8 ways to increase the visibility of your digital product brand

Growing your digital product brand doesn’t just take time; it takes a consistent and multi-angle approach to really cut through the noise and be seen.

Creating products and managing a digital store are the foundations of everything, but when it comes to getting your brand in front of your target audience, there are additional factors at play. The reality is that eCommerce is booming, which means there is plenty of competition, too.

So, what are some of the things you can do to make yourself known? How do you increase your brand reach? In this article, we look at some of the best ways to increase the visibility of your digital product brand.

1. Get active on social media

These days, social media presence is absolutely vital for brand growth. Many digital businesses use social media platforms for everything from marketing to customer support – and the interactions that occur on these platforms have the potential to reach exponential numbers of people.

You might be surprised by just how big of an effect social media can have. For instance, there’s always the possibility of your posts going viral, but it’s more than that; social media is essentially a new dimension of human interaction. It’s where people spend a good amount of their time, and where many of them are engaging with brands, products, the different things they like, and the interests they have.

Social media is where people go to find out about your brand. Is it legitimate? Is it relevant? Is it highly-reviewed? With customer confidence and social proof being important aspects of selling digital products, it’s no wonder; social media platforms can provide all of this information at a glance.

Getting social media right can drive serious attention toward your products, but what exactly should you be doing? Posting, liking, and commenting is just scratching the surface; you can also use your social media accounts for showcasing your portfolio and testimonials, managing events, as well as educating and engaging with your audience.

Here are a few social media ideas:

• Make regular posts that are scheduled for the best times for your audience. Demographic information and insights are available on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to help you make the most out of your content.
• Host livestreams, webinars, watch parties, and live Q&A sessions. This is a great way to get more people interacting with you, as the time-sensitive nature of live events drives more interest.
• Join niche discussion groups for professionals, hobbyists, or fans that are interested in, or involved with your industry. You have the opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise, develop your industry authority, and make rewarding connections with people you might not otherwise encounter.
• Participate in trending hashtags, such as Throwback Thursday or Motivation Monday. This gives you topics for your posts, and also gets you seen by other people who are participating.
• Showcase your products and people who are using your products. You can do this with videos, photos, and stories, for example.
• Offer valuable advice and information to your audience. Never underestimate how much your existing and potential customers may appreciate information they can use to improve their lives in some way.

2. Create content

Content marketing has been around for a while, and it still remains one of the best methods for bringing new traffic to your site. As opposed to directly selling your content and services, content marketing aims to attract an audience through providing the valuable information they seek, making them more likely to stick around for the long-term – and potentially buy.

Content marketing can include blog posts, videos, podcasts, social media posts, or any other form of content that your audience finds useful. Creating content on a regular basis can bring a lot more visibility to your brand, as people (who might not otherwise have found you) come across your site in their search for information that’s relevant to them.

So, what kind of content can you create?

• Blog posts on topics relevant to your target audience
• Tutorials and how-to videos
• Infographics and visual guides
• Podcasts and interviews with industry figures
• Product reviews and unboxing videos
• Social media posts that are educational, inspirational, or otherwise helpful
• A weekly series of some kind, such as a weekly video series dedicated to industry advice

3. Sell some products through popular distributors or marketplaces

Although you might not initially prefer this option if you already run your own store, selling one or more of your products through a popular distributor or marketplace can actually do a lot for your brand visibility. The sheer number of people that shop on these kinds of sites can be enough to grow your name and get your brand circulating.

In fact, this is one of the more popular strategies for digital product creators who are just starting out. Often times, people will use a distributor or marketplace to gain some traction and brand recognition. Then, once they are more established, they may decide to open their own digital product store.

Want to know more about selling through a marketplace vs. your own store? Check out our post about it here.

4. Cross-promote

Cross-promotion is a tried and true way for two different brands to improve each other’s visibility at the same time. It’s cost-efficient, often requiring little-to-no financial investment, and it’s a win-win strategy that gives each partner the incentive to participate on an ongoing basis.

Cross-promotion gives you access to your partner’s audience, which can sometimes be a lot more effective than traditional marketing methods.

You can cross-promote in all kinds of ways, including things like:

• Co-branded marketing materials and landing pages
• Email newsletters
• Product reviews, recommendations, and tutorials
• Industry expert / influencer sponsorships
• Mentions on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
• Facebook ads created for your (and you partner’s) target demographic
• Instagram and Snapchat “takeovers”
• Podcast episode sponsorships
• Guest interviews
• Joint advertisements

5. Write a guest blog post

Although you could consider this a form of cross-promotion, writing a guest blog post deserves its own spotlight. Not only does this get you seen by more people; it also contributes to establishing your industry authority, and helps carve out your place on the scene.

Many blog owners appreciate having fresh new content to provide their audiences. Plus, blog posts are one of those gifts that keeps on giving; people may stumble upon them or find them through dedicated searches for years to come.

6. Start a podcast

Podcasting continues to thrive as an industry, and is projected to hit up to $113.4 billion by 2022, according to a PwC report. Needless to say, podcasting is as attractive as ever, and it can expand your reach!

Starting a podcast adds another dimension to your content, and gives your customers the opportunity to consume your content in audio format. Not only that; you can cross-promote, hosting guest interviews and teaming up with other brands or content creators for sponsorships or co-branded content, offers, and events.

You might find that people come out of the woodwork when you provide content that is easy for them to listen to while commuting or doing other daily tasks. These same people may not have found you before, or may not have been as keen to consume your content in written format, for example.

Simply put, diversifying your content is always a good thing, and podcasts, well – they’re just super popular!

7. Start an affiliate program

When it comes to increasing your visibility, affiliate marketing is another method that has been proven to be extremely effective. In fact, affiliate marketing is all about rewarding expanded reach (more specifically, new traffic and sales conversions).

Unlike most forms of cross-promotion, affiliation is based on a commissions structure, where affiliates are incentivized to promote your products in exchange for a monetary reward. When done correctly, a good affiliate program can do wonders for your revenue and your brand reach.

8. Run contests and giveaways

This can have far-reaching effects; after all, everyone loves prizes and free stuff! Many contests on social media platforms like Facebook, for example, require the user to take certain actions (such as liking and sharing the post, commenting, tagging friends, etc.), which can result in an exponential increase in reach.

You might decide to give away a free product, or bundle of products, or even go as far as to give away cash and physical prizes. Let’s be honest; this is just a strategy that works, regardless of if you run a digital or brick-and-mortar store.

Do what you can with what you have

Some of these strategies might work better for you than others, but the bottom line is this: when it comes to increasing the visibility of your digital product brand, it’s wise to try more than just one thing.

Growth isn’t always linear; sometimes your efforts can seem like they’re producing limited returns, and other times you might be surprised by what works particularly well. As with most aspects of digital business, you want to experiment and see what’s the most effective for your brand. The good news is that none of these strategies requires much (if any) financial investment. You can start with what you have, right now. Cool, right?

What have you found to be the most effective for growing your own digital product brand? Do you have some thoughts to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Illustration by Jessica Johnston.