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Does Your Brand Matter to Google?

The answer to this question is yes. However, is your brand a ranking factor in Google's algorithm? Technically, no it isn't.

Let's get to the heart of the matter.

What Goes into Google's Algorithm?

Ah, the billion dollar question! That is a carefully guarded secret that one can only answer in bits and pieces.  The first thing to understand is what Google cares about. The answer is ranking factors—these are very specific criteria that Google measures and uses to decide your website's ranking in its search results. Brand awareness is NOT a ranking factor as it has far too many nuances for Google to measure reliably and use in its algorithm.

However, even though the awareness level for your brand doesn't matter to Google, it still impacts your search rankings. Here's why:

Good Branding Leads to Better SEO

This is where it gets really interesting. While branding doesn't directly impact your SEO results, it does indirectly.

Here are two examples.

  1. Better Branding = Better Links

The quality of links absolutely IS a ranking factor for Google. When you have done a good job on branding, you are more likely to generate higher quality links.

Imagine you read an article by a company you have never heard of before. The content is awesome, but it's your first time on their website or blog. You don't have enough experience or trust in the company and this might make you hesitant to share or link to the article. On the other hand, if you are on one of your favourite websites that you have been following for years, the company and their brand are instantly recognizable. So you decide, “This is a brand I can relate to and trust, AND their content is very valuable and shareable. I'm going to link to it”.

If you are that company with a trustworthy, respectable brand that is seen to add value to its audience, your branding will increase the number of organic links you receive and hence will improve your SEO results. The same thing happens with social media. The more you know, like and trust a brand, the more likely you are to share their content.

  1. Click-through Rates

Let's say a Google search reveals 5 websites above the fold. If you don't recognize 4 of the websites, but number 5 is a familiar and trusted brand, you will invariably click on that link. Google will notice that your brand is getting all the clicks, even though you are not currently ranked as high. A higher ranking will soon follow—because Google cares about what your audience wants to know.

While your brand strategy has no direct effect on your SEO, it does so indirectly in very significant ways. See this whiteboard video from Moz.

Want to increase your brand awareness with innovative, proven content marketing strategies? Talk to us at MintCopy. Call 888-646-8003 or send us an email.

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