Managing your brand’s online presence is crucial in today’s digital age. Brand Query Management involves strategically controlling what appears on the first page of search results when someone searches for your company, products, or services. This is essential because a company’s brand is its most valuable asset, and managing it online protects and enhances its reputation.
The Importance of Brand Query Management
When users search for your brand, a strong presence in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is critical. This offers several advantages:
- Protecting Your Brand: By dominating the results, you minimize the chances of competitors or negative content appearing prominently.
- Boosting Perceived Value: A dominant brand query signifies value to potential customers, enhancing your brand image and equity.
- Ensuring Brand Consistency: A unified brand message across the SERPs reinforces your brand identity in the minds of consumers.
- Managing Risks: Controlling the first page allows you to manage the information people see about your company, mitigating potential risks.
- Controlling Traffic: Owning your brand query space helps you direct all brand-related traffic to your chosen destinations.
Strategies to Strengthen Your Brand Query
While Google limits search results to two per domain, there are alternative strategies to dominate the SERPs:
Leveraging Social Media
Social media profiles often rank high for brand queries due to their domain authority.
These platforms are typically strong enough to reach page one organically. If not, a few strategic links can boost them.
Consider creating profiles on:
- YouTube
- CrunchBase (especially for tech companies)
Proactively secure your brand name across social media sites to prevent others from claiming them. Tools like Knowem.com can help you check availability across multiple platforms.
Utilizing Subdomains
Create subdomains and microsites focusing on specific aspects of your brand, such as:
- careers.yourcompany.com
- video.yourcompany.com
- community.yourcompany.com
While subdomains require content and link building, their relevance to your brand makes ranking easier. Companies like Dell, IBM, and Home Depot effectively utilize subdomains.
Blogging for Brand Building
A regularly updated blog strengthens your brand identity and serves as a powerful brand query management tool. Blogs hosted on subfolders usually rank highly in brand SERPs.
Expanding with Brand Extension Domains
Purchasing additional brand-related domains and populating them with relevant content can enhance your SERP dominance. These domains are treated as separate entities, making it possible to secure additional page one listings. Mastercard’s use of domains like MastercardMerchant.com and Priceless.com exemplifies this strategy.
Domain Squatting for Protection
Besides securing obvious domains like yourcompany.net and yourcompany.org, consider potential negative variations. This proactive measure prevents others from capitalizing on them. Homedepotsucks.com ranking high in Home Depot’s brand query highlights the importance of this practice.
Cultivating Favorable Reviews and Articles
Positive reviews from influential sources contribute to a strong brand image and query management. If the reviewing domain isn’t strong enough to reach page one organically, strategic link building can help.
Leveraging Press Releases
Regularly publishing press releases and news alerts is a simple yet effective way to populate the SERPs. These releases often have lasting visibility, further strengthening your brand’s presence.
The Importance of Monitoring Your Brand Query
Effective brand query management involves promoting positive SERP results and mitigating negative ones. A diverse range of results from various sources signifies brand strength and reach. Regularly monitor your brand query for any unfavorable listings and address them promptly. A dominant query presence deters competitors and safeguards your brand reputation.
Taking the Next Step in Query Management
Once you control your brand query, expand your focus to other relevant search verticals. Utilize keyword research tools to identify high-traffic, profitable keywords that can further enhance your online visibility and drive business growth. Some helpful tools include:
- Keyword Suggestion Tool
- Keyword Generator
- Keyword Analysis Tool