In an online world saturated with everybody scrambling to get their brand noticed, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. Let’s face it, we can’t all be Beyoncé and just drop an album with no marketing whatsoever and watch the millions roll in. If only it were that easy…
Marketing, in this day and age, requires more creativity than ever.
Customers are no longer susceptible to plain advertisements – they want to know what your brand is, why they should be invested in your brand and how your brand will benefit them?
These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself before you take your first step in the online world. Think clearly about what your goals and aspirations are. Do you want to win more business? Or maybe you want to become an expert in your field. Either way, when you have a goal in sight then you have more of a desire to reach it.
Don’t forget, making your brand stand out is a slow and steady process, but what is the moral of that story? Ah yes, slow and steady wins the race. That hare had no business being cocky.
Here are a few tips that you can use in your online strategy:
· Arguably the most important thing, considering how big a role social media is becoming in today’s society, is playing to each social media platform’s strength. For example, Google Plus is particularly useful for discovering niche audiences whereas Twitter and Facebook can be used to target everybody, and LinkedIn can be used to target professionals.
· BLOGGING! I cannot stress the importance of blogging. Seriously, doesn’t it seem like everyone is blogging these days? That’s because they know that instead of tweeting information with a link to another website, they can link to their own. Plus, your blog can be used to show the personal side of your brand and a way to connect with your audience by allowing them to comment on things you post.
· Don’t just talk about yourself. Yeah, I know your brand is the bee’s knees, but your audience might get sick of you constantly pumping out information about yourself. It will no longer be interesting, and most likely your audience will look elsewhere for what they want. Take a look at your industry and see what’s happening, and comment on it. Start a debate on Twitter or write an opinion piece on your blog. Whatever you do, it really is about engaging with your audience.
Of course, there are plenty of ways to stand out from the crowd. For example, take airline WestJet:
During Christmas of last year, WestJet surprised its customers with Christmas gifts that they had wished for. This PR stunt set social media networks on fire and has over 35 million views on YouTube, and has most likely brought in WestJet lots of new customers.
The main objective when it comes to making your brand stand out is to be unique. What is everyone else doing?
Go and be different! In no time, your brand will be as shiny as all 17 of Beyoncé’s Grammy Awards.
– Chynna