#1 in Google – Search’s Impact on Brand
It has been said that the term “google” has become the fastest word to convert from noun to verb in history. Come on, let’s face it: you’ve googled your competitors; you’ve googled your company; you’ve googled yourself; you’ve even googled your ex. We are googling more every day, clicking on the first results we see. But what does it mean to be that first result when someone is googling your products or services?
To be the top site associated with a given product, service or issue means credibility and expertise. To be #1 portrays your company as the leader in the industry. To be #1 is about brand awareness and market share.
Think back to the days when traditional marketing was all that was available. If your product was not directly in front of your customers, in the right store, at the right time, you probably missed out on sales, market share and branding. This same scenario can easily be applied to the search engines and search engine marketing today.
Until recently, the goal of search engine marketing was to drive traffic to a Web site. Search engine marketing has since evolved into driving “targeted visitors” to a Web site for lead generation and online and offline conversions. Today, marketers are realizing that search also helps achieve another important marketing goal – branding.
The Value of Brand
There are several definitions of branding. Wikipedia defines branding as “the symbolic embodiment of all the information and expectations associated with a product or service in the mind of a consumer.” Rob Frankel, who is considered a leading expert on branding by many Fortune 1000 marketers, states:
“Branding is not about getting your prospect to choose you over your competition; it’s about getting your prospect to see you as the only solution.”
Branding is what sets your company apart from your competitors. It is the perception of your business in the minds and hearts of your customers. Branding is about the collective experiences your customers have had with your company. A positive relationship with these customers leads to immediate brand awareness and brand loyalty.
The Impact of Search
According to Nielsen//NetRatings, more than 5 billion searches are conducted by over 140 million active Internet users each month in the
U.S. alone. Nearly half of these searches are performed on Google. As the search engines continue to improve and expand their capabilities, and as more consumers invest in broadband and wireless connections, search will become a further integral part of our daily lives. As more consumers embrace search, the more vital search becomes in a company’s marketing campaign.
A 2001 study by NPD group concluded that when compared to banner ads and tile ads, search engine listings provided a greater brand awareness than any other type of search engine ad. A more recent study, performed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau in 2004, compared search listings to contextually targeted ads (those ads placed next to specific content). The study found that search listings had their biggest impact on “unaided brand awareness” especially when holding the top position on a search results page. Listings in the top position increased all brand metrics by 14 percent, while those ads in the fifth position and below only showed a minor lift in brand recognition. This study by the IAB demonstrated the importance of search in a marketing/branding campaign and helps strengthens search’s impact on a brand.
Branding Through Search
Search engine marketing is recognized as one of the leading ways to generate qualified targeted leads online. Search engine marketing can also aid in brand awareness in an overall marketing campaign. When utilizing the search engines for branding purposes, it is important to look at three key elements: positioning, frequency and content.
In what position does your ad or listing appear? How often does your ad or listing appear on the search results page? What content is displayed for your results (title, description, url)? What is the content of the landing page for your ad or listing? And, is your content (brand name, image, logo) consistent throughout your ads, landing pages and other media outlets? In a search engine marketing campaign, you have the ability to control and measure each of these key campaign elements.
Monitoring Your Brand
With the increased use of consumer-generated-media (CGM) such as blogs, social networks, message boards and podcasting, monitoring your brand’s image in the search engines has become more important than ever. If you do not appear under key terms, it is possible you may not be considered an expert in your industry. Additionally, a consumer’s perception can quickly change if your listing appears under negative keywords or if your ad appears next to inappropriate content. Whether your brand is well established or your goal is to grow your current brand identity, you will want to closely monitor and control these results.
Measuring Search’s Impact on Your Brand
The Internet is a valuable marketing tool because almost anything done online can be measured and analyzed. To measure the brand impact of your search engine marketing campaign, analyze your website traffic reports and review statistics such as page views per visitor, average length on the site, visitor paths and conversion points. This will help you manage your online and offline marketing campaigns and aid in measuring your brand awareness. Compare these numbers to data from previous months and years to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns over time.
So the next time you are googling to find a new service or a new product, or googling your own company, take a minute and look at the results. I’m sure you’ll immediately see the important role search can play in your perception of a brand.
Joseph Tertel is an e-Marketing Consultant at JPL Productions. Joe has created and implemented online marketing campaigns and strategies for over 70 regional and national clients. Joe’s expertise includes search engine marketing, online media buying, online promotions, e-mail marketing, and the integration of new technology into advertising and marketing campaigns. Joe is a Qualified Google Adwords Professional and a professional member of the eMarketing Association.
References:
Bruemmer, Paul J. Branding With Search Marketing – http://www.sempo.org October 15, 2005
Gerhart, Andrew. Branding Via the Search Engines – http://www.searchengineguide.com September 27, 2002
Interactive Advertising Bureau. IAB Issues New Research From Nielsen//Netratings On Branding Value of Sponsored Text Advertising – http://www.iab.net July 15, 2004
Nielsen//NetRatings. GOOGLE ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY HALF OF ALL WEB SEARCHES -http://www.netratings.com March 30, 2006