Why Should You Invest in Branded Keywords if Your Company Ranks First on Google?

Investing in brand keywords is critical because it allows you to directly influence how your brand appears on search engines.

Search marketing is widely regarded as a critical component of digital marketing strategies.

Capturing the intent of users actively searching for your products or solutions is a no-brainer, right?

What appears to be a simple question is frequently complicated.

I've fielded the same question for nearly every brand/client I've worked with, whether it's due to budget constraints or the brand having a stellar SEO team:

"Why should I pay for brand search clicks when our organic search listing is right at the top of the page?”

To be fair to non-PPC stakeholders who might be reading this, it is a valid question.

Logically, I understand why capturing free clicks and focusing PPC budgets on tactics that will bring in new customers is appealing; however, there is a 1+1=3 effect to SEO and PPC results showing in tandem.

Let's take a look at some of the most compelling reasons why brands should continue to invest in their brand keywords.

1. SERP Authority

Search engines are an everyday occurrence. Every day, billions rely on search engines to fill information gaps in real time. They are a fantastic resource that is only growing in popularity and value.

Because we use search to solve problems so frequently, our brains naturally establish a link between the position of a search result and its relevance to our original query.

While a little out of date, Microsoft and Google have published studies that support this theory.

If you're still not convinced, consider Google's and Microsoft's recent earnings - clearly, advertisers value this placement.

In premium real estate, search ads appear above organic listings and directly below the search bar. The first thing a user sees after starting a search is usually a search ad.

Not only does your ad block out competition from this prime real estate, lowering the effectiveness of their competing offers, but you also have the ability to control the message users see.

While site content can be optimized for search results, PPC gives you complete control over how your brand's message is presented.

As the size of our screens shrinks, the importance of brand SERP management grows.

Mobile searches continue to rise across nearly all search categories. Controlling the top result of a mobile brand search is critical because the searcher's attention is focused on the few listings that appear above the fold.

When you combine your search ad with the top organic listing (thanks to your team's excellent SEO work), you now control the top of the SERP and, with it, the prospect's (nearly) complete attention.

2. Auction Dynamics

This is the simplest explanation for brand search keywords. Simply put, when you invest in a brand, you get a lot more bang for your buck.

Consider the purpose of search engines for a moment. They strive to provide users with the best possible experience, which includes returning the most relevant results for a query. You've probably seen this in action if you've ever run competitor keywords.

Engines charge a premium for clicks on competitor terms because your ad and landing page are less relevant. In my experience, competitor clicks can cost 5-25x more than brand clicks.

Consider the previously discussed SERP authority and the economies of search engine auctions. Even if your brand budget is reallocated to generic or competitor terms, an overall decrease in site visits is possible (if not likely).

Such strategies rely solely on SEO for brand visit volume, reducing the effectiveness of your PPC budget.

Even if SEO captured 100% of the visits previously driven by PPC ads, the incrementality of reinvesting in nonbrand/competitor terms is unlikely to move the needle due to nonbrand/competitor investments' relative inefficiency.

Setting up clean measurements for your own business is critical if your brand investment is under threat.

Work with your analytics teams to demonstrate how changes in investment affect total traffic to the site.

3. Meet the Customer Where They Searching 

Though the complexity of tactics in digital marketing has increased, it is important to remember why search marketing is so effective.

People looking for your brand are looking for more information about it. They are telling you what they want to learn more about.

We don't need to identify those who are close to making a purchase because their queries reveal that.

Because we do not need to push ads in front of users, search is often referred to as a pull channel. This is an opportunity to meet those who have expressed interest in your brand and deliver a tailored message to them.

Using an analogy from the real world, it's like someone approaching the front door of your store, but you don't have the lights turned on and the blinds are drawn.

Never take your most devoted fans for granted. Open the store and show them the best offer you believe will get them in the door.

4. Messaging Autonomy

It was mentioned in a couple of the preceding arguments, but the value of tailoring your message to users who are interested in your brand outweighs the cost of the click.

To establish SERP authority or convert prospects interested in your brand, you must have a tailored message that appears prominently at the top of the page.

I've had the good fortune to work with some incredible SEO professionals, and it's fascinating to see what they can do to influence a site's performance; however, PPC has an element of certainty that cannot be replicated.

We all tune into this blog on a recurring basis, as we are aware there are variables on search engines that are out of our control, which can have a meaningful impact on site performance.

PPC allows you to personalize the message based on the user's known characteristics. Whether it's an early interaction to establish your brand's credibility or a return visit, PPC gives you the flexibility and autonomy to control how your brand is perceived on some of the most frequently visited websites on the internet.

Brand search is an important tactic that advertisers must support at all costs.

There aren't many other places on the internet where prospects are actively looking for more information about your company.

If you are asked a similar question, here are some suggestions for how to handle the situation:

• Don't freak out: Seriously! It's a common question to receive and comes from a logical perspective. It is our responsibility as experts to explain why brand search is so important.
• Consult your platform reps: If you work for an agency or brand that already has platform partnerships, rely on your reps because they have data that quantifies the impact of SEO and PPC together. If not, Google Support should be able to point you in the right direction.
• Turn to the numbers: To put it simply, brand search is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies. Create a data-driven story with your analytics team/lead.
• Measure impact: If budgets are cut, make sure you have a measurement in place that quantifies the impact and how much volume your SEO listings are capturing.

Invest With Branded Keywords Today

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