​3 Branding Tips for Digital Entrepreneurs in 2017

by Quantal Langford
 
I hope everyone is having a great start to 2017. For all my entrepreneurs, leaders and creatives, are you keeping on track with strategies or goals you wanted to implement for this month? 
For me, there’s technology and online marketing strategies I am starting to implement as well as some offline strategies that I think could be huge for your brand presence in 2017.
 
1. Video Content
This is a strategy I expect many online entrepreneurs and businesses to use heavily as a part of their marketing strategy. From a recent survey, video content consumed by audiences could account for 70% of content through social media. In a recent consultation with a leadership coach, he was looking for various ways to increase his brand presence. I asked him about FB Live Feeds and incorporating more of these in his content marketing. The results have skyrocketed for him from a branding perspective. His live feeds have reach thousands of people on each live post. Also mentioning any blog articles as well as his website address to funnel his audience into his website is key.

As I tell many people it’s great using these Live Feeds but ultimately you are marketing on someone else’s property. Finding ways of getting people to interact and funnel into your website for more content and converting into potential revenue for your brand is essential. So experiment, look at other influencers and see what they are doing or not doing and implement that into your strategy.
 
2. Podcasting
This is a growing media outlet with shows popping up daily in various niches and industries. Want your audience to see you as a specialist and expert in your arena? Increasing your brand through podcasting or being interviewed by a podcast host is an awesome way of potentially attracting a new audience to your services or product. I’ve actually started a podcast that’s on iTunes and Soundcloud called Rise to Inspire, as a way of increasing my personal brand as well as other entrepreneurs’ brands. 
 
If you have the time to experiment and get your voice heard and your brand in the ears of thousands of subscribers monthly, this could become a new source of passive income for you depending on how you well you market the podcast, sponsorships, downloads etc. I’ll let you know my successes and pitfalls with this rising medium in a later article.
 
3. Networking and Live Events
This “old school” method I believe will be huge in 2017. With technology and social media, it’s very easy to communicate and market from the luxury of your laptop. On the flip side of this, more and more entrepreneurs are opting for networking events where a human to human interaction is now wanted compared to online interactions. Take in mind, personally as a creative, I see myself as an introvert, and it’s very easy to market and promote my brand online. 
 
I’ve made an intention to go out and meet and listen to other entrepreneurs, creatives and leaders and figure out what inspires them, what their pain points are and what they ultimately want as an entrepreneur or brand personality in 2017.

Even hand written notes and cards, compared to emails are on the rise. With the influx of emails that come through, I don’t open all of them. Hand-written letters or cards, on the other hand I do open to read. I see more of that human to human interaction coming into play to balance out the pace of technology taking place of many aspects of our lives.
 
Live Events as well marketing your brand to specific audiences in 2017 will be a great avenue for many online brands. More audiences, as mentioned before, are looking for experiences that will enrich them in some aspect of their lives. So using something like the FB or Instagram Live feeds to market your brand, funneling them towards your website, then perhaps creating an event where you can create a brand experience for your audience. Ultimately creating your unique tribe or village of people that are loyal to your brand.
 
I have a good friend of mine that’s actually starting some Live Events, based off of his book, that’s an Amazon Bestseller, so I’ll have to find out the results of his marketing efforts and how his event turned out.
 
There are other strategies that many brands will be implementing in 2017, but these are 3 tips I think will help any entrepreneur, creative or leader to help leverage their brand presence this year. Send me an email at [email protected] or comment below and let me know which strategies you are implementing this year.
 
 
Quantal Langford
Founder, Langfordesign
www.langfordesign.com
423.715.0000
[email protected]