Brand building in six seconds or less.

Let’s not get off on the wrong foot here. Contrary to what YouTube and your social media platform of choice would like you to believe, six seconds isn’t enough time to build a brand. It’s barely enough time to read a headline and certainly isn’t enough time to do anything that would create customer loyalty.

But six seconds is plenty of time to make a connection. To get noticed. And perhaps to create just the smallest amount of interest.

That’s the point, isn’t it? That’s always been the point.

We use the tools at our disposal to plant a seed in the mind of our target. With every exposure, we feed that seed of an idea and try to make it grow. 

So while these new and ever-evolving digital tools create new opportunities, smart marketers will hold fast to some baseline truths to make the most of every hard-earned impression.

#1 – Your logo doesn’t mean anything

At least not until you make it mean something memorable. It’s simply a representation of some other idea or feeling. Don’t make the mistake of shoving your logo into an ad or post and expecting your audience to know what to think about it — not until you’ve made it clear what your logo represents.

#2 – No one is doing anything unless they have a reason

Do you think people are really scanning their social feed in the hopes that they can “learn more”? Is that what you do? Stop treating your call to action as a throw away item. Make it relevant to what you’ve shared with your target already and promise them something more rewarding if they go forward.

#3 – Nobody reads ads, they read what interests them 

Engage your audience with content that they care about. If you are a fun, consumer brand, do something that looks fun. If you are a serious, complicated B2B brand, identify with what you know your audience is thinking or feeling. And always reflect the personality of your brand, just like you should do in any medium.

Remember, target audiences have always possessed the ability to move on from your ad — by turning a page, clicking the remote or simply looking away. This is not a new phenomenon. So as you adapt your messaging to fit the medium, apply the same discipline and criteria for success that you’ve always maintained.

That’s the way to turn those six precious seconds into something that will in fact help build your brand.