Brand awareness, or as some call it, brand identity, is everywhere you look. Think about your typical start to a day. You might wake up, grab your coffee and take a quick look at the newspaper or your favorite news channel on TV.

You have a quick or long commute to work. On your way to work, you most likely pass billboards or even see advertising on cars or buses that pass by.

This is all an example of brand awareness. Think about how many times you see the Nike swoosh in a month or a Pepsi or Coca Cola logo. You probably get a certain sense or feel when you see this advertising. That’s all part of creating strong brand identity.

Companies all over the world are creating themselves a brand identity, giving people a sense of who they are and what they represent. Your brand is the meaning behind your logo, your message and all your content.

For marketing, branding is typically the first step in the process. Before you start delivering your message and content to your projected audience, you must create an image of your company, or brand yourself. Once you’ve established your brand, it’s time to spread the word through the various marketing channels. Attempting to market yourself or your company without a brand identity will only confuse your potential customers or followers.

The ultimate goal with brand awareness, of course, is to be the first in line in the minds of consumers. For example, when someone wants new basketball shoes, perhaps Nike is the first brand that comes to mind. Depending on the product or service you provide, being first in line is what you are looking to achieve when it comes to brand awareness.

Keep in mind, however, that brand awareness has its pitfalls as the internet has opened up outlets for consumers to openly talk about your brand, whether it be positive or negative. But don’t let this scare you away from putting your chin out there. Work on establishing a strong, POSITIVE brand identity, and make yourself available to the public. If you can do this, your brand identity will take you a long way.

Take a look below at the following infographic to see how much brand awareness is being used.