Branded keywords, the gold for small businesses
Often overlooked by the big guys, branded keywords are where solopreneurs, small business owners, authors and other content creators can shine.
Hey friends, quick update. I did a Zoom session with a friend and fellow Substack writer yesterday, where we talked all things SEO and Substack. I did a quick walkthrough of how to use Google Search Console. After that call, I planned to do a video tutorial of how to set up your Substack in Google Search Console, but I don’t have access—or a sitemap—for this newsletter yet. I hear Substack unlocks this after your fifth post, so fingers crossed! That post will happen …
Instead, today I’m writing about branded keywords, which has been high on my list of topics to cover for a bit. Hope you enjoy it! If you do, please share it with someone you know and drop me a line in the comments (or just hit reply if you’re reading by email).
You might have heard the term branded keywords, you might even know what they are, but most people—including most SEOs—don’t spend a lot of time on them. Larger more established companies raking in millions of organic views barely give a thought to them, although they’re potentially leaving money on the table in doing so. But if you’re a small business owner, solopreneur, author, Substack writer, creator or thought leader, they are much more critical to the success of your business. Because people using your branded keywords are intent on finding you.
And getting these kinds of keywords are much easier than you think.
What Are Branded Keywords?
Branded keywords are phrases that include your brand's name or unique aspects closely tied to your business. Think of them as the digital footprints that lead directly to your door. They're not just any keywords; they're your keywords.
Why Authors and Solopreneurs Need Them
Branded keywords offer a shortcut to visibility online. They help you stand out in a sea of competitors, making it easier for your audience to find you. They signal trust and authenticity, guiding potential audiences to your offerings.
And they can help you stand alone, if you want to carve out a new market space for your business, using what’s called a “blue ocean” strategy. Instead of competing on common keywords that are highly contested and saturated, you focus on the unique branded keywords that reflect your unique selling propositions, or USP. These are the keywords you craft to resonate with your market or niche, where there is less or no competition.
How Brand Keywords Work
Let’s use a friend of mine who teaches small businesses how to become more sustainable and does a lot of in-person networking and speaking events. We’ll call her Brandy.
Without years of investment in content strategy, her website is unlikely to rank for keywords like sustainability business, sustainable business ideas, or eco-friendly business practices—keywords that have massive competition among reputable sites with gazillions of backlinks. Also, Brandy has a fairly common name, and a portion of her business name is being used by a company with national name recognition. So, it’s really important that she has branded keywords.
Say someone meets her at a networking event and wants to follow up but didn’t get her card. They search online with the details they remember, her name or business name and maybe the word sustainability. What happens next? Without brand keywords, it’s possible they may not find her at all (especially if her website isn’t indexed in Google, which is a common issue for small businesses). Or the first few links won’t be hers, or a few links will be hers, but they will be mixed in with someone else’s, creating more confusion. So, the searcher scans the images, looking for the person they met. One of them appears to be her, so that’s who they click.
Now pause here for a second and think about what impression that experience gives the searcher about Brandy and her business.
What if instead the person does that same search, but Brandy has branded keywords? Better yet, what if she has a USP, and the person uses it along with her other keywords? Brandy shows up front and center with all her links.
Now, what’s the impression?
It appears she's got her act together and she has an impressive body of work, so she must be an expert in this area.
Branded Keywords for Authors, Substack Writers and Other Creators
And this isn’t just gold for small businesses. Branded keywords are so important for authors, solopreneurs and content creators using their name as their platforms.
Look at what shows up in an incognito search of my name. (this newsletter, Content Clarity, isn’t in the results yet, because Substack hasn’t create a sitemap for it since it’s so new.)
Now, to be clear, I have a very unusual name. But every single one of these links—and the photos—are me. There is no confusion.
And don’t overlook the power of images. People will often do image searches to confirm that they’ve got the right name or business. (I’m nitpicking now, but the thumbnail image on my first link should be of me and have more contrast with the background so it’s easier to read.)
Even if you have no interest in doing SEO for your website, blog or Substack newsletter, I would highly encourage you to still do the minimum needed to secure your branded keywords. And if you have multiple platforms and want to tie them all together, this is an effective way to do it.
The other really nice thing about branded keywords is that you can often get these quickly after you’ve submitted your site to Google Search Console, whereas it can take months to rank for non-branded keywords.
Here’s another example. I handle the marketing for a small boutique book publisher here in Austin named Michelle, who owns Sulit Press. When I came onboard a year ago, the website wasn’t even on Google at all, and there was another media site using the word sulit. Now, look. I got Sulit’s site links within a few short months (a major coup for discoverability and real estate). And all the other links on the page are hers and her business.
How to get started with branded keywords
Identify Your Unique Brand Elements. Start by listing what sets your brand apart. This could be your brand name, product names, taglines, or even unique terms associated with your business. Think about what your audience might search for when they're looking for what you offer.
Incorporate Them into Your Content. Once you've identified your branded keywords, weave them into your website's content, blog posts, and meta descriptions, and especially on key pages such as your home page and about page. Make sure they appear naturally and reflect your brand's voice. This is crucial for improving your SEO and making your content more discoverable.
Monitor and Optimize. Use tools such as Google Search Console to track how these keywords perform. See how much traffic they bring to your site and how they rank in search engine results. Based on this data, refine your usage of brand keywords to better target your audience.
Leverage Social Media. Don't forget about the power of social media. Use your branded keywords in your posts, hashtags, and profiles to enhance your visibility and reinforce your brand across different platforms.
For solopreneurs, the journey to brand recognition and SEO success begins with a clear understanding and strategic use of branded keywords, and to do that you have to get brand clarity, which I wrote about last week. By following these steps, you can unlock the full potential of your brand, making it easier for your target audience to discover and engage with your business.
Want help with branded keywords? Reach out!
This is super helpful. I think another really helpful topic is SEO for images.