Branding Archives

What Does Your Company Need to Know About Branded versus Non-Branded Search Terms?

Building an SEO strategy can be a challenge for business owners. You’re an expert in the products and services that your company provides, but very few business owners are familiar with the ins and outs of SEO, and that includes the crafting of search terms to boost your search engine presence. But understanding the way that search terms work is key to your success in building a high online profile.

What is the difference between a branded search term and what is a non-branded search term?

A branded search term uses the name of your business within the search term. This may consist of the name of your business alone, or in conjunction with the names of specific brands of items your business sells. For instance, your branded search term might be “Jennifer Miller Photography” or, if you sell Mpix branded photo albums to your customers, another term could be “Jennifer Miller Photography Mpix Photo Books”.

In contrast, non-branded search terms do not include the name of your business. They contain words that potential customers may use in order to search for a business that offers products and services that yours offers. For instance, you might use non-branded search terms such as “family photography”, “high resolution photo books”, or “professional photographer Cleveland”.

Should you be using branded or non-branded search terms?

Branded search terms are an important part of any business’ SEO strategy. When your customers search for your business, you want your website and social media profiles to rank at the top of their SERP (Search Engine Results Page).

But non-branded search terms target users who are not yet customers. If a user needs a professional photographer in their local area, they’ll search for the products, services, and location they are looking for. By zeroing in on the terms they are likely to use when they search, you’ll attract potential new customers to your site. For this reason, non-branded search terms are an essential part of your SEO plan.

How can you effectively use non-branded search terms?

First, research what your potential customers may be looking for. What are the products and services that attract people to your business most frequently? Build your non-branded search terms based on those products and services. You’ll also want to keep in mind the questions you’re frequently asked by customers, and use that terminology as well. Finally, think about your competitors and what their customers might be looking for. Make sure that your business appears in searches that might otherwise turn up hits for your competitors.

Hiring a professional web design firm will not only help you to build an engaging and effective website, but the experts you work with will be able to talk with you about your SEO strategy, and can assist in choosing branded and non-branded search terms. This will become an essential part of your company’s business development.

Posted on 10/18/201609/14/2021 by AJ

Branding simply is a name or identifier of your company’s products and services. Like your own name, and like names in general, some are easier to remember than others. Our goal is for the former. Something that is easy to say and hard to forget. Though it’s nice to have a good looking logo, its main purpose is to be remembered, not just revered for the artwork. Your company’s name identifies the customer with your great products and services, not the other way around. Simply put, you don’t like a person because their name, but who they are and what they represent.

Now that we have some of the basics down, I have a couple more simple suggestions to help guide you through your branding development process. The first, if at if at all possible, make your company’s name short as you can, the shorter the name the easier it is to recognize and recall. Like Apple, Google, and Facebook and many many more, all are short, sweet, and mnemonic. Also you don’t have to explain your company’s products and services thru the name and logo itself, keep the explanation for your tag line if you have to, for example Apple does not sell fruit, they sell computers and phones. Like your personal name, your logo usually doesn’t really tell us what you do necessarily, but who to find.

Like your name of your company, your design should be simple and clean as possible. Simple shapes are simply more mnemonic to the mind’s eye than complicated branding designs which makes it harder for your memory to record or latch on to your brand. Another very common mistake to avoid is changing or updating your logo habitually, try not to update or change it too often, unless you have a REALLY good justification in doing so, otherwise keep it the same. For example IBM, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes branding has been around for a quite a while, but can you recall the last time it’s branding was updated or changed? Probably not.

Again not to be to redundant, but imagine changing your name every New Year’s or Birthday, it would more than likely be very confusing for your friends to locate you. With that being said, remember to also keep in mind that the logo does not sell, but simply Identifies your company’s name with its great products and services.

If you are having trouble and hitting high tides, let us help you navigate through the rough waters of branding and design at Mango Bay Internet. Hope this was of some help…

Posted on 02/10/201609/14/2021 by admin

Category: Branding

Branded versus Non-Branded Search Terms?

What Does Your Company Need to Know About Branded versus Non-Branded Search Terms?

What is the difference between a branded search term and what is a non-branded search term?

Should you be using branded or non-branded search terms?

How can you effectively use non-branded search terms?

Navigating through Branding Development