Brand awareness is the foundation of every marketing funnel. Before anyone can consider your product, visit your website, or make a purchase, they need to know you exist. Yet many businesses skip straight to conversion-focused tactics without building the awareness that makes those tactics effective.
This guide covers 12 proven strategies to increase brand awareness – from social media advertising to SEO, content marketing, and beyond.
What Is Brand Awareness?
Brand awareness measures how well your target audience recognises and recalls your brand. It exists on a spectrum: at one end is brand recognition (they recognise your logo or name when they see it), and at the other is top-of-mind awareness (your brand is the first one they think of in your category).
In the context of the marketing funnel, brand awareness sits at the very top. Without it, the rest of the funnel has nothing to work with.
1. Invest in Social Media Advertising
Facebook and Instagram ads and TikTok ads offer unmatched reach for brand awareness campaigns. Use video ads (15-30 seconds) optimised for reach or video views rather than conversions. Retarget video viewers with more detailed messaging to move them down the funnel.
2. Build a Consistent Content Strategy
Publishing valuable, consistent content positions your brand as an authority. Blog posts, videos, podcasts, and infographics that solve your audience’s problems create touchpoints that build familiarity over time. Consistency is key – sporadic posting doesn’t build recognition.
3. Leverage SEO for Organic Visibility
Ranking on page one of Google for your target keywords puts your brand in front of people actively searching for what you offer. Local SEO is particularly powerful for Australian businesses serving specific geographic areas.
4. Use Influencer and Creator Partnerships
Partner with influencers whose audience aligns with yours. Micro-influencers (10,000-100,000 followers) often deliver better engagement rates and more authentic promotion than mega-influencers. Focus on genuine partnerships rather than one-off sponsored posts.
5. Run Google Display and YouTube Ads
Google Display Ads reach users across millions of websites, while YouTube Ads capture attention with video on the world’s second-largest search engine. Both are excellent for top-of-funnel awareness campaigns when conversion-focused search ads aren’t appropriate.
6. Develop a Strong Visual Identity
Consistent branding across every touchpoint – website, social media, email, packaging, ads – makes your brand instantly recognisable. Use the same colours, typography, logo placement, and tone of voice everywhere. Inconsistency dilutes recognition.
7. Create Shareable Content
Content that gets shared extends your reach beyond your own audience. Original research, industry reports, interactive tools, memes, and strong opinion pieces tend to generate the most shares. Design content specifically for shareability – clear value, easy to consume, visually appealing.
8. Pursue Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
Co-marketing with complementary brands exposes you to their audience. Joint webinars, co-authored content, bundled offers, and cross-promotions can double your reach without doubling your budget.
9. Use PR and Media Coverage
Earned media – press mentions, industry publications, podcast appearances – builds credibility and reaches audiences who might never see your ads. Develop a PR strategy around newsworthy company milestones, original data, and expert commentary on industry trends.
10. Build Community
Brands with engaged communities have built-in amplification. Create value-driven communities around your brand – Facebook groups, Slack communities, forums, or events. The community becomes an ongoing source of awareness, advocacy, and user-generated content.
11. Launch a Referral Program
Your existing customers are your best awareness channel. A structured referral program incentivises them to spread the word. Offer rewards that matter to your audience – discounts, exclusive access, or credits. Dropbox grew 3,900% in 15 months through referral marketing.
12. Invest in Branded Search and PPC
Even for brand awareness, PPC advertising plays a role. Branded search campaigns protect your brand name from competitors, while broad-match campaigns for industry terms put your brand in front of new audiences actively researching your category.
How to Measure Brand Awareness
- Branded search volume – Track how many people search for your brand name over time using Google Trends or Google Search Console.
- Direct traffic – Users who type your URL directly know your brand. Monitor direct traffic trends in Google Analytics.
- Social mentions and share of voice – Tools like Brandwatch, Mention, or Sprout Social track how often your brand is mentioned online.
- Brand surveys – Periodic surveys measuring unaided and aided brand recall give the most accurate picture.
- Engagement metrics – Social media followers, engagement rates, email list growth, and website return visitor rates all indicate growing awareness.
Final Thoughts
Brand awareness is a long game, but it compounds. Every impression, every piece of content, and every positive customer experience adds to your brand’s mental availability. Build awareness consistently, and your digital marketing efforts across every channel become more effective.
Want a brand awareness strategy built for your business? Get in touch with MediaPlus Digital Australia for a free consultation.
