In the arena of online marketing for insurance agents, there is a strong relationship between marketing strategies and brand positioning. Unfortunately, digital marketers often overlook this critical relationship, focusing on performance metrics like conversion rate and lead generation rather than taking in the “big picture” of branding as a long-term strategy. Brand positioning is considered one of most valuable aspects of digital marketing – a component that produces real results. In this guide, we will take a closer look at the role of brand positioning and how it enhances the overall digital marketing campaign, then offer a series of tips on expanding branding efforts.
Short-Term Performance vs. Long-Term Results
A survey conducted by a digital marketing research firm indicated that about 90% of all marketing directors understand the value of brand positioning. Despite this high number of professionals recognizing branding as a crucial component, many brands struggle to incorporate this feature into their digital marketing efforts.
Part of the problem lies with advances in digital marketing, particularly techniques and strategies that produce fast results. Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, social media marketing, and paid ad placements tend to produce quick boosts in traffic to a given web property; in some cases, these short-term digital marketing solutions can produce results in a matter of hours or days. These short-term techniques also tend to be cost-effective, producing results with a minimum of investment. Brand positioning and brand-building efforts, on the other hand, do not produce overnight results; this part of the digital marketing campaign can take time to produce results and is regarded as more of a long-term marketing solution. Brand building generally takes more of an investment than PPC campaigns or social media promotion, but the long-term return on investment far outweighs the costs associated with this strategy. Consistency in message is also an important part of the digital marketing picture, and it is here that brand positioning plays a vital role. Digital marketers can apply consistency across marketing platforms – PPC, social media, reputation management/brand-building – and control how the brand is represented to consumers.
In order to achieve real success – consumer brand awareness and consistently high conversion rates – digital marketers must balance short-term gains with long-term brand positioning. This may require a shift in attitude among digital marketers, who have become enamored with fast results over long-term performance.
Tips for Expanding Brand Awareness
Now that we’ve taken a look at how valuable brand positioning is in the digital marketing landscape, it can be useful to investigate strategies to improve how a brand is perceived. For online marketing for insurance agents, branding efforts can include:
- Becoming an authority in one’s marketplace – Most digital marketers understand the importance of content development for web properties, but simply adding details about a company’s products or services is not enough. Marketers should develop content with an eye toward informing consumers about the company itself and its role in its industry. Content that is engaging, informative, and above all authoritative reinforces a given brand as a leader in its field.
- Leveraging social media platforms – While most marketers believe that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are useful in creating consumer engagement, the use of these platforms can be ramped up to tell your brand’s story. By using available tools to identify and reach out to specific target audiences, social media represents a powerful brand-building component.
- Applying consistent messaging across digital marketing strategies – As touched on earlier, a consistent message is the foundation of consumer brand awareness. Content should match the brand’s image, both in tone as well as in subject matter. An inconsistent message can dull the ability to create connections with site visitors.
- Looking at the big picture – It is critical for online marketing for insurance agents to realize that branding improves long-term performance. Brand-building efforts are not overnight solutions, and developing brand awareness can require investments of time and finances. Over time, these efforts become powerful components of the marketing campaign, creating lasting brand recognition among targeted audiences.
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