitor
We do not exactly call these wants, but these are the emotions that a searcher experiences going through the search process. Besides satisfying intent, the content should help connect to the searcher emotionally. Emotions affect search behaviour directly and understanding these emotions is critical to your content marketing.
Help: The visitor needs help and thus wants to connect through a search.
Surprise: The visitor surprises himself with more possibilities or could be entertaining.
Thrill: The visitor is adventurous and finds new ideas or possibilities.
Reassurance: It reassures the visitor to find answers because of the search.
Education: Education or learning new things through searching can be a very satisfying experience for an inquisitive visitor.
Satisfying: The visitor is impressed and happy with the way his search has gone once he or she finds the required information.
Adhering to the above simple and straight-forward rules to tweak your content can get you into Google’s featured snippets with ease. Getting into ground “0”SERP is now easier but not guaranteed,
Let us know if you need a content revamp across your website for helpful content update. We will be happy to discuss and our team will do a prefect job of it.
Search intent – Our unique perspective
Google’s core web vitals update from 2021 is absolutely in line to create a level playing field that will fulfil its objectives along with this helpful content update. In it’s objective towards organizing the world’s information, Google is going ahead with its plans to consolidate its search supremacy with great aligned objectives that will remove the unneeded stuff from its index and help create a neutral, honest and a level-playing platform.
Search intent optimization, when taken into account with this update makes a lot of sense. When search intent is taken into account along with SEO and executed with the above content guidelines will help create valuable content in line with the helpful content update. This will go a long way in ensuring that you top the search engine rankings with honesty (white-hat).
It would now be easier to create an awesome, long-term marketing strategies that will go a long way in giving you expected results creating a sustainable business. All in all, a better bang for the buck.
If you have any questions, please ask them on the comments. We will keep you updated on developments of this helpful content update. Keep watching this space.
The above quotes by google were published at Search Engine Journal on 18th August, 2022.
Achieving monthly targets for marketing or sales teams is difficult and tough. Scoring marketing leads and then re-scoring by sales can work very well to achieve targets in a smarter way. Identifying and prioritising leads to chase is the first step to getting there.
Why score marketing leads?
Every business is unique, and each has its own lead scoring system. Scoring marketing leads is not entirely a scientific process, it is an unknown blend of experience and data. Experience is a variable, however, having accurate data can help you score the leads efficiently. Smarter scores are workable and yield results. The process of scoring marketing leads changes depending on the digital marketing trends.
Lead score is usually a number that, normally expressed in percentage of chances of making the sale. Once you have a few leads in your marketing pipeline, score each one based on a set of pre-determined metrics. This will not only help pass valid leads to sales but also give you insights into what leads you are generating and how you can tweak the marketing process to attract better leads. This cyclic process will help you get better at the game with time.
Marketing lead scoring
Marketing lead scoring can be simple or complicated depending on your domain and business goals. Looking at old data and analysing successful buyer journeys and their persona is a very important aspect of lead scoring. Most businesses do not take this into consideration, when considered your lead scores can change drastically and the process can be simplified and accurately executed.
Step 1: Choose scoring variables
Scoring marketing leads involves understanding of your visitors. Create an average audience profile that resonates the characteristics of your average customer. Categorise by profession – do they run their own businesses or are they salaried? What is their domain? What are their actions before making a purchase – free trials, sampling? Take a feedback from sales and analyse the basis of their conversion to customers.
Normally, scoring marketing leads depends on the following variables:
Industry – Depending on your product or service, which domains or industries do you cater to? Get data from sales, analyse it and sort them by industry, calculate the percentage of conversion domain-wise. Use this data as a basis for analysing leads in the current pipeline.
Business size – Which size of businesses or customers working in those businesses gets you a higher conversion rate? SMBs Vs enterprise businesses is a big touchpoint to score your leads.
B2B – If your products or services are B2B, who approved the purchase from the client’s end? A C-Club executive, a VP, a manager or the purchase department? This analysis will give you accurate data on target oriented marketing.
Website – As the owner of the website, the marketing team needs to identify pre-purchase activity. Scoring marketing leads here will also depend on free-trial customers or visits to pricing pages, etc. If you can analyse and execute search intent optimisation (https://efficaci.us/search-intent-optimization-a-complete-guide/), it will give you fantastic results.
All touchpoints or factors that identify your high converting customers are called “segments”or “variables” in marketing lead scoring jargon. They do not have barriers and are interchangeable. Once you have these segments or variables in place in your entire marketing funnel, the next step is to find out the value of these leads.
Step 2: Analyse average conversion rates
Once you are done with marketing lead scoring for all leads in the funnel, you can use the following methods to calculate the conversion rates and the lead yield.
Conversion rate – Conversion rate is a simple ratio between the number of conversions or deals and the total leads. The formula:
(# of deals or conversions / Toal leads) * 100
Lead yield – This is the ratio between the total revenue from closed deals and the total leads. The formula:
Total revenue from deals / Total # of leads
Once you are done with these calculations, prioritising the conversion rate of lead yield will depend upon your business goals and the pricing models. For example, if you run a subscription-based revue model, conversion rates are very important because you are getting long-term customers and their value increases. If you are selling white goods, lead yield is a prioritised metric because you are doing onetime deals and onetime price is the only revenue.
Once this prioritisation is done, it is time to delve deeper into your lead behaviour and fine tune it.
Step 3: Compare your data
Once you are done with the ratios, how do you know if they are good or bad? It is always important to compare them with your old data. To do that, calculate the same for all your customers over a period (1 year data should be good enough). This will give you the conversion rates and lead yields for an average customer. Compare the present data (probably for the last 30 days or a month) with the average customer data. This insight is very critical to marketing lead scoring.
For example, if your lead conversion rate is 20% for the last year and your present funnel segment is averaging 5%, the lead score assigned should be low.
Step 4: Assign lead score to variables and segments
Scoring marketing leads depends on the how the present data on a particular segment compares to your old data. Many businesses use a scale of 1 to 10. However, if you are looking for precision, expanding the scale to 1 to 100 will be a good idea.
Having keys within the score will enhance your consistency in marketing lead scoring. Use a point system, for example, a 10% lead score could be equal to 2 points and so on. A larger scale will be more precise for now and for future analysis.
Step 5: Evaluate leads
Once you have the list of attributes (as in Step 1) and lead scores, use them to evaluate leads in the funnel, one by one. Although many CRMs make a good job of lead scoring, a manual evaluation will give you more insights. Once you do this 5 or 6 times, the differences between a CRM evaluation and yours will be transparent and you can only expect so much from a CRM. This data will be useful to enhance your experience of marketing lead scoring and fortify your perspective on the differences.
Add up the attribute scores for each prospect in the funnel and create a list. You will have a much clearer perspective on the leads you are generating and this data can help tweak your marketing strategy and the sales pitches used.
Lead scores in marketing strategy
Once you have a first-hand experience in marketing lead scoring and understand the conversion attributes for your business and domain, you will gain insights into new marketing opportunities.
These could include better targeted marketing, targeted landing pages, targeting newly found segments and variables. This will help identify and prospect for high-scoring customers on the right channels.
These insights will also help recreate targeted email marketing campaigns month on month. When the outreach is better targeted, results are not far away.
Conclusion…
Marketing lead scoring helps marketers target the right customers and get a higher value for their efforts. However, marketing and sales need to work in tandem here and tread the thin red line between them with care.
Make this process a part of your digital marketing strategy. After all, a cohesive business is always more efficient than not.
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