Story Based Question
You’re running a growing e-commerce store that sells high-end kitchen gadgets. You’ve noticed that people searching for your brand specifically are converting well, but when it comes to broader, non-branded searches like “best blenders for smoothies,” you’re not ranking as well. You realize that optimizing for both branded and non-branded keywords could be key to attracting a larger audience and improving sales. But how do you balance and optimize for both types of keywords to get the best results?
Exact Answer
To optimize for both branded and non-branded keywords in e-commerce, focus on creating separate strategies for each. For branded keywords, enhance brand recognition by optimizing product pages, content, and meta descriptions with your brand name. For non-branded keywords, target broader search intent by optimizing content around product categories, features, benefits, and related topics. Both types of keywords should align with your overall SEO and conversion goals.
Explanation
Optimizing for branded and non-branded keywords is crucial for capturing both loyal customers and potential new ones. Branded keywords are those directly associated with your business name, products, or services, while non-branded keywords cover general search terms that potential customers use to find products similar to what you offer. Here’s how to approach both types:
- Optimizing for Branded Keywords:
- Brand Awareness: Branded keywords are often searched by customers who already know your brand. These searches typically have higher conversion rates since users are familiar with your products or company.
- How to implement:
- Ensure your product pages, category pages, and site-wide content (like blog posts) clearly mention your brand name and include it in key SEO elements like titles, meta descriptions, headings, and image alt tags.
- Create dedicated pages or content that focus on your brand’s story, product benefits, and customer testimonials to build more trust and recognition.
- Example: If your brand is called “BlendMaster,” optimize your pages by including phrases like “Buy BlendMaster blenders online” in your meta descriptions and product pages to capture traffic from users who specifically search for your brand.
- Optimizing for Non-Branded Keywords:
- Capturing Broader Search Intent: Non-branded keywords target users who may not be aware of your specific brand but are searching for solutions to a problem. These keywords are often tied to general product categories or features.
- How to implement:
- Focus on targeting long-tail keywords and creating content that addresses the needs of users searching for those terms. For example, if someone is searching for “best blenders for smoothies,” you can create a blog post or product page targeting that keyword, including detailed information on how your blender fits that need.
- Use content marketing to create informative blog posts, comparison guides, or FAQs that attract organic traffic and answer user questions.
- Example: For a product like a blender, you might target keywords like “best blenders for smoothies,” “top-rated blenders for frozen fruit,” or “blenders with the most powerful motors” to attract a broader audience that may not know your brand but is interested in the product.
- Balancing Both:
- Ensure Both Keywords Align with Conversion Goals: While branded keywords often bring higher-converting traffic, non-branded keywords can help increase the overall volume of visitors to your site, including those who may eventually become brand-aware customers. You need to strike the right balance.
- How to implement:
- Use branded keywords in paid search campaigns to ensure your brand appears when people search specifically for it, and use non-branded keywords in SEO to capture the attention of new customers.
- Optimize for non-branded terms on blog posts, landing pages, and category pages to educate and nurture potential customers through the sales funnel.
- Continuous Monitoring and Adjustments:
- Regularly monitor the performance of both types of keywords in terms of traffic, rankings, and conversions. Adjust your strategies based on how each keyword type is performing.
- How to implement:
- Use tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console to track the traffic from branded vs. non-branded keywords, and adjust your content strategy accordingly to maximize results.
Example
Let’s say you run an e-commerce store selling high-performance blenders, and your brand is called “BlendPro.” Here’s how you could implement strategies for both branded and non-branded keywords:
- Branded Keywords:
- You create product pages for each model of your “BlendPro” blenders. In the title tag, meta description, and body content, you include phrases like “BlendPro high-performance blender for smoothies” and “Buy BlendPro blender online.”
- This ensures that customers specifically searching for your brand find your product pages quickly.
- Non-Branded Keywords:
- You create a blog post titled “Best Blenders for Smoothies in 2024” targeting terms like “best blenders for smoothies,” “top-rated smoothie blenders,” and “blenders for frozen fruit.” You mention how your BlendPro blender is perfect for these uses, linking back to your product pages.
- You also optimize a category page for “Smoothie Blenders,” targeting keywords like “best smoothie blenders,” “blenders for smoothies and soups,” and “affordable smoothie blenders.”
- Balancing Both:
- For paid ads, you target branded terms like “Buy BlendPro blender” to capture those who already know your brand, and for SEO, you focus on ranking for non-branded terms like “best blenders for smoothies.” You also run remarketing campaigns for users who visited the non-branded keyword content but haven’t yet made a purchase.
By using both branded and non-branded keyword strategies, you not only increase the visibility of your brand but also capture a larger audience who may not know your name yet but are searching for the products you offer.
Optimizing for both branded and non-branded keywords is essential for a successful e-commerce SEO strategy. Branded keywords help convert people already familiar with your business, while non-branded keywords attract new customers. By balancing the two, you can expand your reach, improve search visibility, and drive more traffic to your site, ultimately boosting sales.