Search engine optimization and Google Ads are usually seen as a way to drive sales rather than as a way to build a brand. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s their only function.
When I first explained how search results work to my mother, her reaction was: “I thought it was the company with the largest turnover that came first.” It’s not an unreasonable thought, and the idea that Google would have a much more complex structure to rank pages is far from obvious. Since then, my mother and I have started several businesses, all with search engines at the center, so I guess it was something of an eye-opener.
Search engine optimization and advertising in search engines have been the driving force for many companies that have grown large over the past ten years. Once they gain enough strength, other types of advertising usually follow to build the brand, which makes it a bit tricky to separate what contributed what. That said, there are a number of companies I would argue we recognize almost entirely from search. Booking.com or Hotels.com can be considered such examples. It’s possible they also run ads, but their foundation was built in search engines.
A high position in the organic search results immediately places you in a position of trust. Google’s visitors trust the results, and increasingly so. Fewer and fewer clicks move down the page or to the next one; more and more go to the very first thing they see. That’s a clear signal of trust: people rely on Google to have delivered the right company.
My layman’s guess is that this is the strongest factor. Frequently appearing in a place where the average person assumes Google has quality-checked the company gives credibility beyond just a lot of impressions. The fact that people confuse paid positions with organic ones could be seen as a point in favor of Google Ads in this case, even though relatively many, when given the choice, still skip the ads.
How can you build your brand in search?
In addition to the basics—visibility, driving traffic, and sales—there is one method I am particularly fond of: you can own the debate in your segment.
The requirement is a fairly large investment of effort and plenty of good content. The background is simple: everyone Googles. Whether you sell industrial machines, bead art, or legal services, your customers Google. You may be convinced that the real decisions happen at trade shows or in face-to-face meetings—and it may well be that contracts are signed there if you are in such an industry. But all of your customers, including you, Google when you want to learn something.
It may not be that I search for “order three-axis vertical CNC milling machine online” at the moment of purchase, but I have definitely researched it beforehand, and I’ve done that via Google. By owning the searches related to the topic, you determine what information an interested buyer finds. This may be your chance to emphasize why your advantages are the best.
In addition to being present at the start of the buying journey, don’t underestimate the value of being the one people turn to for advice. Because that’s what happens: when I want to learn something new, I Google, I find you, and you become my teacher.
By being the strongest in your segment—on queries that are both central and adjacent—you can build a long-term relationship by providing information, creating ambassadors, and offering buying advice.
Magnus Bråth
Consultant & Adviser
Magnus is one of the world's most prominent search marketing specialists and primarily works with management and strategy at his agency Brath AB.