7 Of the Best Branding Strategies to Boost SEO
May 20th 2020 | By Steve Grant
Last month we looked at branding and why it is so important for search engine optimisation. Branding is a page ranking factor that works indirectly. Whilst that makes it a bit trickier to measure, the fact remains it is still incredibly important when it comes to achieving those golden rankings at the top of the search engines.
Branding is a vitally important page ranking factor. Build your brand, enhance your online visibility.
Here’s a quick reminder of how branding helps with SEO:
- It can increase inbound links – readers are happy to link to content from a brand they know they can trust
- It can encourage social sharing – people feel safe sharing material from a trusted source
- It can enhance click-through rates – results for trusted sites, even the ones that aren’t right at the top, tend to get more clicks which pushes them up the search results
- It can shape online reputation – people feel comfortable talking about reputable brands online and sharing their content
- It can boost brand mentions – talking about a brand even without linking to its content is a known element of Google’s search algorithm
So now we know why branding forms such a vital element of any SEO campaign, it’s time to look at actual branding strategies we can implement to make it all happen.
1. Make the right first impression
As we’ve said before and will say again, branding is not just about a logo or colour scheme. But having said that, those things do matter.
The visual appearance of your brand is important, because it’s what makes that lasting first impression. And it’s all in the detail. The blend of colours. The fonts. The imagery, your logo.
A branding exercise should be an in-depth process, taking into consideration your target audience, your market position and your core values. There is no point choosing a flamboyant, energetic colour scheme and lively font if you are marketing professional or medical healthcare services for example.
Once you’ve got your branding, be sure to use it everywhere for instant brand recognition. So that’s your website of course, your printed collateral, your social platforms and your signage and uniforms where appropriate.
2. Get in on the discussion
Someone somewhere is talking about a topic that resonates with your brand. Guaranteed. Whether that’s in a LinkedIn or Facebook group, on a forum or in a blog comment, there are places aplenty you could be getting in on the discussion and getting some brand recognition into the bargain.
How to find where these discussions are happening? There are tools to help, like Awario. Sign up for free then you’ll be the first to know about all the online conversations that mean something to your brand.
A word of warning though: coming across as promoting your brand is not good practice. Always focus on being genuinely helpful. If you appear to be after your own agenda, it won’t look good. Share helpful advice on the other hand and you’ll soon build a band of advocates who’ll be only too pleased to recommend you to a whole host of others.
3. Contribute your knowledge
Publishing and sharing amazing, helpful content is one of the most powerful ways to build a brand and help boost SEO. The two go hand in hand. But take it a step further and you really could be rocking brand awareness.
Guest posting on relevant third party blogs is a sure fire way to get recognised in your industry. It goes without saying that your content will need to be proper premium stuff and with your own unique viewpoint and voice too, otherwise it’s just not going to work.
Make no mistake, this is going to take time, but it really is worth the effort. Start by locating the authority websites in your particular niche. Offer to make a contribution, and keep it flowing. As time goes by, your reputation will grow and so will that of your brand.
4. Go social with competitions
A great way to build brand awareness is through the power of social media. Sharing can make content go a long way, and it takes the brand name with it.
One of the best ways to get your content shared across the various social media platforms is to run a competition. Anything that involves votes is a good option, because with a prize in their sights, participants will not hesitate to share the post to help boost their votes.
Be sure to make it relevant though, and focus only on the social platforms that are appropriate to your target audience. Otherwise it’s going to be a total waste of time!
5. Tell a story
When you put emotion behind your brand, people are more likely to engage with it. How to do this? With brand storytelling.
Once you’ve connected on a deeper level, your brand fans will become loyal brand fans, and will become ambassadors for it.
Brand storytelling is a great way to get your audience engaged on an emotional level.
6. Podcast your knowledge
If you operate in a niche sector, podcasting really is one of the best branding boosting strategies you could adopt.
Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular. Around 7.1 million people in the UK now listen to them every week. That’s one in eight people! And an increase of 24 per cent over the past year, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Sharing unique insights and knowledge is a great way to build a brand, and with a podcast you can reach an even wider sector of your audience. A great way to approach podcasting is by interviewing industry experts. An interview podcast not only establishes your brand in a niche industry, it also helps you build relationships with important people in your field.
Here’s some great advice on how to make a podcast.
7. Create trust in your brand
One of the best branding strategies to boost SEO is to deliver consistently on customer experience. Do this and you’ll give your audience something to talk about and share.
Your aim is to get people talking about you, and of course you want that talk to be positive. So go all out to create trust in your brand by providing the best possible service.
Build your brand, boost your SEO!
Google recognises a trusted brand. If you’d like to discover how Figment can help you build your brand in every way so that it fully supports your SEO campaign, why not get in touch?