Building a Digital Brand for the Future

In the 1/14 installment of This Week in Marketing, we welcome Aaron Cuker, founder of Cuker Agency up in Carlsbad. Cuker Agency, winner of multiple WMA awards, is a full-service agency offering growth strategy services, website design & development, digital marketing, and much more.

The focus of our show today is all about building digital brands.

Segment 1: Kicking Thing Off

We kick off the show by getting Aaron’s background in the digital business world and how Cuker Agency was formed. He then gives us a few of his favorite brands and why he likes them.

As we dive into the concept of brand building, Aaron provides his take on the most important elements involved in the process. Spoiler: it’s all about the story!

We cap off segment one talking about how the process of building a brand has changed over the years and what the game looks like nowadays.

Big takeaway: Digital channels are expanding and evolving every day – building a brand requires a team with expertise in each.

Segment 2: Building a Digital Brand from Day One

Segment two dives right back into the details of building a digital brand – with Aarons take on some of the biggest day-one mistakes businesses make (before reaching out to an agency). Truth be told, the biggest mistakes often stem from going the cheap route and charging into a market with too much competition. Aaron walks us through the right way to approach building a brand and how to develop a story.

We end the segment examining the process a bit deeper by discussing the monumental role of content in building a brand – and providing an emotional pull for customers.

Big takeaway: The early stages of building a brand is all about using content to get the product/service out there in an aspirational way.

Aaron gives us an excellent quote about the process: “Marketing needs to show the idealized version of your customers’ life with the product integrated into it.”

Segment 3: Social Media’s Role in Building a Brand

The third segment of the show expands on the duty of content in building a brand – then gets into distribution, social media, and how to maximize the value of the brand story. Aaron gives his biggest social media takeaways of the decade and discusses the emerging channels and trends to keep in mind for the future.

We shift the conversation to influencer marketing – and how companies can use influencers to build their brand.

Big takeaway: We can expect to see more transactions on social media. Brands need to be focusing on how they can leverage this trend to get their product in front of more interested eyes.

Segment 4: Educating Clients on Building a Brand

In the final segment, we pick up where we left off with influencer marketing. Aaron gives some good advice on how brands can work with the right influencers to get the biggest bang for their buck – the process goes way beyond simply looking at the follower count!

To cap off the show, we talk about how agencies can educate clients on the importance of building a brand. Aaron gives us some expert insight on how to allocate a budget in the early stages for long term success.

The final minute of the show involves Aaron’s take on what the process of building a brand might look like in the future.

Big takeaway: Don’t sell champagne dreams when the client only has a beer budget. Start by doing the necessities exceptionally well, then work your way up as the business grows.

Whether you’re a new business, agency, marketer, or anyone in the digital space looking to build a brand, this episode is jam-packed with value!