Many marketers think branding and SEO are two separate concepts. Often, discussions concerning SEO and branding reach extremes. Marketers struggle to conclude which one is a better option as if there cannot be a point of intersection between the two.
The truth is that SEO and branding can work together. In fact, they should because these two fundamental dynamics strengthen each other to create a synchronized marketing strategy. When implemented correctly, SEO and branding together can offer long-lasting advantages. So, do not waste time trying to analyze which is a potent tool. As a new age marketer, take a holistic view of both and arrive at the best marketing strategies.
Still wondering how SEO and branding can work together? Discussed below are useful marketing strategies you can count on.
Link building helps to create better brand awareness
Simply put, the process of creating brand awareness is all about increasing the acceptance of your organization’s identity. Strategic link building is the way to execute it online. By building quality backlinks, you are establishing your website's authority in the field, which helps to promote your brand as well. It brings many benefits to your business such as enhances customer loyalty, reduces the cost of customer acquisition and helps to recapture the interest of your lost leads.
A few link building methods that work include:
- Designing infographics
- Being active on social media platforms
- Broken link building
Excellent content can optimize your website and promote your brand
No one can overlook the significance of content in the digital marketing domain. High-quality content blends the best practices of both branding and SEO. To attain the best outcome, you need to create content keeping in mind your target audience and the search engine. If you focus only on what your target customers want, you might not witness any improvement in your search engine rankings. Content that is abstract and is not optimized will not do well.
Implement smart SEO practices in your content while keeping the focus on your target customers. It will help you to generate compelling content which will fetch your high ranks. Naturally, this will boost your online branding as well.
Rank for keywords in various stages of the sales cycle
Every keyword has a core search intent. It can be categorized into the following:
- Informational: Searches aiming to fetch fast answers
- Commercial: Searches that result in a purchase
- Navigational: Direct searches for a brand, person or company
- Transactional: Searches attempting to finish a task
To attain maximum branding strength, make sure that the website pages are in complete sync with the users' intent. You can achieve this via keyword research, implementation and optimization. For instance, if you own a badminton shop, you need to generate a landing page for showcasing and selling badminton rackets. It will be apt if your website ranks for a keyword such as "affordable badminton rackets." To make it happen, you need to ensure your SEO research and brand objectives are coordinated.
Utilize image ALT tags for reinforcing visual branding
Visual recognition adds significantly to a brand's authority. When people identify your logo, design and brand style, you know you have established a strong brand presence. When it comes to SEO, you need to use optimized ALT tags on pictures. Make sure that when users search for your brand, they end up on a landing page that is visually stimulating and engaging. Using ALT tags helps to reinforce your brand identity every time an online user searches for your company, product or service.
Concentrate on your brand identity through efficient keyword research
There are plenty of small businesses that try to please everyone. However, they do not possess a hyper-focused branding strategy to drive more customers. That means, they tend to lose out on a significant chunk of the audience. Also, since they have not created a definite niche, the target customers may not identify with their brand.
Want to overcome this hurdle? A smart keyword research is the solution. It benefits your brand in the following ways:
- Helps to narrow down your niche: A focused area of interest offers you the scope to fine-tune your brand message, connect with your customers better, and target your service/product offerings.
- Offers new ways of branding: When you explore a selected subset of your industry vertical, you can implement new ideas. Keyword research will give you ideas and perspectives to create new content.
Also, make use of Google's related searches. It will provide you with exciting ideas on how to distinguish your brand as you target the keywords with established SEO value. A highly focused brand identity can rule the online space.
Every business, start-up or established, wants to dominate the digital domain, enjoy an increased customer base, and experience a favorable ROI. The online space is highly competitive and dynamic. Creating a stable online identity is crucial to your survival. That is where online branding and SEO can join hands and result in better brand awareness and business scopes in the long run.