In order for a business to remain relevant in search results, its website must have just the right mix of SEO and brand awareness. The two go hand in hand, reinforcing each other and creating synced marketing. However, it is important to understand what branding is. Many people assume it is simply a color scheme and a recognizable logo, but it also involves how a customer interacts with a business. Reviews, recommendations and social media all play a part.
Link Building as Brand Recognition
Link building is vital for a business website that wants to rank high in search engine results. Internal link building is important, but external links are also required for high-ranking SEO. Website managers should work to get links back from relevant authority websites. Infographics are another way to build both brand awareness and search rankings. One thing highly recognizable brands have in common is social media. Those who interact with customers are often recognized as more favorable. As SEO improves, backlinks build up, which further improves optimization.
Audiences Should Be Targeted
The old saying goes “you can’t please everyone,” and the same is true when it comes to brand recognition. A business website should focus only on its intended audience. A narrow niche allows the business to create a more streamlined message as well as targeted offers. Together they draw in serious customers who are interested in purchasing a product or service, not just browsing for random information.
Local Branding Should Not Be Neglected
Businesses such as brick and mortar retail stores and restaurants rely on local branding to reach potential customers. Local branding requires good placement of location keywords in SEO, but it is also about customer service.
“A lot of our inbound links come from our satisfied customers, when we deliver excellent customer service people tend to talk about it online”, explained Todd Sumney, CMO at HomeSmart.
When people have a good experience with a company, they are likely to leave a good review. When they have a bad experience, they are even more likely to leave a negative review. Good customer experiences result in good reviews. All it takes is a quick Google search to prove the importance of the customer experience. Search “best restaurant in New York City.” The first result is a Google map with business information and a rating. Search “worst restaurant in New York City.” The most visible results are reviews using the exact phrase in relation to restaurants where reviewers received bad service. No company wants to be in that list of results.
Even if a business uses the best SEO practices when it comes to technicalities, it won’t get far without recognizable branding. When you look at how Google’s algorithm has changed, brand signals become more and more relevant. Brand awareness equals organic rankings. Create and implement a digital marketing strategy to build both.
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