Branded Keywords: Understanding Their Role in Blog SEO

Last Updated August 17, 2024

When working on SEO for your blog, you may encounter various types of keywords. Among these, branded keywords are often discussed. What is a branded keyword? Simply put, these are terms that incorporate a brand name or a specific product. Examples include names like “RightBlogger” or “Lululemon,” and even more specific phrases like “Lululemon yoga mats.”

What is a Branded Keyword?

A branded keyword incorporates the name of a brand or one of its products. Examples include “Apple” for the brand or “iPhone 14” for a product. These keywords are tied directly to the brand, unlike generic keywords that are broader and not brand-specific.

Branded keywords attract users who are already familiar with the brand and are often further along in the buying process. However, the ease of ranking for these terms varies significantly based on factors like the brand’s online authority, competition strength, and the keyword’s specificity.

This makes strategic use essential for content creators looking to leverage these terms effectively.

Branded Keywords: Seemingly Low Competition

Branded keywords, such as “Lululemon yoga mats” or “Squarespace reviews,” often come up in SEO tools as having high search volume with low competition. This might suggest they are golden opportunities for your content strategy.

The logic is straightforward: fewer people are competing for these terms, so you should have a better chance at ranking high, right?

The Reality of Ranking for Branded Keywords

However, there’s a twist in the narrative. Although these keywords appear less competitive, the reality on the ground is quite different. Searching for a term like “Lululemon yoga mats” predominantly pulls up Lululemon’s official site along with major retailers like Amazon. The presence of such heavyweight domains means the actual competition is fierce.

Furthermore, high-intent terms like “Squarespace reviews” might attract visitors with a strong purchase intent — ideal for driving affiliate sales. But here’s the catch: to genuinely compete for such terms, your site needs to have established substantial authority and longevity.

Newer sites or those with lower domain authority will find it challenging to make a mark against well-entrenched competitors.

Key Takeaways for Bloggers

Branded keywords might seem an alluring path due to apparent low competition and high search volumes, but they often prove to be more challenging than many keyword tools indicate. For bloggers, especially those just establishing their presence online, it’s important to approach these keywords with caution.

Here are some points to consider when using branded keywords:

Site Authority Matters: Your site’s age and authority play a crucial role in your ability to rank well for branded keywords.
Check the Competition: Always analyze the top-ranking pages for the keyword. If major brands dominate the search results, ranking high will be a significant challenge.
Adjust Your Strategy: Depending on your website’s current status, you might need to target less competitive niches initially.

Conclusion

In summary, while “What is a branded keyword?” might seem a simple query, the strategic approach to incorporating these into your content requires careful thought.

Branded keywords are not the low-hanging fruit they appear to be in keyword research tools. Ensure your SEO strategy and site readiness align well with the realities of these competitive terms, setting realistic targets and timelines for your SEO gains.

As always, keep researching, experiment with different keywords, and refine your strategies based on actual results and analytics.

Are branded keywords worth targeting if my blog is still new?

Yes, branded keywords can be worth targeting, but you need to be picky. New blogs usually cannot rank for big brand terms like "Lululemon yoga mats" when Google shows the official brand site and huge retailers first.

Instead, look for very specific, long tail phrases that mix branded and non-branded words. You can use the RightBlogger Keyword Tool to find variations with lower competition and more specific search intent.

A smart way to start is to create content that supports your main niche and builds authority over time. As your site grows stronger, you can slowly target more competitive branded terms.

This approach helps you get traffic faster, instead of waiting months or years to rank for very hard branded keywords.

How do I know if a branded keyword is too competitive for my blog?

First, search the keyword in Google and look closely at the top 10 results. If you only see the brand's official site and giant platforms like Amazon or Walmart, the keyword is likely too competitive for a newer blog.

Next, check the strength of those sites. If they all have strong domain authority and many backlinks, you will struggle to outrank them, even if a tool says the keyword is "low competition."

You can also compare that keyword with longer, more specific versions that include extra details, like product type, use case, or audience. Using tools like Keyword Clustering can help you spot easier related keywords around the same topic.

Choosing slightly less popular but more reachable terms can bring in real traffic sooner and help your site grow faster.

What is the difference between branded keywords and non-branded keywords in SEO?

Branded keywords include a brand name or product name, like "Apple MacBook Air" or "Squarespace reviews." Non-branded keywords are more general, like "best laptops for students" or "how to start a blog."

Branded keywords often bring visitors who already know the brand and may be closer to buying. Non-branded keywords reach a wider audience that is still researching or comparing options.

For most bloggers, a mix of both works best. Focus mainly on non-branded, long tail keywords at first, then slowly add branded terms as your site gains authority.

If you want help finding those long tail topics, this guide on long tail keywords for bloggers is a helpful place to start.

How can I use RightBlogger to find and write content around branded keywords?

You can use RightBlogger to research, plan, and write posts that include branded keywords in a smart way. Start with the Keyword Tool to find related phrases, question keywords, and longer versions that may be easier to rank for.

Once you have a small list, you can group related terms together with the Keyword Cluster tool. This helps you build one strong article around a group of connected branded and non-branded keywords instead of writing many weak posts.

After that, use the RightBlogger AI Article Writer to draft a post that answers real user questions and gives honest, helpful information about the brand or product. Make sure you still edit the content so it matches your own voice and experience.

You can then use features like SEO-focused tools and reports in RightBlogger to improve headings, internal links, and keywords, so each post has a better chance of ranking over time.