Before we start talking about finding and organizing branded search queries we need to establish what exactly are they. Some call it branded search, some branded keyword but it doesn’t really matter how you call it – the basics of it are the same. It’s any query via a search engine that includes the name of your company, business, or brand. To put it simply – people are searching for your brand. Here is a simple example – you have a balloon business and it’s called “Up Balloons”. That would be your keyword, but your branded search queries can include other words too like “Up Balloons company” or if you are located in NYC “Up Balloons NYC”. Now that we have this settled we can discuss more details.
How to find branded search queries in Google Analytics?
This is of course the most common question, so we will start here and answer it. Here are a few steps you need to take, they are pretty simple and you probably know this but let’s explain it just in case :
- Your first step will be logging into Google Analitycs
- The next step is to Navigate to Acquisitions and then Search Console and after that, you click on Queries
- There you will be able to “Select Time frame”
- After that, you will be able to identify all potential variations and forms of your brand name for the report that you need
- You can use “Advanced Filters” and exclude branded queries
This is a pretty simple process and it won’t take too much of your time. If you have any problems using Google Analytics you can find some useful blogs to help you learn more about it on the Link Department website. Education is the key here. In this line of work, everything changes often and that’s why it’s important to always learn new stuff.
The second most common question
We have answered the most common question but there is one more you are probably wondering about right now. Is there any other tool except Google Analitycs I can use for tracking? The short answer is yes! You can use Google Webmaster Tools to measure branded search traffic from Google.
Improving branded search
There is always room for improvement. That is a general rule for everything in life. But here are some general tips on improving your branded search:
- find your branded keywords (don’t forget to include those extra words we showed you at the beginning of this text)
- implement local SEO
- make sure to bid on branded terms
- always publish content on quality websites
- make sure to measure branded search traffic
The importance of branded search queries
If you are wondering “is it really important to do all this and is it worth it” the answer is yes. We wouldn’t be wasting your time.
By using branded search, search engines can recognize your main site. If your website is optimized for best practices, as the most relevant site for searching by potential customers. To simple it down even more – it’s the key for your customers to find you. You want that. So, that is why it’s important. If everything is done right when people type (just an example from before) “Up Ballons” or “NYC Up Balloons” you will pop up and they will be able to find you and order from your website.
In case you need help
It’s perfectly fine if you don’t have the time to deal with this or want to make sure that everything is done perfectly. That’s why people hire SEO experts. Especially if you are already running a business you surely have a lot on your plate already.
Hiring one SEO expert or experts depending on the size of your business and needs can be the best choice. They can deal with other matters too since they know all the trends. The most important factor here is the interview. Make sure to be open about your wants and needs. There isn’t just one school for SEO so make sure to see their portfolio and their previous work. That way you will know if this is what you want. Make sure that this person fits your already existing team. That way everything will start smoothly too!
Organization
The smartest move for you (or your SEO expert) would be to create a spreadsheet in order to label, cluster, and organize branded search queries. It would be best to stack related queries closely under one main keyword so you can create a single landing page to target all of them. Make sure to note your current rankings for every query. It’s important to put a note on each type of branded query but please note that one query can be labeled as more than one type.
Focusing on branded queries
Some people think that branded search queries are a part of history, but there are a few reasons why you need to focus on them and as our final act we will show you the reasons and you can decide for yourself:
- if you already have a known brand name people will be looking for you based on your brand name so you will be getting more qualified traffic
- you will be building brand awareness
- the best thing of all – you will be able to uncover insights about your brand from search data. Using that knowledge you can fuel creative campaigns and inform other business or marketing decisions
As you can see, branded search queries are something you need to invest some time (or money if you are hiring SEO experts to help) but it will be completely worth it.