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Ever wondered why a website that doesn’t look that good and doesn’t have a great link profile out ranks your site? The answer is likely to be that more people in the local area are searching for their brand than are searching for yours. It makes sense that big brands have people looking for them, which is why Google uses brand search as a major factor in determining what is a real business. It then looks at the geographical area of the people searching and can determine which businesses are relevant in which areas.
What is the future of brand search?
We have seen a major increase in the power that local brand search has when carrying out local SEO. That said, Google can’t rely completely on brand search as its only ranking factor because it is far too easy to manipulate. However, it’s definitely here to stay and has become one of the four most important ranking factors. Despite this, you still need a well-rounded SEO approach to achieve solid rankings.
How can I check my competitor’s brand search?
At the time of writing this article the best way to check is to use a free chrome extension called ‘Keywords Everywhere’ which you can find easily with a quick Google search. (I could give you the exact URL but why not help them with some brand search as well!). Once installed it will add a line beneath the search bar when you do a search on Google, giving you the search volume of the keyword you have entered. So, simply type in each of your competitors to see their local brand search.
How can I increase brand search?
There are several ways to increase search volume. Two methods worth considering are local newspaper articles and radio adverts as often these result in a brand search rather than direct traffic. Don’t have the budget for radio and newspapers? No problem, we have many other methods which you can learn more about by speaking to one of our SEO specialists.
