What is brand awareness?

What is brand awareness? (And how Fenti helps businesses nail it)

You’ve probably heard the term ‘brand awareness’ many times, but often wondered ‘what is it really?’ Rest assured, you’re not alone, and it is more than just a marketing buzzword; in fact, it’s essential. Put simply, brand awareness is how much your brand is known by your target audience. It’s about being front-of-mind, memorable, and, ideally, irresistible.

At Fenti Marketing, we’ve established a bold reputation for helping businesses in Sheffield, the broader Yorkshire region, and across the UK, to build brand awareness that doesn’t just echo – it resonates!

In a nutshell, if someone sees your logo and instantly knows who you are and what you do – congratulations, you’ve nailed brand awareness! If they mistake your logo for a trendy new coffee shop, or worse, a rival business… well, we’ve got work to do.

Think about the ‘big dogs’: Nike, Apple, Greggs (yes, sausage rolls do count). You don’t need to see a full ad campaign to recognise their brand – a swoosh, a bitten apple, or a flaky pastry is enough to spark instant recognition. That’s powerful stuff.

Are there different levels of brand awareness?

Indeed, there are.

• Brand recognition: the ‘I’ve seen that logo before’ level – just a glimmer of familiarity.
• Brand recall: when someone thinks of your product or sector without prompt and your brand pops into their head.
• Top-of-mind awareness: The ultimate level! You’re the first brand your customers think of in your niche. (Side quest: read our blog about niche marketing here, after this one!).

Does brand awareness actually matter?

Building brand awareness isn’t just for the mega-brands with million-pound budgets. It’s essential for businesses of all shapes and sizes. But why?

• Trust: people buy from (and into) brands they know and trust. If they see your name consistently, they’ll pick you over a faceless competitor.
• Loyalty: repeated exposure builds familiarity and makes customers more likely to return.
• Competitive edge: when your brand is well-known, you’re the obvious choice, even if others offer similar services.

In short, people need to know you exist before they can fall in love with you. And once they do, the relationship blossoms, as does brand loyalty.

How to build brand awareness – the Fenti guide

Be consistently recognisable

Your logo, tagline, colours and tone should be uniform across your website, social media, print ads – even your van signage. It may seem overkill to you, but from the outside looking in, your branding needs to be consistent.

Target the right channels

Don’t scatter your efforts evenly – show up where your audience is. That means getting a little stalky (in a wholesome, nice way!) to learn which digital platforms your audience hangs out – are they Tik-Tok speed-scrollers, or interior design obsessives on Insta? Find out and join their party.

Create shareable content

Content marketing isn’t just blogging – that’s just one strand. It’s better to be holistic; tell your story across all your platforms. Tailor your content, too. Video, short-form and long-form copy – it’s your voice, so speak clearly. Whether it’s showcasing a new hotel décor at Radisson Blu, or unveiling a fresh dish at Napoleons Casinos, well-shot video and photos, witty captions, and local relevance make people want to hit that share button.

Invest in local SEO and partnerships

If you’re based in Sheffield (like us) or anywhere else in the UK, localised SEO works wonders. Community sponsorships, partnerships, and making your brand part of the local conversation help Google – and your neighbours – find you first.

Combine paid and organic

Organic growth lays the groundwork; targeted ads give it a push. A vital thing to consider here is the importance of creating high-quality professional content that is actually worth pushing to a wider audience. At Fenti, we help our clients build brilliant brands that people remember. Whether it’s logo design, a digital campaign or a full-blown marketing strategy, we bring decades of experience across many industry types. When Fenti goes to bat for you, you win the game. Brand-building is the framework for your whole marketing proposition; Fenti provide instant access to expert help. You only have to ask and we can demonstrate why our clients stick around.

Can you measure brand awareness?

How do you actually know your audience is noticing you? Useful measurement metrics include:

• Reach and impressions: are people seeing your content?
• Engagement: do people respond with likes, shares, comments?
• Search volume: is your brand being searched?
• Traffic trends: what’s happening out there? Is it affecting your site visits?
• Getting bookings? Contact form submissions? They all count.

The final wrap on brand awareness

Brand awareness is the lifeblood of successful businesses. Familiarity with your brand has many benefits, from recognition to top‑of‑mind recall, to driving loyalty. That’s a significant competitive edge. Combine cohesive branding, smart content, local SEO and targeted campaigns and above all, be memorable for all the right reasons.

Fancy a power-up? Fenti live to help brands just like yours hit the brand bullseye. So when you’re ready, we’re here for a chat.