12 Ways to Build Brand Awareness on Social Media

Social media doesn't feel all that "social" when you're just one more face in the crowd, right? So we look at brands like GoPro, Wendy's, or Starbucks with their rabid followings and wonder how we could pull off even a sliver of what they're doing.

Here's the truth though. If you're fighting to get noticed as a brand, you have plenty of company. For most businesses today, brand awareness — just getting people to know you exist — is one of the hardest priorities to crack on social.

That's no shock once you see how crowded social has become. More people than ever go to social to research brands, compare options, and decide who they trust. Catching the eye of the right audience is easier said than done.

So what does a real brand awareness strategy actually look like? How do you become a familiar face in your followers' feeds instead of someone they scroll right past?

Below are twelve moves any business can use to build brand awareness, whether you're a solo dentist's office or a growing restaurant group. From cleaning up your profile to getting playful with your content, mix and match whatever fits you. It's all fair game.

1. Give your social presence a personality

First things first: your social presence shouldn't look like everybody else's. Sounds obvious, but so many brands fall into the same trap and go robotic. They play it safe. Post a photo or a link, sprinkle in a few hashtags, call it a day. Here's the thing though. That's not how you stand out. Not even close.

Moonpie is a great example of a supposedly "boring" brand that built a real following on a distinctive voice and a sense of humor. It would've been easy for them to keep posting generic promos. Instead, their weird, off-kilter personality is exactly what made people fall for them.

And "personal" is the key word here. Followers want more than promotions and links. They want content that feels human, built around real people. That's why selfies and story-driven posts tend to land so well.

Take an account like Humans of New York. It posts almost nothing but stories, and it has pulled in millions of followers just by tugging at people's heartstrings.

Marketers get told over and over to create "unique" content. Sounds corny, sure. But the person behind your social presence is a genuinely unique voice. Before you hit "publish," ask yourself one question: does this sound like something a bot would say?

2. Tighten up your profiles

Recognition is a huge piece of brand awareness. When someone lands on your social profiles, they should get what you're about in a glance. And they should be able to tell that you are, well, you.

From your bio to your profile picture, the way you set up your profile decides whether people recognize you or not. Look at how ThinkGeek pairs a clean logo with a nerdy Facebook cover photo that fits the brand perfectly.

…then carries the same logo and the same brand bio copy straight over to Pinterest.

Spoiler alert: people's attention spans are tiny. You get a few seconds to grab someone and say "hey, this is who I am." A clean, well-optimized profile and photo do a lot of that explaining for a person who's never heard of you.

3. Make your posts pop

There's a thread running through most of these tips: a little creativity earns big points with followers. Take oVertone, for instance. They use color boldly across their bio and their Instagram content, and you can't miss them.

Content like that does double duty. It shows off the brand's voice and it stops scrollers cold long enough to drop a like.

Not shooting eye-catching product photos? No problem. The idea of making your posts stand out holds just as true for content marketing.

Anything you can do visually to set your posts apart works in your favor. Even if you're no designer, plenty of image-creation tools will help you put together something sharp without the headache.

4. Tag others to get them talking

Tagging (@-mentioning) is a smart brand awareness move because it takes about half a second and instantly amplifies your content.

Think about it. Anyone you tag on Twitter or Instagram gets a notification right away, which means one more shot at engagement. On top of that, it's a reliable way to make a good impression on other players in your industry.

5. Put hashtags to work

Social posts with hashtags pull more engagement than ones without. Every network has its own best practices, but hashtags aren't rocket science. They make your posts searchable on the spot, and smaller niche tags help introduce your brand to tight-knit communities of potential fans.

Building your own hashtag is a smart play, too. A small local restaurant can run a branded hashtag the same way the big names do. It's about reinforcing who you are and giving people an easy way to interact with you.

6. Leave creative comments

Like tagging, people get real-time notifications for social comments. Let's be honest: most comments out there aren't exactly riveting. That's good news for any brand willing to put a little more thought in than "Nice!" or "Love it!"

A clever or thoughtful comment is a great way to cut through that noise. It's also one more chance to show your brand's personality to potential followers.

7. Repurpose your content

If you're like most marketers, you're probably trying to build awareness across a few networks at once, right?

If so, repackage your content to fit what works on each platform. What kills it on Instagram might fall flat on Facebook or Twitter.

Say you land a killer success story. Instead of dropping a plain link, take the time to turn it into an infographic and you set yourself up to earn shares and links alike.

One-size-fits-all content and captions won't bring much attention your way. Photos. Videos. Blogs. Your stuff. Other people's stuff. To keep your feed from going stale, always have fresh social ideas waiting in the wings.

8. Break your own news

The posts that perform best on social tend to be the ones people can point back to. Stats. Case studies. Surveys.

If your brand is doing any kind of original research, that can be a serious authority builder and do wonders for awareness, too. And if you're not in a spot where research like that is realistic, don't panic.

Think about how you can weigh in on industry trends and news from your own point of view. The takeaway: you should be adding to the bigger conversation in your industry instead of watching from the sidelines.

9. Experiment with your captions

Captions are yet another chance to let your brand's voice come through. No big brand or influencer just dumps a link with zero commentary. A good caption can spark curiosity and pull people in, giving readers a little taste before they click.

As Instagram's endless supply of clever captions and hashtags proves, creativity counts. Through emojis or a quick joke, captions are prime real estate for connecting with followers and showing them exactly who you are.

10. Use social media to teach

In marketing, the brands that tend to stand out are the ones that make a point of teaching their audience. Educational and "how-to" content gets searched for on nearly every network. Posting it regularly sets you up as a go-to resource and a thought leader.

This goes for non-marketers, too. The more chances you get to show off your product or your know-how, the better. Just think about how popular tutorials are on Pinterest to see educational content working its magic in real time.

11. Don't be afraid to have opinions

People want brands to take a stand. Echoing what everyone else says might feel "safe," but it does next to nothing for brand awareness. Content with a clear point of view — used thoughtfully — tends to spark more conversation.

That doesn't mean you should go out and alienate your audience. It means you should stand behind your brand's principles and beliefs. Wearing them on your sleeve gets people talking and gives you a way to stand apart from your competitors.

The key, of course, is to tread carefully. The name of the game is being bold for the good of your brand, not stirring the pot just because you can.

12. Show up consistently

Last one: nobody can really become aware of your brand if you don't post consistently. On most networks, brands are expected to show up regularly, often several times a week on each platform.

And if your brand isn't showing up, there's a very real chance someone else in your space is. To save time and make showing up easier, a content scheduling tool can change the game for you.

The more ground you and your brand can cover, the better. It all comes down to having a focused strategy that gets the most out of every minute you spend on social.

And that wraps up our list. So what does your brand awareness strategy look like?

Drumming up interest in your brand can take some trial and error, but having a dedicated awareness strategy is still a top concern for businesses today.

Follow the principles above and you set yourself up to become a brand that sticks in your audience's mind.