• Business Tips

Why Branding Is Important to SEO

  • Felix Rose-Collins
  • 9 min read
Why Branding Is Important to SEO

Intro

Every brand needs its “personality” to stand out in the market. Businesses make their mark on consumers and customers through branding, but it’s more than that. It's a technique for increasing search engine rankings that often gets overlooked.

People are more likely to seek out specific products or services that they can associate with your powerful brand identity than the general product line they need. For instance, they search for “brand x” directly rather than the type of product this brand has because of its outstanding branding.

And this article gives you a clearer picture of how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) contributes to brand awareness.

How Does SEO Affect How Well a Brand Is Known?

A company's goal in building its brand's reputation and awareness is to have it stick in consumers' minds. In addition to being familiar with the brand's name, consumers should also be aware of the brand's values, personality, specialties, and products. It leads to not only identification but also an established brand as distinct from other brands.

Branding and SEO as Ways of Marketing

One of the businesses' most common marketing goals is to raise brand recognition. Who wouldn't want to engage more closely with customers and win their hearts? To reach the broadest possible demographic, several brands employ marketing methods that help centralize their audiences' definitions of their brands.

Search engine optimization is one of the most potent possibilities, yet companies often overlook them when they devise tactics to raise brand exposure. SEO is fine-tuning a website or web page to perform better in organic search results. It involves distributing material in highly trafficked online areas that is informative and useful to the target audience, thereby demonstrating the brand's expertise and value.

The Impact of Branding on SEO

Having a well-known brand also helps with search engine optimization. Increasing brand recognition and awareness among consumers leads to increased Google searches, where search engines heavily emphasize that.

Google's algorithm for SEO is keen on learning which companies have the highest level of public recognition. After all, it's important to provide consistent customer feedback, and more robust, established companies typically offer better content.

Because of Branding, Consumers Click on “Known” Retailers' Links (Image source: searchengineland.com)

Research in 2013 on “Brand Bias” has shown that seventy percent of consumers go first to well-known brands before selecting the websites to click on when searching for a product online. This research indicates that because of the great image a brand has or the branding the brand entails, awareness is established, and searches will rise to the top.

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This research has been done in the past years. So, how many more implications does it mark in the rise of technology and links where individuals need to think before clicking? As a result, search engine optimization and visibility strengthen one another. Gaining a high Google ranking increases the brand's market recognition, and increasing brand recognition enhances the company's name in Google's eyes.

Long-Term Effects of Branding

Building a recognizable brand requires more time than any typical sales cycle. Listening to and processing input from customers is a time-consuming process. Improving upon flaws and using them to your advantage is a process that requires time.

Aligning the procedures and culture also requires some time. However, keeping one's brand in consumers' minds might reap the rewards when they make purchases. And where do the vast majority of shoppers initially turn when they need more details before making a purchase? Google.

Long-Term Effects of Branding (Image source: workfront.com)

If a business has optimized for the right keywords, it will be more likely to appear in search engine results at certain times. The catch, however, is that most companies are aware of this, making competition strong for those sought-after vital phrases. That's why creating a brand that people will actively seek out is crucial.

The Influence of Your Brand's Credibility on Online Searches

Creating a recognizable brand is like doing SEO backward. It's good for your brand's internet presence to have plenty of people talking about it online in different ways (reviews, social media, citations, and backlinks). When people talk about your brand online, search engines like Google and Bing will take notice.

Your site's visibility and popularity will increase, leading to more visitors and potential buyers. This is because, even if your site has excellent content and is highly optimized, it has a considerably smaller chance of being discovered by random internet users via search engine results pages (SERPs).

Ranking and Branding Goes Hand-in-Hand

Ranking and Branding Goes Hand-in-Hand (Image Source: Unsplash)

Google's algorithms will begin associating your brand with a product category when there is significant digital engagement with your brand. As your brand's awareness grows, so does its ability to influence online, as measured by the number of queries made using that brand's name on Google.

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Consider the famous Kleenex brand as an illustration of this. It is now considered interchangeable with toilet paper and facial tissue. You can "rig" the system so people won't look for "facial tissue" when they go online by giving your product a well-known and respected name in the industry. It is more likely that they will search for the brand name "Kleenex" instead.

This level of brand authority is desirable since it means you have dominated not only the SERP but also the all-important consumer's thoughts about your brand. Though SEO can help, the real work is done by branding in this case.

Increased Brand Awareness Is a Direct Result of SEO's Efforts

The goal of every marketing campaign should be to raise the profile of a product or service. However, SEO is sometimes disregarded in favor of more visible marketing tactics like paid advertising. In the end, though, many of these tactics are too costly or time-consuming, particularly for smaller enterprises.

Planning includes SEO results in a more cost-effective and productive outcome. Let's dive into how SEO helps spread the word about a company's products or services.

1. An Organic Strategy for Raising Brand Reach

Effective search engine optimization employs an organic strategy. In other words, earning exposure in the media and online Google rankings without spending a dime is possible. However, please know that we are not claiming that SEO is free.

For the plan to be effective, you'll need preparation, expertise, and resources. Still, SEO tends to be more helpful with cost and other online and offline tactics. It's crucial because small businesses can't always compete with big names. However, SEO allows you to develop methods centered on niches and less common long-tail keywords, which can boost a site's rankings in Google's search results.

An Organic Strategy for Raising Brand Reach (Image source: globalsocialmediamarketing.com)

Brand identity (Corporate Branding) enables more individuals in the target demographic to recognize the brand more. As a result, search engine optimization can significantly expand marketing efforts. What is even more fascinating is that this range is exceptionally qualified. People interested in the brand's products are exposed to it more frequently.

2. Strengthening the Brand Improves Website Experience

A page must provide helpful information to rank highly in search results. This creates and maintains its status as an industry leader. The contents should aim to demonstrate the value of the brand to consumers.

Strengthening the Brand Improves Website Experience (Image source: marketing-interactive.com)

Content Marketing is a cornerstone of SEO, and its ability to educate and inform consumers directly correlates to increased brand loyalty. Content ranks highly on Google and is exposed to a larger audience. In addition to this benefit, it enhances the user's overall journey around your website.

A page must do more than just provide helpful information to impress Google. User Experience guidelines demand that it be intuitive across all devices and languages. This helps with conversions and raises brand recognition by making people feel good about the company.

3. A Great Way to Gain Credibility in the Market

Whoever holds the top rankings on Google also has the respect of the general public and the respect of the search engine itself. You can find a page there because it provides the best reaction and experience to offer to site visitors.

As a consequence of this, the results that appear initially to a user are reliable resources. It is essential for the success of a brand that people regard as credible and trustworthy.

A recognized factor in how high a website appears in search results is the percentage of clicks it receives, known as click-through rates. Let's pretend your site is ranked number 4 in a particular search engine. If visitors click on your site instead of the first few results, you should expect to rise in the ranks.

But why would people choose your site over those that came before it? Customers familiar with your brand are more likely to choose your official website. People who know you will click on your link regardless of how high Google ranks your competitors or how many backlinks their site has.

Google's algorithm for determining search engine rankings still strongly depends on links. Organic, relevant, and editorially earned links are what Google values most. There is no way to buy or trade for them.

How Can Branding and SEO Get Links? (Image source: sureoak.com)

It means that the ideal links to acquire are the ones that come about as a result of people visiting your website, reading your content, and then linking to it. Not all your readers will be in charge of the content selection process on a website that links to you. Some will choose to link to you, while others won't. Even if they enjoy your content, they may be hesitant to link to you if they have never heard of you. It's because you're a mystery that they're being cautious.

However, let's pretend they're familiar with your name. Let's pretend they know you as a significant player in your field. They are familiar with your company and the reputation it enjoys. It's easy to see why they'd be more apt to connect to you under these circumstances.

How to Develop a Brand Awareness SEO Strategy

Increasing your brand's visibility is as simple as developing a solid SEO plan in most cases. Readers will be interested in what you have to say and will view your brand as credible if you use relevant content. Focusing on on-page SEO may improve your site's performance in search engines for targeted keywords while also providing visitors with a superior experience. Using off-page SEO, you can prove to Google that your content is authoritative and widely shared.

Here are some suggestions, nevertheless, for businesses whose primary SEO aim is to raise brand awareness. They indicate that brand awareness is highly valued without neglecting traffic, conversions, and leads.

1. Write Engaging Articles Based on Your Experienced Niche

Creating qualities that set your brand apart and cement its position in consumers' thoughts is essential for building a solid brand identity. What sets you apart from the competition when it comes to SEO?

Write Engaging Articles Based on Your Experienced Niche (Image source: Unsplash)

One effective strategy is to develop original and authentic content that anyone can't find on other websites. And what is it that no one else has but you? That which you have learned from your personal experience. Use it when writing: provide anecdotes, highlight specifics, emphasize the experiences of customers, highlight the challenges and triumphs of the business, and so much more!

Involving customers well around the brand and setting the content apart from the countless articles on the internet requires authenticity.

2. Assure a Satisfying User-Experience

You can strengthen brand awareness by prioritizing user experience and optimizing the website for search engines—the effectiveness of the site's loading time, responsiveness, security, and buttons and links.

If your brand's website is intuitive and easy to use, you'll win over your audience. Users form a favorable impression when they can do their desired tasks without any issues or frustrations.

3. Aim for Zero-Click Optimization in Search Engine Results

Clicks and traffic are less critical when SEO increases brand awareness. Ultimately, it's all about making your brand stronger and significantly impacting consumers, right? The approach seems to pay off for Google — 40 percent of queries do not result in clicks per Moz.

Be aware that the increasing prevalence of instant answers in the SERP (Google's results page) can reduce the number of people clicking through to your site. Google has been investing in features like the knowledge graph and highlighted snippets to reduce the number of clicks required by consumers.

Aim for Zero-Click Optimization in Search Engine Results (Image source: binaryfountain.com)

Why Should You Focus on No-Click Searches Approach?

Think of your mission as spreading the word about your brand when the topic is brand awareness. To put it another way, whether or not a person clicks on your result on the search engine results page (SERP), what matters most is the fact that your brand appears there with the information they seek.

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If you want more traffic from searches that don't need a click, you need to optimize your site accordingly. In the beginning, you should make SERP snippets that are helpful to your content. The title, URL, and description not only make up the main snippet but also feature snippets and rich snippets.

How Can You Do Zero-Click Results?

Use optimization techniques to ensure that these features not only provide the user with the information they're looking for and entice them to click but also remain visible in the SERPs. Make sure you rank well for searches from a particular geographic area. This search type pulls up a summary of Google My Business, which rarely results in clicks.

However, top local results that already include your business, complete with contact information, images, reviews, and all registration options, can boost brand recognition. Customer reviews are particularly important for how people feel about the company and how high Google places local search results. So, tell people to share their thoughts and engage with the comments on Google My Business. More good ratings mean better local SEO.

Branding: The Most Efficient and Effective Method for Approaching SEO

It’s a no-brainer that combining brand awareness with search engine optimization is a winning strategy for any company looking to expand its presence online. In a significant way, the success of your brand can hinge on your ability to implement an efficient SEO plan. Gaining a reputation in the industry can boost your site's search engine rankings while satisfying customers' needs.

By focusing on link building, you may convince Google to notice your site, and your pages will gradually rise in the SERPs. However, it is cleverer to emphasize branding as it involves more than just link-building; it also establishes a reputation and a brand identity. Plus, Google is paying close attention to you!

What about the links, you ask? Eventually, they'll show up as you prioritize branding in SEO.

Felix Rose-Collins

Felix Rose-Collins

Co-founder

is the Co-founder of Ranktracker, With over 10 years SEO Experience. He's in charge of all content on the SEO Guide & Blog, you will also find him managing the support chat on the Ranktracker App.

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