Why Branded Keywords Matter

We’ve all heard of keywords and know they play an important part in search engine optimization (SEO) and a website’s ranking. Monitoring your keywords provides a wealth of information and opportunity for fine-tuning your marketing campaigns.  However, there is a specific type of keyword that often gets overlooked: branded keywords.

While we all know the importance of @mentions and branded hashtags in the social media universe, did you know that branded keywords can also have a similar impact? While this type of keyword seems to fly under the radar, here are several reasons why they should be getting some undivided attention as a crucial tool in climbing the Google ranking ladder.

What is a Branded Keyword?

In order to understand their importance, you have to know what a branded keyword actually is and what sets it apart. Words or phrases that are directly related to your brand, product, or service are considered branded. One key aspect of these types of words is the fact that they are discoverable through social media as well as search engines. There are some common branded keyword types that you might recognize when browsing the Internet:

1. Brand names

We’ve all seen these out in the wild. Take these brand names for example:

“Google”

“Wal-Mart”

“Target”

Sounds familiar right? These are obvious and distinguished brand names that will be prevalent in search results. It is important to note, however, the difference between branded keywords, hashtags, and mentions.

If someone tweets the word “Google” this represents a branded keyword. Tagging @Google in a tweet would be considered a mention while using #Google would be an example of a hashtag.

2. Product Names

These keywords may not be as popular but can be extremely effective if used properly. Product names, also known as product lines, mention a specific product, service, or brand. The most recognizable example of a product name comes from McDonald’s, with terms such as “McRib” or “McDouble”. This gives their product a sense of identity. When people think of these specific items on the menu, they will instantly associate them with the McDonald’s brand.

Some other examples include:

• Beefy 5-Layer Burrito (Taco Bell)
• Double-Double (In-n-Out Burger)
• Geek Squad (Best Buy)

There are also examples that include the company’s name along with the product. These are very easy to notice as seen in these examples:

• Amazon Alexa
• Microsoft Surface
• Samsung Galaxy

3. Intentional Misspellings or Name Variation

You might wonder, why would a company misspell a word on purpose? Well, it’s surprisingly useful when applied in the correct situation. People tend to remember the spelling of these brands due to their uniqueness.

The term “Camelpak” (camel pack) has gained great popularity due to its unusual name. There are many people who will likely associate their products with camping or hiking due to this piece of branding. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts used alliteration to their advantage as they adjusted their brand name to something more distinguishable. This gives the company an opportunity to separate their products from the word “doughnut”.

There is a deeper meaning to these misspelled names, however, as their SEO potential increases greatly because of their special names. In the race to get a unique domain name, these highly-identifiable brand names shoot to the top of the search result rankings. Think about it, customers will likely search “Camelpak” due to its convenience instead of “hiking backpack”.

Why do Branded Keywords Matter?

A few of the examples above have shown the clear effectiveness of branded keywords, but there are more reasons why you should make the most of these distinguished terms.

Increased Potential for Meaningful Customer Interactions and Support

The reason why many companies look past branded keywords is that the business does not receive a notification when someone searches their name, unlike a mention or hashtag on social media.

By optimizing your keywords, you can find more avenues to interact with your customers, even if they have failed to tag or @mention your company. By keeping track of related keywords, you’ll be able to track the activity of your customers with more proficiency.

More In-Depth Analysis

Tracking your keywords and interactions more closely can help you see how you are stacking up against your competition. Once again, not everyone is going to tag your company, so it is important to monitor these keywords to receive true feedback.

This can also give you an idea of your competitor’s ad strategies. In fact, sometimes potential customers will directly search for competitors. For example, a customer might search for “[brand name] competitors” if they are not currently satisfied with their product. Doing this for your company is a good way to measure where your company ranks amongst the competition.

Better Understanding

Overall, these branded keywords will give your company the opportunity to market your brand while monitoring your effect on your consumer base. Taking an in-depth look at your customer’s experience with your product or service can be particularly helpful in your business’s attempt to grow. Branded keywords give your company the knowledge needed to have SEO success going forward.

Don’t make the mistake of overlooking the potential that branded keywords can offer. By making them a priority in your marketing plan, you will be sure to gain a competitive advantage that results in improvements in both brand awareness and sales.

Need help with harnessing the power of your branded keywords or improving your website’s search traffic? Call SeoTuners today for an affordable solution for your business to increase exposure with custom SEO strategies. We are confident that we have a solution for all of your business marketing needs.