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Have you ever searched for a product without knowing which brand to buy from? Maybe you typed "best wireless headphones" instead of a specific name like "Sony WH-1000XM5". That's the difference between branded and non-branded keywords.
Branded keywords (like "Nike running shoes") help businesses attract customers who already know them. Non-branded keywords (like "best running shoes for beginners") attract new customers who haven't heard of them yet.
Both types of keywords are important. Branded keywords help bring back loyal customers, while non-branded ones introduce a certain product/service to new people. The trick is using them the right way to get the most traffic and sales.
That's why balancing branded vs non-branded keywords is a crucial part of any keyword planning to cater to all audiences.
In this blog, we'll understand the differences between branded and non-branded keywords, why they matter, when to use them, and how to balance both for the best results.
By the end of this blog, you will be familiar with a keyword strategy for attracting customers and creating conversions.
Let's understand branded and non-branded keywords and why you need them.
If a keyword includes a brand name, it’s called a branded keyword. People who already know about a brand and are looking for it specifically type this on Google search.
If you ignore these branded keywords, you can possibly lose out on high-intent traffic that’s ready to convert and purchase your products or services.
Branded keywords look like these: “Nike running shoes”, “Apple iPhone 13 features”, and “Starbucks near me.”
Let’s consider a scenario to understand this better.
If someone is searching for “Nike running shoes”, it means that they are already in the decision stage. They’ve researched and compared the options and are now ready to buy from Nike.
Similarly, a user searching for “Apple customer support” can’t be typing it randomly. They need help with an Apple product they already own.
Now, you may wonder which scenarios are beneficial for branded keywords. Let’s state a few significant scenarios:
They’re also useful for convincing your customers for repeat purchases. If you’re launching a new product under an already recognized brand name, branded keywords are a great choice.
Pro Tip: If you’re on a tight budget, prioritize branded keywords in your PPC campaigns. This helps you get the most conversions without spending a fortune on highly competitive, non-branded terms.
How do you defend your brand with Branded keywords?
I thought of discussing this topic briefly. After all, who doesn’t want to safeguard their audience from being stolen?
i. Start with tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to track whether competitors are targeting your branded terms or not.
ii. If they are, counter this by bidding on your own branded keywords in PPC campaigns.
iii. But simply bidding on branded keywords isn’t enough. To stand out, you need to make your ads compelling. You can highlight your brand's unique selling points and promotions that competitors can’t match.
iv. Lastly, use ad extensions and links to popular pages that offer quality user experience to your visitors.
Example: If users search for “Ahrefs SEO tools” but see a competitor’s ad at the top, they might click on it out of curiosity. Ahrefs can counter this by bidding on its own branded keywords and highlighting unique features or customer testimonials to stand out.
Pro Tip: Don’t just bid on your exact brand name. Include variations like product names or services and link accordingly. This captures all brand-related searches and blocks competitors from stealing your traffic.
We just learned that ignoring branded keywords could mean losing out on high-intent traffic that’s ready to convert. At the same time, relying only on branded keywords won’t help you grow because you’ll only reach people who already know you.
Non-branded keywords are broad terms that relate to your products or services but don’t mention your brand name.
They’re used by people who might not know about your brand but are searching for what you offer.
This puts them at the top or middle of the sales funnel, where they’re in the awareness or consideration stage.
Consider the below examples:
Someone searching for “best running shoes for flat feet” hasn’t probably yet chosen their go-to brand. They’re looking for the best solution to their problem and are open to various brands. Here's an opportunity for brands to introduce themselves and make a strong first impression- using non-branded keywords!
Non-branded keywords are also used when users compare products or evaluate different options. These commercial investigation searches show clear buying intent, but the user hasn’t made a brand decision yet (middle of the funnel stage). For example, “Nike vs Adidas running shoes” or “best smartphones for photography” indicate that the user is ready to purchase but still decides which brand or model to choose.
Recommended Readings: Keyword Placement: Where & How to Place Keywords Without Overstuffing
By now, it’s obvious what audience non-branded keywords target best. But here are some more factors why you should use them:
Pro Tip: Pair non-branded keywords with strong calls-to-action and product recommendations. This indirectly persuades users to consider your brand while they’re still comparing options. And it doesn’t sound salesy, either.
As a matter of fact, non-branded keywords are often more competitive than branded ones, especially if you’re targeting popular products or services. Using high-quality optimized content can help you stand out from the competition.
SEO works best when you strategically balance branded and non-branded keywords. Here’s how to make them work together:
One of the most effective ways to balance branded and non-branded keywords is by mapping them to the different stages of the customer journey. Not every visitor is ready to buy immediately.
Different stages of buyer. Credits: Semrush
Some are just learning about their problem, others are comparing the best solutions, and a few have pinpointed what they want to go ahead with.
Plan your keywords to capture customers at every stage. For this, you need to research your audience’s search intent with the help of keyword tools.
For instance, people are looking for information using particular keywords at the awareness stage.
Creating educational content such as blog posts, guides, and videos targeting non-branded keywords like “how to choose running shoes” helps you reach users at the top of the funnel. Here, you’re not selling them directly, you’re simply building trust by providing valuable information from which they can benefit.
When they move to the consideration stage, they start comparing options and weighing the pros and cons. They’re looking for detailed reviews, comparisons, and recommendations. At this point, targeting “best running shoes for flat feet” lets you capture users who are seriously comparing options but haven’t decided on a brand yet.
Finally, at the decision stage, users know what exactly they will be happy to buy. It's here that branded keywords like “Nike running shoes” or “Buy Nike Air Zoom” work the best.
Pro Tip: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to track user behavior and see how branded and non-branded keywords perform at different customer journey stages.
Keyword cannibalization is a common mistake that is often committed during keyword strategy planning. Here, multiple pages on their website target the same keyword. This problem? It confuses the search engine crawler when deciding which page to rank. The result? Your visibility drops! This is because of mixing branded and non-branded keywords without a good strategy.
For example, if Nike wants to target the keyword “Nike running shoes,” it should be on product pages where users are ready to buy. However, for non-branded keywords like “best running shoes for flat feet,” Nike should create detailed blog posts or comparison guides. This separation maintains a clear intent for each page and avoids cannibalization.
Paid campaigns (PPC) are another area where branded and non-branded keywords can work well together. But to get the most out of your ad budget, you must use them correctly.
Branded keywords in PPC campaigns are highly effective for capturing high-intent users who are already familiar with your brand.
On the other hand, by using non-branded keywords in PPC campaigns, you introduce your brand to potential customers.
To maximize the impact of the balance, you can consider bidding on competitor's branded keywords. This works best when you highlight your USPs.
Mastering the balance between branded vs non-branded keywords is about understanding their unique roles and strategically using them in the right scenario. Branded keywords capture high-intent buyers already familiar with your brand. In contrast, non-branded keywords expand your reach to new audiences.
