At DNRG, when we see drops in traffic with clients or prospective clients, there are a few different reasons why this might be. One such reason is a drop in branded search. So what do we mean when we say ‘branded search’? Why can branded search drop, and what can be done to improve branded search?
What is branded search?
The term ‘branded search’ refers to search terms that include a branded term. Sometimes a user will be searching for a general service (e.g. a plumber), so will search for a general search term. However, if they have a business in mind and search in Google rather than typing in the website’s address, then that will be branded search.
Branded search can also be used if a user is searching for a branded product that is available in different retailers, such as a specific pair of trainers.
Branded searches tend to be conducted later in the marketing funnel. Potential customers will already have awareness, so it’s likely that they could fall anywhere within the consideration, conversion or loyalty areas. If they’re searching for your brand, then it’s very likely a user would have bought from you before, used your service or heard of you from word of mouth.
Why has my branded search dropped?
There are a few different reasons why the search volume of branded terms reduces. This could be because you’ve paused a PPC campaign or cut back on traditional marketing such as TV or billboard adverts. It could also be down to a competitor taking traffic from you, but it could also be the sign of an industry trend, where you and your competitors are seeing a slowdown in business.
In any instance, a drop in branded search can lead to a big reduction in organic traffic coming your way. They’re the visits to your site that come through organically finding the website in a search engine result. Organic traffic will usually be the largest set of traffic coming through to your website (paid traffic is usually second), so a drop off can see page views, and then conversions, take a downturn.
How can I improve branded search for my business?
There are a few ways that you can improve the search volume of branded search terms.
In-Person Marketing
Whilst digital marketing is a huge area you can utilise, there are some times where in-person marketing is beneficial, getting in front of real people and marketing to their faces. This can be through exhibitions, flyering, running events and product demonstrations. You can put a face to a brand, and also be sure you’re interacting with a real person.
There are certain drawbacks to in-person marketing, such as the lack of data capturing and remarketing capabilities, but it shouldn’t be overlooked as part of a well-rounded marketing strategy.
Paid Advertising
If you’re looking for people to remember your brand and the products you offer, paid advertising is where you can leapfrog your competitors to get exposure for your products and/or services.
You can do this through traditional paid advertising such as TV and newspaper adverts; but many businesses are preferring to tap into the digital market by using PPC advertising, which can advertise specific specific products and services that you offer in search engine results.
Traditional paid advertising can be costly, especially if you find that you’re competing with large companies for competitive advertising slots.
SEO
There are a few SEO techniques you can adopt to boost branded search. The first is by including your brand in site meta titles and descriptions, which puts your brand at the forefront of customers’ minds.
You should also look to optimise your business for Google Business Profile, ensuring it’s up to date with locations you serve, opening hours, images, updates and a company description. Getting added to map packs can also help to put your business at the forefront of local searches.
Digital PR
Digital PR is a recommended way of increasing your branded search, as well as the overall reputation of your business. It can increase the organic traffic coming to your site through well-placed authoritative outreach, placing your brand in high-quality articles in well-reputed publications. It gives you the opportunity to become an expert in your field, whilst also directing relevant users and prospective customers to your site.
Digital PR at DNRG
The best solution when it comes to quickly improving branded search is by using Digital PR. At DNRG, we offer Digital PR as a bespoke package as well as an addition to our SEO offering. Contact us today to speak to one of our experts about our Outreach and Digital PR packages, as well as our other digital marketing services including PPC, Paid Social and web design.
