Branded Searches: How to Optimize for Branded Searches

Ranking for competitive keywords and optimizing your web pages for conversions is the best way to increase your website traffic and boost sales.

However,

There’s another thing that your website should be optimized for; something that many marketers ignore.

One of the most effective ways to have a high-converting sales funnel is to optimize your landing pages for branded searches. In this article, I will show you what branded search is, why it is important, and how you can optimize for branded searches to boost your rankings and revenue.

What is Branded Search?

Branded search is a form of query whereby someone types a search term containing the name of your brand or product.

In most situations,

Branded searches are used by people that are already familiar with your product. You have a high chance of converting people searching your product name into customers (unlike those that randomly stumbled on your brand).

Hence,

Branded search is an important component of a sales funnel. About half of people often type ‘branded name reviews’ in Google before making a purchase.

Why Should You Run a Branded Search Campaign for Your Business?

Now that you know what branded search is;

Here are some of the reasons why you need to run branded search campaign:

It brings better traffic

The traffic that branded search gives to your website is usually more qualified than what other keywords give. In a nutshell,

Branded traffic goes further in the sales funnel and usually moves close to taking action.

It boosts conversions

People hardly convert the first time they land on a website.

The first time a visitor landed on your website may be via paid traffic and then returned to your website to find more information. The second visit is usually from users that are searching for your product and found your website organically.

It builds awareness

Branded search campaigns are useful for increasing brand awareness.

Whenever your brand ranks at the top of search results, your name will be seen by new audiences.

Ensure you manage the content that the search engines show because it is the first thing those searching for your brand will see.

It boosts brand reputation

You can use branded search campaigns to manage the content that search engines show in search results.

If you have a bad review that comes up first when users search for your company name, you can control the content in the search results by optimizing your website for branded search terms. This will reduce the effect of the negative review on your site and brand.

Unlike paid campaigns, branded search campaigns take time before producing results.

However,

You can enjoy the benefits discussed above if you have a solid strategy and you are consistent. If you’re interested in boosting your site’s SEO, you can consider a branded search campaign.

Tips for Optimizing Your Landing Page for Branded Search

Optimizing for branded searches may appear to be a daunting task.

Fortunately,

Businesses that use branded searches have control over these queries.

As a result, there are steps that you need to take to get more traffic from branded searches. These steps are important elements of your search strategy.

Here are the steps you can take to optimize your website or landing page for branded searches:

Dominate results obtained from direct searches

One important thing that you must always know when you want to optimize for branded search is this: In most cases, branded search is driven by Research Online Purchase / Buy Offline or Online (ROPO / ROBO) behavior.

This means that the searchers already know your brand and they are ready to buy your product.

They are also ready to learn more about you online.

This should motivate you to pay attention to direct search results and the first impression they make when searchers look at them for the first time.

The first impression in this case matters a lot.

Thus, you need to carry out these exercises regularly:

Perform the direct search

The direct search may include your full business name, your business name and your name/ owner’s name, your business name and your business address, and lots more.

Go through the reviews and ratings

These are the rich snippets that searchers see immediately.

By evaluating these reviews, you will know if you should channel more effort towards a specific platform to improve your rating on the platform.

You will also know if you should push any of your listings (with better reputation) higher in search results.

More so,

You will know if you should verify your presence on new local platforms (especially platforms that rank for your competitor’s name).

You can get better rich snippets that are easier to control on smaller local directories like BizJournals, Business.com, and Dir Journal amongst others.

Check third-party assets

Third-party assets include your interviews, articles about you, standalone reviews, and lots more.

Checking these assets will help you know if you need to create more assets. If you need to create more third-party assets, you will also discover if you should publicize them.

Check visual search results (i.e. images and videos)

By evaluating your visual search results, you will be able to know if they are hurting your first impression and if you need to publicize more images.

Due to the ever-evolving nature of search results, you need to carry out the tasks above regularly. You also need to create and implement a new plan at least once a year.

Gather and organize your branded search terms

Many businesses, even big brands, usually miss this step.

Don’t forget that your most important branded search is not limited to your business name. There are lots of ways through which potential customers search for your brand online.

 

Here are some of the most important ways that you need to pay attention to:

• ROPO searches (Your brand name + reviews)
• High-intent searches (Your brand name + your product or feature)
• Navigational searches (Your brand name + contact) or login
• Competitive research (Your brand name vs. your competitor’s name)

 

Your target should be to rank as the first search result for all the search types above.

This will ensure that you don’t end up losing a customer to a competitor that is advising against your brand or suggesting a better alternative.

Also,

You need to think about the ‘blended’ search results that can distract users from your brand. These include:

• Videos
• Local pack
• People Also Ask
• Product results
• Images
• And lots more

Whenever these come up for your branded search, you need to include a different strategy to conquer them. For instance, ‘brand name vs. your competitor’s name’ needs an image.

Optimize for local three-pack

Local-three pack has altered the way local search optimization is done. It is confusing lots of local businesses and marketers because they don’t see much obvious logic behind it.

Businesses don’t see any official recommendations that can help them understand what can get them into the local three-pack.

Here are some things that you need to know about optimizing for local three-pack rankings:

• Complete and verify your local listing (including newer sections such as Google Local Posts).
• Work on your Google reviews. According to Bright Local, businesses that appear in the Google Local three-pack have about 47 reviews.
• Ensure you mention the branded search queries on your landing page. This improves on-page SEO.
• Keywords are also important here. Include keywords in your business description on Google local, business reviews, and on your page amongst others.
• Use seasonal fluctuations to your advantage.

Wrapping Up

Branding is a powerful tool since it can help your website to gain engagement that will give you the results you need to boost conversions.

Branded search research is a valuable source of data online.

Unfortunately,

it is neglected by many businesses. It can help you know more about your niche, your competition, the product you sell, and problems with your website (and how you can fix them).

In a nutshell, here’s a summary of the actions that you need to take to optimize for branded searches:

• Include your brand name in meta titles.
• Identify the branded keywords consumers use to find your products or services.
• Answer questions that your consumers ask.
• Optimize your business to rank at the top of local map packs.
• Create useful tools that are unique to your brand. These tools can help you generate leads and boost traffic.
• Publish content on websites with high traffic, and
• Promote your brand offline.

Apart from generating more traffic to your landing page, optimizing for branded search will also increase the trust customers have in your brand; thereby improving brand loyalty.

This comes with many benefits such as increased brand reputation and better conversions.

To optimize for branded searches and improve your search results, you need to constantly monitor and optimize your brand strategy.