Are You Owning Your Brand in Search?
It is the golden age for brands on the Internet. Have you noticed that search engines are making it easy even for small brands to achieve success? The branded SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is more powerful and comprehensive than ever, because search engines aren’t just matching queries with keywords. They are matching real people with destinations, famous people, stores, events, definitions, products and more.
For example, Google knows that when you type in “Fox,” you’re probably looking for news, not information about a fox.
You may be thinking “Duh! Of course ‘Fox’ means ‘Fox News’.” However, this is truly a fundamental change in the way search engines work (albeit a much better one), because they are thinking more like a human would.
For Google, this is called “semantic search” or “entity search” and Google’s recent algorithm updates have a big role to play. It understands the people, places and things users are searching for, because it’s listening to users. It knows when users are looking for a brand vs. trying to find information. For example, try Googling “what is a fox?” It delivers very different search results than “fox.” (Go ahead, try it!)
The search engines are getting better at understanding our queries. Search engines know when you are a distinct person, place or thing, which is great for brands. However, it also means that SEO can (and must!) support your brand. Otherwise, you will be missing out on very valuable branded search traffic.
It’s important to take advantage of and pay attention to your branded search terms. For instance, try googling your brand. Does your website rank #1? Do you take up most of the page? If you don’t rank #1 for your brand, how will people find your business?
Another reason it’s important for Google to understand your brand is because of Online PR and brand mentions. If there is buzz on social media or in the press about your organization, Google needs to know that it’s about you. You don’t want to miss out on natural brand mentions, because they are now considered “implied links” and have a positive impact on your ranking.
Do you own your brand in the search results? You don’t have to be a big brand to take over the whole page.
(Note: the rest of the page is populated by The Grommet’s social media profiles.)
Here are a few tips for owning your brand in search:
- Pick a unique brand name – It may be helpful to get Internet marketing consulting before deciding on a brand name. A marketer can help you find out whether or not someone else’s business is already ranking for that brand and what domains are available.
- Be consistent – Don’t optimize your domain name with keywords. Use your company’s real name and be consistent with social media profiles. For instance, the Grommet has “facebook.com/thegrommet” and “pinterest.com/thegrommet.” They probably encourage people to use #TheGrommet.
- Do Online PR – Since brand mentions are now beneficial for SEO, brainstorm ways to generate natural buzz about your organization.
- Claim Your Brand in Adwords – Branded PPC ads, although somewhat counter intuitive, can be a great way to absolutely trademark your brand in the eyes of Google, drive awareness for seasonal marketing campaigns and collect detailed keyword information about how visitors are searching for your brand (that would be otherwise unavailable for organic visits).
For more information or to learn how Internet marketing can impact your brand, contact Full Media today.
