Thread by @carlhendy

An often overlooked tactic of SEO is "branded search" queries. Improving your branded search can lead to an improved user journey for new and existing customers. In most cases branded queries are easier to compete. A win for customers, win for SEO.

Here are some examples:

[brand] + [discount code] - watch out for those pesky affiliates taking their last click commission. Own your discount code search results. Create a landing page that details current & previous codes. Use it as an opportunity to capture email addresses or brand messaging.

[restaurant name] + [menu] most restaurants will publish PDF menus online. Don't allow food delivery companies rank for your menu queries. If you do not have a website you can still optimise your social profiles for [menu] queries which will help grow your social channels.

[brand] + [reviews] (see this one a lot) Brands allow "review platforms" to rank for brand review queries. Add a page to your website /reviews and embed platform reviews if required. Use messaging or customer support chat popup can help prevent bad reviews when users land.

[brand] vs [competitor brand] queries. Always a delicate discussion to be had but creating "vs" pages can help prevent customers going elsewhere or drive new customer acquisition. Providing helpful factual unbiased landing pages will help build brand trust and transparency.

[brand] + [logo/images] create a dedicated landing page for company image and logos available to press/publishers will help ensure brand consistency across the web. Potentially drive links to image source. Add message to journalists if they wish to contact/cite brand.

[brand] + [returns] Most ecommerce stores are legally obliged to have clear return policies, however Google does not always locate them well. Ensure you returns policy is linked internally with its own page and not buried amongst other brand policy text.

[brand] + [size chart] Websites/affiliates exist that are dedicated to these queries due to the strong user intent = affiliate commission. Create a dedicated "size" content hub, splitting out categories e.g. shoes, gender, age groups. Transparency in sizing = customers trust.

[brand] + [black friday] Always left to a week before the event. Get this page ranking early. You want journalists finding and linking to this page. The news publishers will be trying to last click your queries on the biggest shopping day of the year. Make this page evergreen.

[brand] + [opening hours/telephone number] Google does a pretty good job at locating these, however can often get numbers mixed up e.g. new business vs. existing customers, which becomes a customer support time suck. Make page signals clear, use Schema markup.

[brand] + [sales] most ecommerce websites have sales pages, yet Google can often get confused when there are multiple sales pages. Newspapers will try and rank for these queries during peak periods. Always send clear consistent signals to Google, don't change URL locations often.

[brand] no landing page required. Own your "knowledge graph" box, right of the search results. Most brands do not know that you can claim "control" of this panel which allows you to represent your brand/messaging clearly. Google guide: support.google.com/knowledgepanel…

[brand] + [brand] collaboration campaigns. Ensure you have campaign/offer pages ranking organically. If you don't, you will be losing clicks to affiliates or competitors.

Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? + [brand]. Use tools as @AlsoAsked and @kwds_ppl_use to mine Google realtime branded queries/questions

Use @semrush to filter for your "branded queries" that are not ranking in first position. This will allow you to pick off easy customer traffic whilst potentially spotting problems that customers are querying. They have a guide here: semrush.com/kb/819-branded…

If you are not optimising for your branded queries then you are leaving $ on the table for new or existing customers. You will be surprised how easy win branded content can lead to compounding traffic/link growth.

Have I missed any?

I probably should have mentioned that I have a tool for those who are unsure of how their brand/identity is understood within Google's Knowledge Graph. carlhendy.com/knowledge-grap…

You can access your websites branded search queries for free by setting up Google Search Console. Applying a filter a [new] + [query] Regex filter (below) would provide insights into your branded search queries and possibly new content opportunities.