In the early days of advertising, brand marketing was “the” way to get your company or product noticed. Every company hoped to have enough budget to buy Coca-Cola scale type advertising to put their product in the face of the consumer. This continues on today in traditional media. With the largest advertisers likely the same ones in the Mad Men years (i.e. Coca-Cola).
The major difference between now and then, is that in the online space, your budget doesn’t determine how much exposure you get online. With social media and networking sites, it is easier than ever to get noticed. It just takes time and creativity to get your brand noticed.
Here are a couple of examples of how companies are getting noticed online:
- Submit your products to be reviewed. Major electronics makers have been doing this over a number of years on CNet and Gizmodo, where they do professional product reviews. The shift that’s occurred in recent years is that now bloggers as well as consumers have gotten into the act. For example, if you searched YouTube for “Flip Mino HD Reviews“, you’d get a whole host of reviewers giving the product a spin. It’s like 1,180, 5-10 minute mini commercials of the product.
- Although many will argue that Email Marketing is a direct marketing tactic (which it technically is). If done tastefully by offering useful content or eye-catching imagery (think of an Abercrombie & Fitch ad), it can also be seen as a brand marketing tool. Think of how many emails you have gotten from Target, Gap, Amazon, etc. where they have been invited into your inbox and their brand is being reinforced on a weekly or monthly basis. Although you may not purchase from them because of an email you had received, their emails are keeping them top-of-mind the next time you look for household items, or jeans or books. All this for pennies per email sent.
- Facebook Ads are notorious for not getting as many clickthroughs compared to other pay per click platforms like Google Adwords. But all the more reason why it can be a great branding tool. Think of it. You get to target your demographic right down to the type of TV shows and city they live in, for less than a cup of coffee a day!
Online marketing is largely seen as a great direct marketing playing field. But with social media, email marketing and a few other creative tactics you can leverage the online space to keep your brand top of mind and in consideration when it does come time to buy.
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