Branding + Marketing

Here’s What it Means to Humanize a Brand (& How to Do it Well)

Have you ever heard the marketing term “humanize your brand?” It may sound like fancy marketing jargon and make your eyes glaze over a bit, but hang with us here because humanizing your brand may be the game-changing dynamic that could win you more business in 2021. In this post, we will unpack what it means to humanize your brand and how to do it well. Ready? Let’s get started. 

It’s no secret that social media has changed the way that consumers interact with brands. Today’s buyers have grown to expect a new level of personalization from the brands they love—particularly from a customer service perspective. For example, customers expect a quick response when they message a brand on social media. Customers also love it and grow more endeared to your products and services when you comment on posts they tag you in.  

Those steps can help to humanize your brand at a high level. That said, to really see a difference in conversions, you need to take it beyond the basics of customer service and friendly social media banter. In a world where the majority of purchasing happens online, it is more important than ever to remember that there are actual people on the other side of the screen. There is an element of relationship building that needs to take place within your digital marketing efforts if you want your leads to convert. 

It’s All About Personal Relationships 

Simply put, humanizing your brand means being personable in the way you communicate with prospects, leads, and customers. It incorporates the idea of cultivating a brand personality through making meaningful and memorable connections with your target audience. The messages you post on social media channels, in email campaigns, online advertising, and your website must be crafted in a way that makes a personal connection with your audience. If not, your brand will appear cold and indifferent and you’ll probably miss out on opportunities to grow. 

In some cases, this may mean that you have a spokesperson or brand ambassador that speaks on behalf of your company and gives a literal face to the brand you’re building. Or this could be inviting your customers behind the scenes to observe how you work together as a team. Show the personality of the collective whole and share openly about the kind of culture you’re working to build within your organizational structure. 

(See Related: This Brand Video Looks So Good You Can Practically Taste It!)

But more often it comes down to the kind of content you create to connect with your audience. While it can be extremely valuable to have an “influencer” speaking to their audience about your brand, it is even better when you can create a brand personality that makes a direct impact with your customers without needing to rely solely on an influencer to make that connection. 

One big mistake brands often make in their digital marketing is going straight for the sale without putting forth the effort to build the relationship. “Buy Now” is a terrible call to action for leads at the top of the funnel, yet this is what we see in many online advertising campaigns. Cold leads are not ready to buy, it’s more appropriate to take time to get to know them (and let them get to know you) before trying to close the deal. 

Communicate With Each Stage of the Sales Funnel

We’re all familiar with the sales funnel, but what some businesses haven’t quite figured out yet is how to communicate with their marketing personas through each stage of the funnel. How you craft messages to a cold audience should be very different from how you talk to folks who are ready to buy. Yet oftentimes, businesses skip the step of segmenting their audience and speak to the masses as if they already have their credit card in their hands. 

Keyword research should be the primary way you choose the content you create. Don’t make assumptions here. Take the time to do the legwork and find out what questions your ideal customers are searching for that your company can address. Then create content that answers their questions or solves their problems. This builds trust, authority, and credibility as your prospects make their way through the sales process. 

Think about what questions your customers are asking at each stage of the funnel. Top-of-the-funnel content is often educational or how-to in nature and should answer questions from a broad perspective, with a CTA that nudges them toward a deeper dive into your products and services. This is where video content really comes in handy as more people say that they prefer to watch videos to learn new things. 

Once people learn about the options to help them solve their problems, they’ll be ready to narrow down which products and services will best meet their unique needs. Content geared toward the middle of the funnel could include comparisons or reviews, e.g. state the differences between your product and those of your top competitors. 

Finally, buyers at the bottom of the funnel are looking for content that seals the deal. This may include opportunities for a free trial or to book a demo. If you are running retargeting ads, this is where you offer incentives such as discount codes or a free month with purchase.   

Want to Humanize Your Brand? Act Human 

At the end of the day—or the funnel, if you will—it all boils down to this: people do business with brands they trust. And the best way to build trust is to communicate with your audience like you would if they were standing right in front of you. Because so much of our buying and selling happens online, it’s easy to forget that there is a real live person on the other side of the computer screen or mobile device. 

Craft messages, PPC campaigns, website and social media content armed with thorough keyword research, and the various stages of the funnel in mind, and you will significantly increase your chances of converting more leads into new customers. 

Are you ready to learn more about setting up digital marketing campaigns from a more personalized approach? If so, check out this case study that shows how we helped a local small business use brand videos to personalize their marketing campaigns. 

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to drop us a line! We would love to help you create assets to humanize your brand and crush your digital marketing goals!