5 ways to extend your brand online
Posted: August 12, 2011 | 9:24 ET by Tessa Wegert

You have an online ad campaign in place, and the quality visits are rolling in. Still, you wonder: am I getting the most out of my media buy? Can I do more to leverage my creative investment? Isn't there a way to extend my brand online?

In fact there are countless tactics at your disposal, but a handful stand out by virtue of their scope and ease of use. You may not have a need for all of them, but consider how they might provide just the reach you're looking for.

1. Blog. You needn't do it alone; enlist the help of others in your organization by establishing a rotating schedule. Ask employees from each department to share a story about the role they play in developing your products and devising your ad campaigns.

2. Establish a presence on YouTube. Whether your videos are limited to what you're using in your rich media banner ads or you have additional assets like product videos, upload them to YouTube. By doing so, you'll generate additional interest in both your product and associated ad campaign.

3. Socialize. Use Facebook and Twitter to spread campaign assets beyond your purchased placements. Posting your ads to these sources or linking to pages on which your banners can be found can generate additional interest and even recruit new customers.

4. Find a partner. If you can connect with a publisher or another brand that complements your products, you gain the potential to recruit customers from their existing audience. Consider sponsoring a newspaper or magazine special feature, or co-branding a microsite that features two harmonious brands in tandem.

5. Get offline. Host an invitation-only consumer event, rent a branded bus and drive it cross-country � do something exciting offline that will generate interest in your brand online. In other words, extend your reach by extending yourself beyond the Web.




Tags: Blogs , Brand Management , Integrated , Marketing Strategy , Online , Social Media , Twitter , Interactive Strategist


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Tessa Wegert is a veteran media strategist with a background in media planning and buying, content development, ad copywriting, and campaign management. As a prominent industry writer she has been covering digital marketing and technology for leading newspapers and trade publications for over a decade. Connect with her on Twitter (@tessawegert) and LinkedIn.
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