Branding as an SEO strategy in 2025

Types of brand searches

Brand searches can be found in different types:

1. The brand name itself:
   • Examples: "Zara online", "Zara shops near me", "Work at Zara".
2. The name of a branded product:
   • Examples: "iPhone 15 features" and "iPhone 15 price", which refer to Apple's smartphone.
3. The name of a branded service:
   • Examples: "Amazon Prime free shipping" and "Amazon Prime video popular series", which mention Amazon Prime services.
4. Registered names or trademarks:
   • Promote direct searches related to your name (e.g. "TuMarca reviews" or "TuMarca products").
   • Use PPC campaigns and advertising content to encourage this behaviour.
5. Invest in visual identity:
   • Examples: "Levi's 501" and "Ray-Ban Aviator Glasses", which contain trademarks such as Levi's and Ray-Ban.

Branded vs. Generic Searches

The big difference between generic and branded searches is that generic searches are not related to any brand.

Here are a number of practical examples to help you understand this better:

• "Recipes with Nestlé chocolate". vs. "Recipes with chocolate
• "Where to buy Adidas shoes". vs. "Where to buy trainers".
• "How to prepare Lavazza coffee vs. "How to brew coffee".
• "Samsung Galaxy mobile phone prices vs. "Mobile prices
• "Opinions on Tesla cars". vs. "Opinions on electric cars".

In these examples, the brand keywords are more specific and make direct reference to a particular product or service, while those that do not are more specific and make direct reference to a particular product or service, while those that do not are more specific. generic keywords are broader and are not associated with any particular brand.

Why are generic keywords important?

Focusing your efforts on generic keywords is a fundamental strategy to attract a wider audience. Especially users who don't know your brand yet. These users don't know your brand, but they are an opportunity to growing your business gaining new customers.

Content optimised for keywords acts as a gateway to your sales funnel. Once you get the attention of these users, you can introduce them to your brand and highlight how to solve their problems. This strengthens your reach, as well as increasing your chances of conversion.

Over time, these users will increase your brand searches. Once they know you, they will search for your products or services using your business name on many occasions. In this way, you increase your visibility and create a path to loyalty.

Why are branded keywords important?

The brand keywords are essential to generate more sales and strengthen the connection with your customers. These searches reflect that users already know your brand and have a high intention to buy. For example, terms such as "[your service] prices" o "buy [your product]" indicate a direct interest in purchasing what you offer, which significantly increases the likelihood of conversion.

In addition, users who have already purchased your products can search for additional information, using terms such as "how to use [your product]". o "[your product] instruction manual". Creating content that responds to these queries enhances the customer experience, builds loyalty and can drive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Branded keywords also provide valuable insights, such as:

• Brand recognition: Search volumes indicate how much your audience knows about your business and reveal areas where you could educate them further.
• Customer perception: Consultations such as "[your brand] opinions" help you identify both positive comments and areas that need attention.
• Direct competition: Terms such as "[your brand] vs. [competitor's name]". show who users compare you to.
• Content gaps: You identify information that users are looking for about your brand but that you have not yet covered.
• Market share: A high volume of searches related to your brand indicates a strong presence in the sector.

Leveraging these keywords not only boosts your sales, but also strengthens your marketing strategy by helping you better understand your audience and your position in the market.

What are the advantages of branded traffic?

As mentioned above, the brand traffic includes visitors who come to your website looking for specific information about your brand. This type of traffic offers multiple strategic benefits for your business:

• Improved organic positioning:
  Search engines tend to prioritise official and relevant content for branded keywords. This means that your pages are more likely to rank higher than other sites that mention your brand.
• Strengthening the reputation and credibility of your brand:
  Users looking for opinions or information about your brand can be redirected to positive content, such as favourable reviews or success stories. This helps reinforce the perception of your business as trustworthy and quality.
• Optimisation of the user experience:
  By providing clear and accurate answers to questions related to your brand, you improve user interaction. This not only increases satisfaction, but also fosters stronger relationships with your customers.
• Higher return on investment in paid campaigns:
  PPC campaigns targeting branded searches tend to have a significantly higher return compared to generic keywords, maximising the impact of your advertising spend. Read our article on CTR.

This approach can translate into increased qualified traffic, better conversions and a positive perception of your brand. With more than half of global consumers relying on search engines for research before they buy, capitalising on branded traffic is an essential strategy for growth.

How branding can boost SEO

Ultimately, branding can boost your on-page SEO in 2025. By generating interest in your brand through multi-channel campaigns, you will experience organic ranking growth for generic terms. Here are the benefits of investing in branding to increase your organic traffic: 

Benefits of investing in branding

• Constant and sustainable traffic: Recognised brands attract recurring traffic without relying exclusively on organic search.
• Higher CTR and conversionsUsers prefer to click on sites they recognise and trust.
• Resilience to algorithm changesGoogle prioritises user experience and quality, areas where strong brands tend to excel.

In conclusion, investing in branding not only improves your SEO, but also strengthens your overall digital presence. Branding should be a strategic priority for any business that wants to thrive in the competitive environment of 2025.

As mentioned above, search engines will favour websites that stay true to coherent, consistent and brand-aligned content. This leads to improved search results for those companies that follow this digital marketing strategy.

What tools can I use to identify brand searches?

1. Semrush is the main tool we use in Marketzilla 

Semrush has various formulas for consulting brand searches. You can do this via the "organic research" tool on the left-hand side of the screen.

2. Use Google's autocomplete box 

The Google autocomplete boxalso known as Google Autocompleteis a feature that displays automatic suggestions when a user starts typing in the Google search box. These suggestions are generated in real time and aim to speed up the search process by anticipating what the user wants to look up.

How the autocomplete box works

1. Prediction of consultations:
   Google analyses what you are typing and offers predictions based on:
   • Popular and recent consultations.
   • Content-related searches.
   • Local or global trends.
2. Personalisation:
   Suggestions may vary depending on your search history, location, language and device.
3. Relevance:
   The results are designed to be useful, relevant and aligned with other users' most common queries.

Why is the autocomplete box important?

• It saves time: It reduces the amount of text users need to type.
• It facilitates discoveries: It helps users to explore issues they had not initially considered.
• SEO strategy: It is a key tool for identifying relevant keywords and understanding users' search intentions.

In short, Google's autocomplete box not only improves the user experience, but also offers valuable insights for marketing and SEO.

3. Use the enriched "People Also Ask" results.

Enriched results "People Also Ask (PAA) are an interactive block that appears on Google's search results pages (SERPs). This block contains a list of questions related to the user's main query and is designed to provide additional information in a quick and accessible way.

Why do AAP results matter?

1. User experience:
   They provide quick and clear answers, enhancing the search experience.
2. Visibility opportunities:
   Websites that provide accurate and useful answers have the opportunity to appear in these blocks, gaining additional visibility.
3. SEO optimisation:
   Identifying questions in the PAA blocks can inspire valuable and relevant content that responds to user needs.

Relationship between "People Also Ask" (PAA) and brand searches

The block "People Also Ask (PAA) may be closely related to the brand searchesThe questions that appear in this format often include brand-specific queries. Here we explore how these two tools are connected:

1. They reflect the user's interest in a brand.

Searches related to a specific brand, such as "How does [branded product] work?" o "Opinions on [brand]"may appear in the PAA blocks. This indicates the most common user concerns about that brand and its products or services.

Example:
Main query: "iPhone 15 features"
Questions in PAA:

• "How is the iPhone 15 different from the iPhone 14?"
• "How much does the iPhone 15 cost?

2. Help identify content needs

Questions in PAA related to a brand are a valuable source of information for companies. They can reveal:

• Frequently asked questions: What doubts users have about your products or services.
• Content gaps: What relevant topics have not yet been covered on the brand's website.

3. Impact on brand perception

By answering brand-related questions in the PAA blocks, Google pulls content from relevant sites. If your site appears there, you improve visibility and the perception of your brand as an authority in your industry.

Benefits:

• Reinforces confidence in the brand.
• Attract qualified organic traffic.

4. Opportunity to strengthen SEO strategy

Optimising content for the queries that appear in PAA can help to better rank pages related to your brand. Using structured data and clear formatting in answers increases the chances that Google will select your content for this block.

4. Review the brand search report via Google Search Console.

The use of Google Search Console is a fundamental strategy for analysing how users interact with your brand on search engines. This report allows you to identify the keywords related to your brand that generate organic traffic and evaluate the performance of these queries.

Steps to review the brand search report:

Access the tool:

• Log in to Google Search Console and select your website domain.

Navigate to the performance report:

• Go to the section "Performance. Here you will find a breakdown of queries, clicks, impressions, CTR (Click-Through Rate) and average position.

Filter brand queries:

• Use the keyword filter to search for terms that include your brand name or related products (example: "[your brand] prices" o "opinions about [your product]").

Analyse the key data:

• Impressions: They indicate how many times your site appears in searches related to the brand.
• Clics: Shows how many users visit your page from these searches.
• Average position: Evaluate your ranking in the SERPs for brand queries.
• CTR: Measure the effectiveness of your meta description and title in attracting clicks.

Benefits of reviewing this report:

• Measuring the perception of your brand: A high volume of branded searches suggests that users are interested in your business.
• Identify content gaps: Detect frequently asked questions about your brand that are not being answered on your site.
• Adjust your SEO strategy: Improve your content and CTAs to increase traffic and conversions.
• Monitor brand recognition: A growth in brand queries indicates an increase in the visibility and popularity of your business.

Review the brand search report in Google Search Console is essential to understand how users interact with your brand in the SERPs. This analysis helps you make informed decisions to strengthen your online presence and better engage your audience.

9 methods to optimise your brand searches

1. Audit and improve your current pages for branded search.

Implement on-page SEO improvements focused on the inclusion of branded keywords. 

For example:

• Add your brand keywords in the titles and headings of your urls.
• Make sure the content of your pages is relevant to your branded keywords.
• Check that your urls contain up-to-date information

2. Create new urls focused on branded keywords.

After updating existing pages to optimise them for your branded keywords, consider creating new brand-specific pages.

Do this by writing relevant content that matches the search intent of the branded keywords you want to rank for. Then, optimise the content using a tool such as the Semrush SEO Copywriting Assistant.

3. Optimisation for Sitelinks in Search Results

The sitelinks are additional links that Google displays below certain search results, which direct to relevant pages within the same domain. These links help users to quickly navigate to specific content without having to browse the entire web.

Why are sitelinks important in branded search?

• Greater visibility in the SERPs: Sitelinks allow your result to occupy more space on the results page, pushing your competitors down the page.
• Improved user experience: Users can directly access key sections of your site, such as services, products or contact, saving time.
• Increased web traffic: By facilitating navigation to relevant internal pages, sitelinks can direct more visitors to your website than to your competitors.

How to generate sitelinks for your domain?

Although Google automatically generates sitelinks, you can increase your chances of getting sitelinks by following these best practices:

1. Create clear and relevant page titles:
   Titles should concisely describe the content of each page in order to be considered useful by Google.
2. Optimises internal interlacing:
   Link to your most important pages from other sections of your site to indicate their relevance to Google.
3. Use descriptive anchor text:
   Anchor text (the clickable text in links) should be short, clear and relevant to the content it links to.
4. Organise your website well:
   A clear and logical structure makes it easier for Google to understand the hierarchy of your content, which increases the chances of generating sitelinks.

Sitelinks not only improve your domain's presence in branded searches, but also optimise the user experience and increase your organic traffic. Although Google decides when to display sitelinks, following these practices can make all the difference in making your brand stand out in the SERPs.

4. Manage your Google Brand Awareness Dashboard

The knowledge panel is an information box that appears in Google search results for entities such as brands, organisations or individuals. This panel contains key data about the entity. In the case of brands, it often includes a direct link to their website, which can increase traffic and visibility.

When does the knowledge panel appear?

Knowledge panels are often displayed in branded searches that include only the company name.

Example: If you are looking for "ZaraIf you are looking for a brand, the brand awareness panel will appear. However, more specific searches such as "Zara jackets will not generate it.

Benefits of the knowledge panel for your brand

• Accurate and reliable information: Provide users with relevant data about your brand directly in the SERPs.
• Increased web traffic: Include a link to your homepage, making it easy for users to access.
• Controlling the perception of your brand: It allows you to offer the most up-to-date and accurate information, improving the image and authority of your business.

How to manage your knowledge panel

Google automatically generates Knowledge Panels with the information it finds online, but you can claim them and make adjustments using these steps:

1. Claim your knowledge panel:
   • Log in to an account associated with your brand, such as your official website or verified social networks.
   • Complete Google's verification process to prove that you represent the brand.
2. Edit and update the information:
   • Once verified, you can request changes to the content of the dashboard to keep it accurate and up to date.

Managing your brand awareness dashboard is essential to ensure that users get the most reliable and relevant information about your business. It also strengthens your online presence and improves the perception of authority in searches related to your brand, so be sure to claim and optimise your dashboard!

5. Use Reviews to Manage Reputation Issues

The online reputation management is an essential part of any branded keyword strategy. This is because users are likely to search for terms such as "[name of your brand] opinions" to find out what others think about your business.

Why reviews are important:

• Positive reviews: They can increase traffic to your website and boost sales. They can also be implemented on your website using a plugin.
• Negative reviews: They can negatively affect the perception of your brand and reduce user trust.

How to manage reviews of your brand:

1. Monitor your reviews:
   Use tools such as Semrush Review Management to track and respond to reviews about your brand on key platforms such as Yelp or EZlocal.Steps in Semrush Review Management:

    

   • Log in to the tool from your Semrush account: go to "Local" > "Review Management.
   • Enter your business name and click on the search icon.
   • Follow the registration process to start managing your reviews.
2. Respond strategically:
   • It welcomes positive reviews: A simple thank you message strengthens the connection with your satisfied customers.
   • Address negative criticism with empathy: Explain the actions you have taken to solve the above problems and demonstrate commitment to improvement.

The review management tool also offers AI-generated responses to inspire you if you don't know how to respond to a particular review.

Managing reviews not only helps to maintain a good online reputation, but also builds user trust. Actively responding to reviews improves the perception of your brand and can turn problems into opportunities to strengthen relationships with your customers. Don't leave reviews unmanaged!

6. Answer Questions in the "People Also Ask" Sections

The section "People Also Ask (PAA) is a block in the Google SERPs that displays questions related to the user's original query. By clicking on these questions, users get quick answers and a link to the source website to read more.

Why is it important to answer the AAP questions?

• Increases visibility: If Google selects your answer for the PAA questions related to your brand's keywords, you can gain a prominent place in the SERPs.
• Increase web traffic: Links in the PAA lead users directly to your page, which can generate more clicks and visits.

How to appear in the PAA for your branded keywords

1. Identify relevant questions:
   Search for your branded keywords on Google and review the questions in the PAA section.

2. Integrate the questions into your website:
   Include the questions and their answers in key sections of your website, such as:

   • Your page of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
   • FAQ sections specific to product or service pages.

3. It provides clear and concise answers:

   • Write short answers that directly address the question.
   • Use simple language that is relevant to the user's search intent.

Practical example:

If in the PAA the question "How much does [your product] cost?"On your product page, create a section with this same question as a heading and provide a clear answer. Google could extract this information to display in the SERPs.

Appearing in the PAA questions for your branded keywords not only improves your presence in the SERPs, but also positions you as a trusted and relevant source. Optimise your content for these questions and take advantage of this opportunity to drive more qualified traffic to your website.

7. Maintain an Active Social Media Presence

Posting valuable content regularly on social media is key to increasing your brand's recognition and authority. An active and consistent presence builds trust among users, causing them, over time, to search directly for information about your brand, rather than turning to your competitors.

Benefits of maintaining an active social media presence:

1. Brand recognition: By sharing useful and relevant content, your brand will be more present in users' minds.
2. Boosting brand searches: An engaged audience will be more likely to search for your brand specifically on search engines.
3. Interaction and loyalty: Responding to comments and questions strengthens the relationship with your audience, increasing their loyalty.

Optimise your social media strategy:

If managing multiple platforms is a challenge for you, tools such as Semrush Social Poster can be of great help. This tool allows you to:

• Plan and schedule your publications in a visual calendar.
• Manage content for multiple platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Google Business Profile, from one place.
• Maintain consistency in your publications to maximise impact.

Create diverse content, such as informative posts, success stories and exclusive promotions, to keep your audience interested and drive engagement.

An active social media presence not only increases your brand's reach, but also strengthens its authority. This encourages brand searches and creates a more engaged audience that is more likely to interact with your business - take advantage of this tool to stand out!

8. Build Brand Backlinks

The branded backlinks are links on other websites that direct users to your pages and include your brand name in the anchor text. These links not only increase your visibility, but also strengthen your online authority and can improve your search engine rankings.

Benefits of branded backlinks:

1. Increased visibility: By appearing on relevant websites, your brand is seen by new audiences who may search for more information about you using your branded keywords.
2. Boosting positioning: Quality backlinks can improve your site's ranking, strengthening its presence in the SERPs.

How to get branded backlinks:

1. Collaborate with relevant sites:
   Work on creating joint content, such as guest posts or sponsored articles, on sites that can include your brand name as anchor text in their links.
2. Convert mentions into backlinks:
   Look for mentions of your brand on other sites that do not include a link. Then contact the site owners to request that they convert that mention into a backlink.Manual method:
   Use Google to search for non-linked mentions. For example, search for "[your brand name] -[your domain name]". This will show results from sites that mention your brand but are not linked to your website.Automated method:
   It uses tools such as the Semrush Brand Monitoringwhich automatically alerts you to new unlinked mentions. This eliminates the need for manual searches.

Practical example:

A travel blog mentions a specialised agency and links to its name in a relevant article. This backlink improves the brand's visibility to an interested audience, as well as boosting its SEO.

Building branded backlinks is a powerful strategy to increase your domain authority and attract new users. Identify strategic opportunities and collaborate with relevant sites to maximise the impact of your links - take the first step and strengthen your web presence!

9. Buy Search Ads for your Branded Keywords

Even though you probably already rank high in the organic results for your brand keywordsIt is strategic to consider buying ads in the ad space that appears above those results. This helps you protect your visibility against the competition.

Why buy ads for branded keywords?

1. Defence against competitors:
   Your competitors can create ads around your branded keywords, leveraging the demand you have generated to drive traffic to them. Buying ads prevents them from dominating those spaces and redirecting potential users.
2. Greater control over advertising space:
   By purchasing a paid ad, you secure at least a prominent place in the SERPs, limiting the opportunities for others to capture the attention of your customers.

Important considerations:

• Organic traffic vs. paid traffic:
  You may experience a decrease in organic traffic, as some users who previously clicked on your organic result may now click on your ad. However, this traffic is still yours and not from a competitor.
• Direct competition:
  Buying ads does not prevent others from buying as well, but it ensures that you occupy strategic space that could have directed users away from your site.

Practical example:

A car rental business, such as RentalCars.com, can place ads on searches for your competitor's keywords, such as "Turo car rental". This redirects interested users to their site.

Investing in ads for your branded keywords not only protects your traffic against competitors, but also strengthens your presence in the SERPs. It's an effective strategy to maximise your control over search results and prevent your branding efforts from benefiting others - make your brand the first visible choice!

In short, how to build your brand with an SEO perspective?

Below we will list a series of steps to build your brand in line with your SEO strategy:

1. Create valuable and consistent content:
   • It provides useful and relevant information at all points of contact (blogsocial networks, videos, etc.).
   • Develop a unique voice that represents your brand values.
2. Increase multi-channel presence:
   • Use platforms such as YouTube, social media, and email marketing campaigns to diversify your traffic.
   • Generate content tailored to each channel, but with a unified message.
3. Establish your authority in the industry:
   • Collaborate with other experts in your niche to conduct webinars, interviews or joint guides.
   • Publish original studies, success stories and unique data that reinforce your position as a thought leader.
4. Optimise for branded searches:
   • Promote direct searches related to your name (e.g. "TuMarca reviews" or "TuMarca products").
   • Use PPC campaigns and advertising content to encourage this behaviour.
5. Invest in visual identity:
   • Make sure your logo, web design and visual materials are professional and consistent.
   • Consistency in visual identity strengthens brand awareness. Remember the marketing maxim "out of sight, out of mind".
6. Interact with your audience:
   • Respond to questions on social media and relevant forums.
   • Encourage online reviews on key platforms such as Google My Business and Trustpilot.

"Products are created in factories, but brands are created in the mind".

-Walter Landor

"The trends imposed mainly by Google indicate that branded searches are already an important ranking factor. A high volume of branded searches is an indicator of authority and this helps to rank for organic keywords. Follow the guidelines in this article in your SEO strategy to increase your traffic and potential customers. Google is acting more and more with common sense, so think with that in mind".

Juan Carlos Meneses Hernández

CEO and SEO of Marketzilla SEO Agency