What is the most common belief about SEO trends? When a website or business ranks for targeted keywords, their brand name automatically gains recognition. It is right in some instances where the brand name contains the specific keyword or is a variant of the keyword. We agree that ranking above your competitor can mean a margin of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Can ranking #1 save your business?
Nonetheless, it makes us wonder if the ranking is everything. If so, then why do some brands not get enough organic traffic or high sales even after ranking within the top ten search results on the Google SERP?
The reason might become clear with the next example. Brand A from Brooklyn ranks below its competitor B, but the searcher recognizes the brand A. The user might have a neutral or positive emotional association with brand A. Irrespective of the type of association, he or she is more likely to click on the brand A link than brand B. Despite securing a higher rank, brand B loses the click to A.
When we search for products on Google, we are more likely to visit websites we know like Amazon, Home Depot, Etsy or Ikea than new indie stores in the list. A familiar brand name can do wonders in attracting organic traffic. However, does that also mean that smart branding strategies can make up for a difference in ranks in the SRL?
Why should you focus on branding?
One can only find the right answer to this question once they begin to unravel the mysteries of branding. Apart from setting up guidelines and brand standards, branding involves driving awareness of the company's products and services. It consists of learning the demographics of the target audience and gathering a positive brand reputation. Even customer service is an integral part of branding, but not exactly branding. Therefore, there can be only one cohesive definition of branding – creating a positive brand image by leveraging digital and traditional tools that attract consumer preference.
That makes branding an essential component of SEO strategies. Without the establishment of a company's identity within a location-specific crowd, it is impossible to draw out subscribers and buyers. In most cases, SEO experts working with SMBs and startups in Brooklyn have to begin from scratch. They have to start with molding the brand's identity within a limited budget and with restricted resources. That includes the utilization of social media platforms, email marketing services, broadcast messaging services, mobile notification campaigns and website optimization for search engine crawlers. Visit the best SEO company Vigor Seorchers to learn more about branding techniques that help websites increase traffic and sales.
How has Google ranking changed recently?
A classic Nielsen Study shows that consumers are more likely to spend money on websites that have a familiar brand name. In this study, 60% of the consumers stated that they would instead buy a brand-new product from a known brand, purchase recognized products from new sellers. People do not like switching to new brands. That shows how robust brand recognition can be and how much your company can benefit from driving a brand awareness campaign.
You must have understood the gist of it all by now – ranking #1 in the Google SRL is not what it meant even one year ago. As long as your target users see a known brand name, they will skip the first few ranks and jump right to the familiar name without considering its position. Brand recognition buys all the Click Through Rate (CTR) on the SRL right now, and there are no doubts about it! There may have been a time when ranking had an impact on CTR, but right now, SERP CTR influences rankings.
Branding influences ranking
Think about it. When more people click on a link that found a place at the bottom of the SRL, Google gets positive ranking signals from that particular site. There is no stronger signal than organic traffic that commands the Google ranks. Therefore, it is only natural to find these familiar brand names crawl up to the higher ranks within a couple of days or weeks. It is a positive feedback mechanism where Google favors the websites that a majority of the visitors prefer. It is true that content and links are still the top two direct ranking factors, but SERP CTR is quickly becoming the indirect ranking signal for Google.
According to Rand Fishkin, ranking signals and SERP quality determine the ranking of a page. Data from WordStream seconded this information. When you have brand recognition, the brand aware users are twice as likely to buy products and services from you. Whether you are selling shoes or services for HVAC systems within Brooklyn, having a brand name will help you establish familiarity with your target customers. Never again will you have to worry about losing your spot to your competitors after another search engine algorithm overhaul.