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If you’ve been in the marketing sphere for long, you’ve likely heard about the rule of seven. In simple terms, this refers to the idea that in order for people to really hear and internalise your brand message, they have to hear about it or see it seven separate times.
This magic number can be a challenge to hit though, especially if you’re looking to reach new customers over social media and other digital platforms. What’s more, if your marketing comes across as disingenuous or planted, it’s going to raise red flags for the modern consumer.
That’s where brand mentions become such a powerful tool. They get your brand name out in the public eye in a unique and memorable way, while giving the impression that your company is everywhere.
Let’s deep dive into brand mentions and see how you can use them to boost brand awareness and credibility.
What Are Brand Mentions?
A brand mention can be summed up as any time your brand name or company is mentioned in a public space. Your name might pop up
- On social media
- In an influencer’s video
- In a blog post
- On the news
- On a review site
- In a forum or discussion
- In an online directory or listing
The form this shoutout takes can range from a simple tag to a full feature or review. What’s important is your name being brought up outside of your own traditional marketing.
Why Are Brand Mentions Important?
So people are talking about you, so what? There are actually tons of benefits to having brand mentions as part of your digital marketing strategy.
- Increased Brand Visibility - The most obvious benefit is the expansion of your brand’s online presence. More people mentioning your brand gets it in front of new audiences and brings in new leads
- Enhanced Credibility - Positive brand mentions can provide social proof, especially if they come from respected sites and influencers.
- Improved SEO - Search engines read brand mentions as endorsement and will boost your search engine results when you have a lot. Mentions can also bring in organic search visibility, as people look up what’s being talked about
- Referral Traffic - When your brand is mentioned and linked to by others, it can drive traffic to your website. This referral traffic is highly valuable since it often comes from engaged users who are interested in what you offer
- Industry Authority - Brand mentions from reputable sources, industry experts, and thought leaders help position your brand as a credible authority in your niche
- Relationship Building - Responding to mentions and engaging in conversations can help strengthen connections and foster loyalty
All of these advantages come together to give your brand a killer competitive advantage, without having to put in significantly more marketing effort.
Types of Brand Mentions
Because the concept of brand mentions is so open ended, it can be difficult to pinpoint and cultivate the types that will be most helpful for your business. This is why we separate them into different camps.
Direct Brand Mentions
The most straightforward type of brand mention is direct. This occurs when your full brand name or tagline pops up online. Direct brand mentions are easy to track, and they have the potential to boost organic searches for your company.
However, these mentions have the potential to come off as disingenuous. Because it’s so easy to spot when product placement is done badly, getting direct brand mentions right requires a light touch.
Indirect Brand Mentions
Indirect brand mentions occur when your brand is mentioned without being explicitly named. These mentions can pop up in lots of ways, including during a description of your product or service, or a conversation about your industry.
While they may not directly promote your brand, they can still contribute to brand recognition and increase awareness of your company. For example, a blogger writing a review about a new makeup product may mention the brand in passing, but not necessarily focus on it as the main subject of the review.
This can still drive traffic and potential customers to your brand. Indirect brand mentions are often more authentic and can be seen as an endorsement by a third party, making them more influential on consumers.
Within these larger archetypes, there are several more specific ways your company can score a brand mention.
- Influencer Mentions - Influencers have a highly curated and invested fan base, and having them mention your brand can dramatically increase your credibility and reach
- News Source Mentions - If you have the relationships and newsworthy content it takes to secure a news source mention, you’ll be able to establish yourself as a major player in your industry
- Forum Mentions - While the word-of-mouth power and authenticity of forum mentions is substantial, it will require monitoring to be used effectively. You want to be able to jump in and respond to both positive and negative conversations about your company
- Social Media - User generated content is fun and cost-effective, but monitoring this kind of brand mention is a challenge. If you run any contests or promotions based on social media mentions, make sure you have the right tools in place
- Customer Testimonials and Reviews - These come directly from the source and can greatly influence the decision-making process of potential customers. Encourage folks to leave reviews and testimonials on your website and other forums
- Partner Mentions - Teaming up with other brands or businesses in a collaborative effort can result in brand mentions from each other's audiences. This can help expand your reach and credibility in the industry
- Blog Posts and Articles - Guest posting on other industry blogs and being featured in articles on relevant websites can bring attention and credibility to your brand
- Collaborations or Features in Influential Publications - Being featured in popular magazines, newspapers, or online publications can bring a considerable amount of brand mentions and increase your brand's reputation
While these forms may be the most common, the fact is that there’s no end to the ways your brand can pop up online. As you strive to cultivate and encourage brand mentions, focus on what methods you think will resonate most with your audience.
Boosting Lead Generation With Brand Mentions
While brand mentions will likely happen organically, there are ways you can mobilise this technique and take control of the results. I’ve been able to use these three steps to boost brand mentions countless times in my own work.
Step One: Understand Your Audience
Before you start any major marketing initiative, you need to have a full picture of your target audience. This means knowing their preferences, interests, demographics, and behaviours in order to target your efforts.
You’ll also want to find out what platforms and channels they’re most invested in. Are they more likely to be found on Facebook or LinkedIn? Maybe they frequent industry-specific sites and blogs.
Wherever they are, knowing where your audience spends their time will help you prioritise your efforts.
Step Two: Foster Relationships
To create organic brand mentions, you need to have relationships with the folks who are talking. If an influencer who has never mentioned your brand or any similar businesses before, a full direct mention may seem forced.
You should work to connect with influencers and experts who are already in your sphere of influence. You might try offering a guest blog post, interview, or collaboration on social media to get the ball rolling.
However, influencers aren’t the only ones who need your attention. Brands that interact with their user base by responding to comments, messages, and mentions online encourage more brand mentions. This comes from showing your genuine interest in your audience.
Step Three: Monitor and Adjust
The ultimate goal of cultivating brand mentions is for them to spin off into an organic tangle. You want your name to sprout up naturally in every corner of the internet that your audience is in.
Monitoring this kind of organic growth is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. You can set up monitoring tools such as Google Alerts to tell you any time there’s a direct mention of your brand, and use other website analytics tools to track website traffic, engagement, and lead conversion.
This information will help you to stay engaged with customers, responding to their feedback and concerns, as well as celebrating with them when they love your product or service. You can use this information to concentrate your efforts where they work, and even to reward customers when their mentions turn into successful referrals.
The Bottom Line
Brand mentions are a crucial tool for businesses to increase brand awareness and credibility. By consistently appearing online wherever your customers go, from social media to blog posts and beyond, you can make a lasting impression.
If you can harness the power of brand mentions and strategically boost your online presence, you’ll be top of mind in no time.
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