Search engine optimization is great for increasing your position in search engine result pages (SERP’s), but a high ranking for a targeted keyword does not necessarily guarantee you traffic. One way to increase your traffic once you have high positioning is through search engine branding.
One way you can be sure to brand your Web pages is through title tags. Append the name of your company/Web site at the end of each page – I prefer to use the pipe, followed by the name of the site for all interior pages: Example article | Jeff Swanson. Having your brand appended to the end of each page’s title tag makes your listing immediately recognizable in search engine results. This will detract users from skipping over your listing, who might have otherwise visited a page on your site. Even if you’re not a well-known brand, this is an effective way to start branding yourself and catching the attention of users.
Aside from branding your Web site online, make sure to have attractive copy that will be inviting for the user. A combination of these two tactics usually means you can sit back and watch the traffic roll in.
Using the Branding in the Tag is also helpful if you are using your brand in paid search advertising. Many small and large companies use their brand in headlines and ad copy. By including the same term in the Tags there is a positive effect on the Quality Score in AdWords.
This would explain why when we worked together the tag adjustments you made had such an impact on the Quality Scores of the ads that utilizes the brand in the ad copy.
Hi, Randy. I agree. I plan to write some posts in the future that speak to the integration of PPC and organic search and how the play off of each other for a truly integrated campaign.