Hey there SBD! I'll add my 2.0 cents on why I&...

2010-04-30T12:26:19.502-07:00

Hey there SBD! I'll add my 2.0 cents on why I've been coming around and liking it more. I didn't really agree with Vince when it first came out last year, but I now think that search can and maybe should include brand data.

The thing that works for me with brands is the data that Google has available on them. How many searches are done each month on Google for the terms Yahoo(+/-.com), Target(+/-.com) or Wikipedia(+/-.com)? Probably hundreds of thousands or more. That search volume is all Data that is hard to manipulate with keywords, links and citations. It would be hard to dupe Google by running your own brand searches through that many different IP's, browsers, operating systems, screen resolutions and so on. This will probably not replace links, but I see it as a valuable trust signal.

Well, that's how I view it as an algorithm factor. As to brand links showing in search results, I see them as a factor in search usability.

Keyword research for "Dog Leashes" show some of these brands receiving search volume when combining the brand + keyword. Most notable is "flexi dog leash". Flexi is also the first brand that is listed in the SERP's.

So if people are searching for brand + term, why not make it easier for them to access these searches even though they did not add the brand? I think this is similar to local business listings for businesses in your geographic area that show up for general searches like dentists, plumbers, restaurants and the like without adding a city, zip code or state identifier.

Cheers,

James

BTW- nice thought provoking post!

Comments on ThinkSEM Consulting: Why Is Google Pushing Brands?

Hey there SBD! I'll add my 2.0 cents on why I&...