Would you buy from a brand you had never heard of? Most would only do so after carrying out some research into the company and, let’s be honest, who has the time for that when there are well-known brands offering another option? Even if they do go ahead with the transaction, they would be aware that they were taking something of a risk. Companies spend years building up a brand that is trusted by their customers and recognized by many, but is there a way to speed up the process? If you’re just about to take your first steps into the world of marketing and PR for your venture, you’re in the right place because this guide is intended to help start-up businesses boost awareness of their brand.

Work with social media influencers

A social media influencer is a person who has established a large following on one or more social media accounts. The people following their posts, images, and activities trust their advice and recommendations, so when the influencer uses, wears, or reviews your product and posts about it, they are sharing it with a sizeable audience. Some brands will also sponsor influencers, sports figures or celebrities to wear or use their product at high profile appearances so they act as a walking advertisement, but you may not have the budget for that this early on.

Brand your packaging

Whether you are selling a product online and shipping it or it is being displayed in stores (or both), you need to be branding your packaging. Most of us have had the pleasant surprise of receiving an order through the post and discovering that it has been packaged more like a gift than a purchase. Going the extra mile with creative packaging will not only be memorable and leave the customer with a positive feeling towards your brand, but it might also be worthy of being shared on the customer’s social media. Branded packaging will also help your product to stand out amongst your competitors, so consider how you can provoke an emotional response in customers and tell your brand’s unique story.

Invest in SEO

When searching for a product or service on the internet, the majority of people will not look any further into the millions of results than the first page. In fact, most won’t even look past the first 3-5 results. How do search engines like Google decide which pages are worthy of the top spots for a particular user search? They rely on an algorithm to assess which website pages are the most relevant, useful, high quality, and trustworthy.

The challenge for businesses is to work out what the algorithm is looking for when it assesses their website and to make changes where necessary. This is a process known as search engine optimization or SEO. Unfortunately for businesses, the algorithm is changing on a daily basis as it evolves and becomes better at matching queries to results. While you can look into SEO best practice and try to figure out a strategy by yourself, consider using an SEO agency that specializes in helping businesses to maximize their visibility in search engine results to increase website traffic and sales.

Up your social media game

Social media is a wonderful marketing tool for start-ups, mainly because, for the most part, it is a free tool. Of course, you can pay for advertising space or to sponsor posts, but if you have the right strategy, and enough time, you can achieve great success with an organic social media presence. On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can establish connections and relationships with your customers and potential customers by giving your brand a human side with content that is helpful, informative and entertaining.