What Is Branded Search? | Proven Tips to Increase It Fast
Instrucion
What happens when a user searches for the name of your business rather than a generic term like "best gym shoes" or "marketing software"? That’s branded search in action—and a strong indication of brand recognition, customer devotion, and trust.
Branded search is search queries that contain the brand name or a close alternative of the brand name—such as “Nike sneakers,” “HubSpot CRM,” or “Starbucks coffee close to me.” Most marketers pursue generic keywords, but branded search is neglected even though it is also one of the most converting segments of organic traffic.
In this piece, we’re going to lay the foundation for understanding what branded search is, why it’s more important than ever in today’s competitive online landscape, and how to craft a strategy that builds branded search over time.
Whether you’re a B2B SaaS marketer or an eCommerce brand manager, enhancing your branded search is going to make your overall SEO branding strategy that much stronger.
What Is Branded Search?
Branded search is where people search for queries that contain the name of your brand, an alternative to it, or an associated trademark. It may be straightforward like “Slack login” or subtle like “Spotify student pricing family plan.”
These searches indicate that individuals already have some familiarity with who you are. They've heard of your product, noticed an ad, read a review, or perhaps heard someone mention your brand. They aren't just seeking a solution—they are seeking your solution.
However,
Branded Query | Non-Branded Equivalent
Airbnb experiences | vacation rentals close to me
Asana Templates | Project management tools
Allbirds shoes | "sustainable sneakers"
Branded vs. Non-Branded Traffic
Let us distinguish the main point.
Branded traffic = individuals looking for the exact brand or specific product name.
Non-branded traffic = users looking for generic industry terms or issues without making specific mention of a brand.
Knowing the difference assists marketers in creating smarter campaigns that not only attract brand-new users but also drive brand recognition and repeat usage.
Why It Matters
Why should you care about branded search? Because individuals searching for your brand name are already in the consideration or conversion phase of the customer journey.
Branded search provides the following:
● Increased Click-Through Rates (CTR): Branded keywords have a 2x greater CTR than non-branded terms, based on a study by WordStream.
● Improved Conversion Rates: People looking for your brand are more likely to trust you and purchase from you.
● Lower Cost of Acquisition: These leads usually originate from organic sources such as word of mouth, PR, or social media—not costly paid advertisements.
● Insight Into Brand Awareness: A rise in branded queries normally indicates effective branding or marketing efforts.
Google also prefers to rank branded articles higher whenever they are in accordance with the user’s intention—hence, having that branded SERP can help you rank above the competition, generate traffic, and maintain reputation.
Branded searchers are further along the sales funnel. They are not browsing for information—they are considering particular providers. It is where the profits are made in eCommerce and SaaS.
With Google Search Console, you may also categorize the performance report to measure branded search terms and impressions. Branded traffic tends to have a lower bounce rate and longer time spent on site.
Five Steps to Drive Branded Search
This is the core of your strategy. Here are actionable ways to drive branded search volume—and enhance the quality of that traffic.
1. Establish Brand Identity
You cannot search for something that you cannot remember. People search for brands that they remember.
Begin with consistent visuals (logos, colors), tone of voice, and storytelling throughout all of the different touch points—your site, social, emails, and even customer service conversations.
If your readers are able to identify your material without even noticing your name, you are doing something right. Consistent branding creates memory cues that lead to branded searches naturally.
2. Content Marketing
Develop content that resolves issues while making the solutions discreetly linked to your brand name.
Examples:
● Signature blog series such as "The Shopify E-commerce Trends Report"
● Branded frameworks or templates for thought leadership
● Branded podcasts or videos featuring recurring intros/outros
Utilize branded language to include within the content of headlines and descriptions so that they appear in SERPs and condition the user to link the brand to specific solutions.
3. SEO for Branding
Indeed, branding and SEO can (and should) complement each other.
Here’s how:
● Use your brand name in title tags and meta descriptions.
● Increase brand presence using schema markup to organize data.
● Combine brand with long-tail terms like:
Asana onboarding template
Asana project schedule
Asana project timeline template
When people search for related things about your business and continually see who you are across multiple listings, brand awareness is bound to grow.
4. Branded PPC Campaigns
Why bid on your brand? Because you'll dictate the message and drive out competition.
Although organic listings can rank #1 for your brand, paid ads enable you to:
● Promote special offers
● Try different CTAs
● Send traffic straight to high-converting pages
Branded keywords tend to be inexpensive to bid on, and well-done branded efforts can support organic efforts.
5. Social Media & Influencers
Social chatter has a direct influence on search activity. A single viral tweet, TikTok or YouTube video can stimulate thousands of brand searches overnight.
Make influencers include the brand name in their captions, not only generic terms.
Also:
● Use consistent tags
● Strengthen your brand in post copy
● Track branded mentions using tools such as Brand24 or Mention
The more you’re talked about online, the more you provoke curiosity—that leads to people searching for your brand directly.
6. PR & Media Coverage
When an authority publication, podcast show, or journalist mentions your brand, it gives you credibility and visibility.
The mentions tended to prompt searches for:
○ "Who is [your brand]?"
○ "[brand name]"
○ "Brand alternatives"
Even mediated exposure can greatly elevate your branded search volume whenever your name becomes unforgettable in readers' minds.
7. Offline Channels
Do not undervalue the influence of real-life branding. Event sponsorships, business cards, packaging, and billboard advertisements shape search behavior.
Examples:
● QR codes on packaging or posters that lead users to search for your name
● Sponsoring a podcast or webinar that mentions or quotes your brand repeatedly
● Catchy slogans or jingles that consumers subsequently Google
The trick is to have the offline exposure mention explicitly your name and value proposition.
Mistakes to Avoid
It is easy to overlook branded search in pursuit of high-volume generic terms. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:
● Overlooking branded SEO – Failing to optimize for your brand or depending solely on the visibility of the homepage.
● Not keeping track of name variations – Customers may abbreviate or misspell your name. Track and also optimize for these.
● Based too much on paid – Paid advertisements are useful but organic branded presence develops long-term trust.
Consistency is everything, and being everywhere is paramount. If you look good on one but not the other platforms, people might lose faith—or even forget about you.
Conclusion
Branded search is not a vanity metric. Branded search is the gauge of the health of your brand, the effectiveness of your marketing, and the devotion of your customers. Branded search converts more, costs less, and provides you with greater control over how individuals locate you.
You are missing out on qualified traffic—and sales—if you are not proactively building branded search.
Optimize your site first, doubling down on the content, promoting the brand consistently on every channel, and then tracking the data to tweak your strategy.
Want assistance in developing a brand search strategy? Talk to us about a customized SEO branding audit or learn more about Building Brand Authority with SEO.