Exploring the Benefits of Branded Keywords

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

Guest post by Jessica Sanders of ResourceNation.com

Branded keywords: You don’t have to work for them; they rank you organically, and are unfortunately often underused. Commarketing.com defines branded keywords as, “Keywords or keyword phrases associated with a brand. Typically branded keywords occur late in the buying cycle, and are some of the highest value and highest converting keywords.”
These keywords come from your continual use of them online – in the title of your website, in blog posts, in various pages; essentially your website and social platforms are covered in them. Because of this, they are valuable for your search engine rankings, but also for your PPC marketing. Fix a struggling campaign by placing the right keywords in the right places or boost credibility instantly.

Reap the Benefits
Although you are already ranking organically for your branded keywords, you’re still up against well over a 100,000 other competitors who are also showing up on the page. Thus, using branded keywords in your PPC campaign as well can do wonders for your brand.

Amplify-Interactive.com explained, “Click through rates increase for terms where you have both an organic (SEO) and paid (PPC) presence. Not only do you own more of the search results page real estate … but perhaps there’s a gain in brand perception and credibility as well.” Let’s break that down:

1. Credibility: When you show up in multiple places in a search your brand looks authoritative, potentially giving you greater credibility.
2. More impressions: Being on the side of the page and in search results allows you to be seen in more places.

Use Them Correctly
Once you’ve decided to go ahead with branded keywords in your campaign, you have to be sure to do it right. From budgeting correctly to making the most of ad text, you won’t see results if you don’t make it work for you. Luna Metrics suggests:

1. Split up your keywords: Put various terms in your different campaigns to get the most use on all fronts.
2. Up your CPC: You want these branded ads to be front and center, so up your budget to ensure you’re at the top. This is what will allow your customer to connect you, the keyword and your credibility to one brand.
3. Use the correct verbiage: This is your chance to show your customer you are associated with that keyword. Be sure to brand yourself here.

Bid on Your Keywords
While you’re likely getting a significant amount of traffic from branded keywords, there is a chance that your competitors are too. However, because the terms are more specific than generic keywords, there is speculation on whether bidding on your branded keywords is a waste of money. The argument goes that if a customer is searching with a branded term then they are likely looking for you, or will find you in the search results anyway, and therefore click through.

However, this ultimately will come down to budget. NetworkSolutions.com suggests, “Keep in mind, however that you’re paying for clicks – make sure your budget can handle the clicks that will result from your search volume. Even inexpensive clicks can add up quickly.” So, consider your options.

Scenario 1: You are already getting organic traffic from your branded terms, most likely a considerable amount. Focus on paying for your unbranded keywords and allow the organic traffic to continue in.
Scenario 2: Cost per conversion on branded keywords will be minimal. Because the customer may already be looking for your site, and they would click there anyway; it’s easy money.

Whether you choose to bid on your keywords, use them in your PPC campaign, or just let them work their magic, branded keywords are a valuable asset to any company. As organic traffic, you can rest assured you’ll be seeing positive results on a continuous basis. However, if you so choose to harness that power, you can make a real difference when starting a new campaign or picking up an existing one.

Jessica Sanders is an avid small business writer touching on topics that range from social media to business management. She is a professional blogger and web content writer for ResourceNation.com.