The internet provides limitless possibilities for business both great and small. From the mom-and-pop restaurant down the street to the high-rise medical building in downtown Los Angeles, building a brand presence online is essential, and manageable. While the nuts and bolts of increasing brand awareness online is best left to LA marketing firms like Quaintise, there are a few discussions that you might want to consider having with your partners regarding simply getting started.
The internet can be overwhelming and yet empowering. It can build your business brand and turn it into a way of life, or it can break it down with mixed messaging. In an environment where web users can find exactly what they want, exactly when they want to find it, the competition can be stiff. Making sure that your brand is in front of those web users when they need to find it is crucial, and that’s where this discussion starts.
At Quaintise, we’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. What will get you noticed and maintain your brand presence online, and what will do the exact opposite.
Clear Brand Message
No matter what form of advertising your implementing, from print to radio, Tv to internet and social media, you absolutely must have a clear, strong and consistent brand message. You could have a campaign running on Facebook, another running on the local radio and yet a third running as banner ads across various websites. Each and every one of these pieces of content must be consistent with the other, and consistent with your overall brand message. If you’re writing a press release, a blog, posting a status update, adding a photo, producing a video or creating a discount coupon, the colors, font and tone must align. The logo must be identical, as well as the message. There is truly no room for flexibility here. Your brand message is the foundation that will garner brand trust and ultimately brand equity.
Having a strong brand message is paramount, and something that needs to be realized before you do any marketing. Talk to us for more help with that one.
Set Clear Goals
What do you want to accomplish with your online marketing campaign? Are you looking to build overall awareness? Establish yourself as an expert in your field? Drive traffic to your Facebook page? Drive traffic to purchase a specific product from your website? Sit down with an LA marketing firm expert to determine exactly what you are looking to do. In reality, you’ll probably have dozens of goals, but with a marketing expert you’ll be able to narrow and focus in on the goals that will produce the greatest benefit for your brand.
SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. When a web user enters a keyword or phrase into the Google search box (Google has over 75% of the search market share), roughly 10 results will appear on page one. You need to make sure that your website is one of the first results displayed, preferably in one of the top three positions. Yes, you can simply add your website URL to business cards, banner ads and promotional materials and hope that people find it. However, by being there, right in front of a potential client or customer right at the moment they need you is priceless.
Consider talking to an SEO expert to determine how web users are searching for the products that you can provide. One of the greatest mistakes that many search marketing beginners make is to rank for words that they would use, not considering what words the general public uses.
Content
When it comes to building your online brand presence and creating more awareness associated with your brand, absolutely nothing beats content. Whether you’re writing a blog, an article, or a press release, nothing compares to the affect that unique and engaging content will have on your brand presence. One well written press release, posted to the right PR sites, can put you on local news. One well written press release combined with a Facebook campaign and viral video can get you on national news.
The key with effective content is to write it not only for your audience, but for the search engines as well. This is how you will establish yourself as an expert in your field. If a web user searches for cord blood banking and finds 100 difference sources citing your articles, using your blogs posting your press releases it establishes you as the best in the field.
Social Media
Another key to successful online marketing is to establish a strong social media presence. Essentially, you’ll want to be on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and probably Pinterest as well. Now, this is where integrated marketing comes into the picture. Use social media as a tool to accelerate brand awareness. Use it as a tool to converse with your audience like never before. Most importantly, use it as a tool to build Fans and brand advocates.
Marketing online essentially takes integrating many aspects of the internet into a seamless dance of strategies, all working together to reach a goal. If your brand message is always consistent, online marketing can reap wonders for your business.