Branded Search: What It Is and How Businesses Benefit
Branded and non-branded search results offer critical insights into your company’s marketing performance, exposing the strengths and weaknesses of your search engine marketing strategy. Join us to discover why branded search is so important and how to take control of your positioning on search engine results pages (SERPs).
What is branded search?
Anytime a user searches for your business name on Google, YouTube, Amazon, or another channel, they are making a branded search.
What are branded keywords?
A branded search may include your business name alone or with a product, service, location, or any other request. For example:
“Apple iPhone 17”
“Netflix login”
“Ulta return policy”
“McDonald’s near me”
Branded vs non-branded keywords
Monitoring branded vs non-branded keyword performance is a great way to gauge the efficacy of your marketing strategy. When branded searches for your business are on the rise, it’s a good indication that awareness is increasing and your marketing efforts are working. When they decline, you may need to reassess your paid marketing strategy or take a closer look at your competitors’ SEM practices.
Non-branded keywords reveal more about market demand and growth opportunities, identifying what your broader audience really cares about and what questions and concerns are at the forefront among potential customers.
Types of branded keywords
Most branded search terms fall into one of several categories based on user intent:
Navigational keywords: Used to find a specific website or page when the user already knows where they want to go.
Product-specific keywords: Contain brand and product name. Can signal high commercial intent.
Informational keywords: Common in the research phase, as users search for answers to relevant questions about your brand.
Competitor comparison keywords: Used to compare your brand against similar competitors or related products and services.
Transactional keywords: Includes a brand name plus an action word. These deliver the highest ROAS in pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns and often mean a user is ready to convert.
Related: What Is a Good ROAS?
What’s the importance of branded search?
So, what does all of this mean for your business? Here’s how optimizing your site for branded search results can help you achieve your goals:
Increases rankings
High click-through rates (CTR) on branded search terms tell sites like Google that the terms used are highly relevant to your site. Consistent branded searches also reinforce your status as an authority in your field. Over time, these factors build on each other, helping you dominate organic positions and push competitors lower on SERPs.
Enhances the user experience
Many people use branded search as a navigational shortcut, so a strong presence ensures seamless access to information users are looking for. This means fewer barriers to conversion. When users immediately find the content they’re searching for, they’re less likely to second-guess decisions or bounce from your site.
Boosts brand recognition
Every branded search impression reinforces your company’s name, logo, messaging, and authority, even when users don’t click. Repeated exposure to these branding assets improves awareness, bolsters your reputation, and drives traffic to your site. Let’s say a potential customer receives a referral for your company.
They immediately head to Google to research your business. If the results are relevant pages linking directly to your site, trust and engagement increase. On the other hand, inconsistent results or SERPs dominated by competitors may breed doubt and erode your performance.
Related: Why Branding Matters: The Key to Sustainable Business Growth
How to improve branded search with SEO
A great SEO strategy is the key to optimizing branded search results and taking control over the pages users find when searching for your business. Start with an audit to evaluate your brand’s performance using competitor analysis tools from Ahrefs or a similar platform. Then dial in your SEM practices to fill in the gaps in your performance.
1. Create content focused on your brand
Strategic content marketing is the ultimate long-term strategy to boost organic traffic to your site. Find out exactly what questions your audience is asking about your company and create high-quality blog posts that answer them.
Instead of letting your competitors control the narrative, publish comparison articles, pricing guidelines, case studies, and other authoritative content that puts you in the driver’s seat. Optimize your site’s evergreen content, along with your Home, About, and Contact pages to rank for relevant branded search terms.
2. Obtain quality branded backlinks
High-quality brand mentions that link back to your site are another essential piece of the puzzle. You might generate them by publishing case studies and original data, sponsoring community events, partnering with complementary businesses, launching PR campaigns, and creating shareable resources.
Not all backlinks are reputable, though. So aim for mentions in business directories, industry publications, local news features, professional associations, sponsorship pages, and other legitimate, valuable resources.
3. Level up your brand marketing game
In order to enhance search volume, you’ll need to boost brand awareness. Consider investing in:
Paid ads on social media, YouTube, podcasts, and other platforms
Targeted email campaign strategies
Referral programs
Influencer and brand partnerships
Brand events
Offline marketing protocols
Related: PPC Competitor Analysis Tools for Small Businesses
Grove helps businesses grow successful brands
Branded search has far-reaching effects on your company’s visibility, reputation, and sales. Grove Brands can help you optimize your website and tailor your SEM strategy to take your rightful place at the top of the search results pages. Reach out today and get started with a free audit!
