To get people to buy your work, they need to be thinking about your work and to be thinking about your work, they need to be aware of your work. 

So today, I’m sharing 20 brand awareness ideas for artists and makers so you can live rent-free and your ideal customer's heads.

‍First of all… What is brand awareness?

Brand awareness is all about making sure your brand is the first thing that comes to mind in your industry. It’s essential whether you want to attract new clients, establish your experience, or even pivot to a new niche for example.

Think of brand awareness as knowing how many people think about your brand when they think about a specific need of theirs. For example, if someone needs help with their art branding and immediately thinks of me, that’s strong brand awareness.

To improve brand awareness, you need to be consistently engaging with your audience and your industry. By doing this, you’ll make sure that more people recognise and think of your brand FIRST when relevant topics come up!

Brand awareness is often confused with brand visibility. When people say they want more brand awareness, they usually mean they want more brand visibility.

Brand visibility is about growing your audience and getting more people to know who you are. However, it doesn't mean that they know what you do or think of you when they need a specific service (unlike brand awareness).

Increasing your brand visibility is crucial for gaining opportunities, pitching sponsored, expanding and growing your audience, and of course, boosting sales. 

While brand visibility is about how many people know you, brand awareness is about being top of mind when they think of your niche.

If you want to sell your work, gain opportunities, or position yourself strategically, focus on brand awareness. This means ensuring that people who know you remember and associate you with your specific offerings – you want to be top of mind, and basically the go-to brand for your niche.

But before we can dive into the 20 ways you can increase your brand awareness, there’s something important you need to do beforehand…

You need to define your brand’s core message first.

We need to know what it is that you want people to be aware of because there’s no use increasing awareness for awareness's sake by throwing out a bunch of confusing messages to your audience, right?!

First things first, you need to answer this question: What do I want to be known for? 

Consider these questions…

• What’s the one thing you want your audience to remember about you?
• What do you want people to associate your brand with?
• If someone recommended you, what key point(s) would you want them to mention?

Summarise your answers to these questions ^ to pinpoint what you want to be known for. This could be a specific product, cause, or service. This could be something tangible (like your apparel) or it could be something non-tangible (like the causes you care about).

Rather than spreading different messages, focus on conveying this single message in different ways.

20 Tips to Boost Brand Awareness

Now that you’re clear on what you want people to know about you, let's explore 20 different ways to get that message across effectively, build brand awareness, and live rent-free in your ideal customer’s head!

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1. Update Your Bios Everywhere

Make sure your bios on all platforms (aka Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Blue Sky, your website, and your link in bio) are consistent and crystal clear about what you want to be known for.

Whether it's your professional expertise, causes you care about, or your availability for speaking opportunities, make sure that your bios reflect this. 

If people can’t immediately grasp what you’re about from your bio, it needs an update.

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2. Consistently Post on Social Media

Kinda obvious, but I’ll say it anyway – don’t hesitate to repeatedly share your message on social media. It might feel redundant, but repetition helps reinforce your brand.

Discuss your expertise, skills, and services in various ways. For example, if you're a coach for artists, share your passion, your methods, your success stories, client testimonials, and share details about your coaching packages.

Repetition in diverse formats keeps your audience informed and engaged.

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3. Write Articles on Your Website

This is a great way to establish your expertise, establish the topic and again, showcase what it is that you want to be known for. They’re also going to last much longer than social media posts and can attract traffic via search engines, meaning that people will start finding you through Google too.

Write about topics related to your field, provide behind-the-scenes insights, and share your story with your audience too.

The best part? You can also share these articles from your website across other platforms (like your social media, email newsletters, etc), meaning you get to extend their reach even further. Win win!

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4. Publish on Platforms like Medium or Substack

Want to increase your visibility even further? Try writing articles on platforms that have built-in audiences like Medium and Substack, for example.

These types of platforms can introduce your work to new readers without you having to put in a heap of additional effort. 

You can also get more exposure without doubling your workload by repurposing (aka reposting) the articles you’ve already written on your own website, and publishing them on platforms like Medium or Substack. Again, win-win!

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5. Start a Newsletter

An email newsletter is a powerful tool for staying top of mind when it comes to your ideal customers and again, living rent-free in their heads.

By sharing regular updates, you’re constantly reminding your subscribers of who you are and what you do, therefore building more brand awareness. You can use it to share news, and your thoughts, talk about product releases, and so much more.

‍Sending consistent newsletters will also help you build a stronger connection with your audience and keep them engaged with your brand.

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6. Record Podcasts as a Guest

Appearing on podcasts as a guest is one of the best ways to talk about your work and build brand awareness.

Reach out to podcast hosts and pitch your expertise, explain why you think you’d be a great fit for their show, and even give them some examples of what you’d love to talk about with them (should you be accepted as a guest!).

This kind of exposure helps you reach new audiences and reinforces your brand to your existing followers.

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7. Write Articles as a Guest

Similarly to guesting on a podcast to talk about it, you could also guest write an article (aka contribute articles to other businesses or publications.)

This not only helps them with content but it also showcases your expertise to a broader audience. Plus, you can then share the guest articles you write with your own audience and leverage the publication's reach, which can significantly boost your visibility. Score!

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8. Start a YouTube Channel

Okay, so I know that starting a YouTube channel is a chunky undertaking, and it’s not for the faint of heart, but starting a YouTube channel is an effective way to create an ongoing conversation with your audience, (not to mention it is also a repeatable way to communicate what it is that you do in a lot of different ways!)

YouTube is a powerful platform for building a dedicated audience where you can create educational videos, behind-the-scenes content, and vlogs that showcase your expertise and personality. 

Not to mention the fact that video content helps cement your brand and your brand message in viewers' minds.

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9. Get Featured in Magazines or Newspapers

Print is not dead, my friends. So don’t underestimate the power of traditional media. 

Whether it’s for print or online magazines or publications, it doesn't matter – reach out to journalists and editors with your story or expertise. Places like Frankie magazine or Forbes are constantly looking for interesting people who have stories to tell and knowledge to share. 

Reach out to them, cause you just never know what might come of it!

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10. Sponsor Newsletters

We talked about creating a newsletter earlier, but now I’m talking about sponsoring a newsletter. Meaning, not your newsletter, but someone else’s (which can actually be perfect if you don’t have your own newsletter too!)

Sponsoring someone else’s newsletter can help you reach a targeted audience – aka your ideal clients.

‍So make sure you choose newsletters that align with your brand first and foremost and then pitch your sponsorship idea! 

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11. Ask for Recommendations and Referrals

This is especially useful if you are pivoting or niching down and you want referrals or recommendations specific to your new focus. For example, if you were niching down to just brand strategy, you could say “Hey, I'm just doing brand strategy now. Can I please have recommendations or referrals? Anybody in your network that you think would benefit from some brand strategy help? I would appreciate it, you’re the best!”

Clearly communicate your new direction to your network and request their support in spreading the word. Then in future, hopefully, they’ll think of you when they have someone who needs help with the exact thing that you do. Simple! 

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12. Create Case Studies and Personal Projects

Let’s say you’re diving into pet commissions for example. You could then start creating case studies around pet commissions. If you don't have any client projects yet, then get cracking on some personal projects.

The idea is to have solid examples to showcase. Share those case studies. Maybe even do a few freebie commissions for friends or family (I’m not a huge fan of working for free, but if you're just starting out, it is a chance to build your portfolio).

So, build that portfolio. Get those examples out there. Start getting known for pet commissions (or whatever it is that you’re doing!)

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13. Print Flyers

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, print is not dead. So print some flyers, and take them to events. If you’re at a market or something, have flyers on your table. If there are shops in your local area, ask if you can hand them out or leave some on the counter. Say, "Hey, would you mind having some of my flyers here?" or "Could I put them up on the wall for people to take?" Most local businesses will be happy to help out.

Your flyers should shout, "Hey, here I am! This is what I do. You need to know these key things about me. Here’s how you can work with me or buy from me."

That’s how you build some local community awareness. It’s a great tip for in-person brand recognition.

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14. Put Up Posters

If you want to connect with people in your local community and get them to buy your work, hire you, or support you in any way, put up posters around your area. This gets people aware of what you do and keeps you top of mind. 

Having posters around (whether in local shops or pasted up outside) keeps your brand in front of people. It’s hard to miss when folks are walking around and see a big, eye-catching poster while waiting for the bus, coming out of work, or shopping. 

It’s all about making sure people see you and remember you.

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15. Speak at Conferences

While speaking on podcasts is great, speaking at conferences can be an even bigger opportunity to elevate your presence. (Plus, conferences come in all sizes, from grand events to smaller, one-off gatherings!)

Start by researching conferences in your area or country that align with your industry or audience, then check their submission process, reach out with a compelling pitch, and go for it!

In-person events are also a powerful reminder for local audiences.

‍If they already know you online, seeing you speak live reinforces their positive impressions, deepens their connection, and boosts the likelihood they’ll choose you or recommend you in the future. 

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16. Host In-Person Workshops

Hosting in-person workshops is a fantastic way to showcase your expertise and connect with your audience on a deeper level. Whether you teach a craft, a skill, or any specialized knowledge, workshops allow you to demonstrate your abilities and reinforce your brand’s presence.

For example, if you teach hand lettering, offer a workshop where attendees can learn the basics and see your skills in action. Enhance the experience by integrating your products or services—mention a course or downloadable templates that participants can purchase for further learning.

Workshops not only highlight what you do but also provide a memorable interaction that keeps you top of mind.

‍It’s a chance to engage directly with your audience, prove your value, and solidify their perception of your expertise.

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17. Run Online Webinars or Workshops

If in-person events aren’t your thing, consider running online webinars or workshops instead. They’re a powerful way to reconnect with your audience, showcase your expertise, and remind people of your value, no matter where they are in the world!

You can cover a wide range of topics—be it practical skills like hand lettering or t-shirt design, or more business-focused content like file organisation. 

You’ll provide value, help your audience, and reinforce your brand’s message all at the same time.

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18. Attend Networking Events

Consider hitting up networking events. Whether online or in person, networking events are perfect for introducing yourself, reconnecting with acquaintances, and reminding everyone of your expertise (and therefore, building brand awareness!)

Even if you’re not speaking or hosting events, showing up at networking functions allows you to reinforce your presence. Let people know you’re still active and available, whether they’ve forgotten about you or are looking for someone with your specific skills.

Networking is all about staying top of mind and making sure your audience remembers who you are and what you offer. So, keep showing up, staying visible, and reminding people that you’re here and ready to help.

19. Target SEO Keywords

A bit more technical than the rest, let’s talk about targeting specific SEO keywords on your website and in your content... 

By strategically choosing keywords, you can ensure that when people search for related terms, your site appears in the results on places like Google, for example. This is especially effective for reminding people who already know you about your work. 

For example, if Jane, who knows and loves your work already, searches for "super cool prints for my office," and your site pops up, she’ll think, "Oh right, Jess! I forgot about Jess!" and be reminded to support you.

Using SEO to highlight your brand ensures that even if people have momentarily forgotten about you, they’ll find you again when they’re searching for what you offer. It’s a smart, technical way to keep yourself visible, build brand awareness, and stay top of mind.

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20. Utilise Pinterest

Just like with Google, you need to make sure your brand shines on Pinterest. When people search for products, services, or inspiration related to what you offer, you want your content to be front and centre.

For example, if Jane is hunting for office prints and searches Google, and TikTok, and then turns to Pinterest, you want her to find your prints right there too. 

Upload your products with direct links to your shop, and if you share informative content, you can link back to your articles too!

Pinterest is a powerful tool for visibility, so make sure your content is well-represented and really easy to find.

Psst. We’re on Pinterest! Head over and check out Maker & Moxie on Pinterest right here!

And there you have it – 20 strategies to increase your brand awareness and start living rent-free in your ideal customer's heads. 

The key is consistency: keep showing up, reminding people of who you are, and making sure they remember you when they need what you offer.

Think of it like this… 

Whenever someone thinks about the service or product you provide, you want them to immediately think of your brand.

Let’s do a quick recap:

1. Update Your Bios Everywhere

2. Consistently Post on Social Media

3. Write Articles on Your Website

4. Publish on Platforms like Medium or Substack

5. Start a Newsletter

6. Record Podcasts as a Guest

7. Write Articles as a Guest

8. Start a YouTube Channel

9. Get Featured in Magazines or Newspapers

10. Sponsor Newsletters

11. Ask for Recommendations or Referrals

12. Create Case Studies and Personal Projects

13. Print Flyers

14. Put Up Posters

15. Speak at Conferences

16. Host In-Person Workshops

17. Run Online Webinars or Workshops

18. Attend Networking Events

19. Target SEO Keywords

20. Utilise Pinterest

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I hope these tips help you to make a memorable impact and start living rent-free in your ideal customer’s head. Let me know which strategies resonate most with you on Instagram or Threads @makerandmoxie.

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Okay, friend, I have a favour to ask you! As we’ve now hit over 100+ episodes of my podcast Brand Your Passion, I want to make sure that I’m giving you more of what you want! That’s where you come in. Do you have a spare 2 minutes to answer a few quick questions to help make this podcast even MORE impactful?

In return for helping me out, I’ll send you the entire first module of my signature brand strategy course, Map Your Brand Magic, as a big, BIG thank you!

You can fill out the super quick form here ➡️bit.ly/passionpodfeedback.Thanks in advance and here’s to another 100+ episodes!