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21 Bennett’s Hill,
Birmingham,
B2 5QP
I was recently invited to speak at an online event all about the challenges brands face when trying to stand out online.
Having been in marketing for almost 20 years now, I’ve seen a lot of change and am pretty certain we’ll see a lot more over the next few years.
So here’s my 5 big challenges brands face trying to stand out online, and some thoughts on how they can be overcome…
With over 800,000 businesses launching just in the UK each year the online space is teeming with brands, both established giants and nimble new entrants. This makes it difficult to get noticed, let alone build brand loyalty.
We launched a new wellness jewellery brand last year so know first-hand how difficult it is to
Even established brands we work with like Nivea – with their huge levels of awareness & trust – are finding this to be true.
What’s more, consumers can easily find similar products from different brands with just a few clicks, making it crucial for brands to have a strong unique selling proposition (USP).
We all know the stats – consumers see an average of 10,000 ads per day plus we have constant distractions and notifications from our phones to deal with. Our brains are bombarded with content and advertising.
Overcoming that takes a huge and collaborative effort. Your creative must align with your strategies & plans for media, PR, social media, experiential, in-store, reviews, influencers… the list goes on. At the heart of it all brands need a strong and effective creative strategy that will cut through the noise.
The online world is a double-edged sword. While it offers vast reach, it also amplifies negative experiences. A single bad review or social media snafu can quickly damage a brand’s reputation if not handled correctly (see KFC running out of chicken).
Apart from for a few lucky brands, consumer loyalty is generally much lower than it used to be.
The introduction of price comparison sites and trending products (Prime anyone?) are very different but equally salient examples of how ready we are to switch from one brand to another and ditch products & brands at the drop of a hat.
The digital landscape is constantly evolving.
Brands need to stay on top of trends – everything from geo-located ads to the emergence of micro-influencers – and adapt if they’re going to survive and thrive.
It takes a lot of time, money, agility and expertise to navigate today’s world.
Hands up if you’ve got Amazon Prime? Ever bought anything off Temu or Wish (and not regretted it)?
Online marketplaces have become a one-stop shop for most consumers, the first port of call when they want to buy anything.
Individual brands often cannot compete with the eCommerce behemoths on price and convenience.
But selling through these channels also makes it difficult to control the brand experience – if you’ve ever bought a bit of tech from Apple you’ll know that the whole journey is very different to Amazon, from the packaging to the customer service.