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.

What is a branded keyword, and how is it different from a generic keyword?

A branded keyword is a search term that includes a brand name or product name, like “Lululemon yoga mats” or “Squarespace reviews.” It points to a specific company, not a general topic.

Generic keywords are broader, like “best yoga mats” or “website builder reviews.” They do not name a brand, so the search results usually include many different sites.

Branded keywords often bring higher intent readers. Many people searching them already know the brand and may be close to buying.

That is why branded terms can be great for review, comparison, and “best alternatives” content. But they can also be harder to rank for than they look in SEO tools.

Why do branded keywords sometimes look “low competition” in SEO tools, but still feel impossible to rank for?

Branded keywords can look low competition because fewer sites target them directly. Some keyword tools also measure competition in a limited way, so the score can be misleading.

In real search results, the brand’s own site often takes the top spots. Big retailers and major publishers may also rank, which makes the SERP much tougher than the tool suggests.

Before you commit, always check the actual top 10 results and see who owns the page. If you see mostly giant domains, you will need stronger authority and better content to compete.

If you want a quick way to sanity-check what your listing could look like, you can use the RightBlogger SERP preview to plan a better title and description.

Can a newer blog rank for branded keywords, or should I avoid them?

A newer blog can rank for some branded keywords, but you need to be selective. In most cases, big brands and big sites have a huge advantage.

The best path is to go more specific. Target long, detailed searches like “Brand X vs Brand Y for beginners” or “Brand X pricing for small businesses” instead of one short brand term.

You can also look for smaller brands with less online authority. Those SERPs are often more open to newer sites.

If you are building authority, focus first on easier topics and long queries, then work up to bigger branded terms. This pairs well with a long-tail approach like the one explained in long-tail keywords.

How do I know if a branded keyword is worth targeting for my blog?

A branded keyword is worth targeting when you can offer something the top results do not. That could be a real review, a clear comparison, fresh pricing details, or a “best alternatives” angle.

Start by looking at the current top-ranking pages. If the brand site and Amazon-like retailers fill the whole page, it may take a long time to break in.

Next, collect questions people ask around that brand and topic, then build your post to answer them. A fast way to find these is with RightBlogger PAA questions, which helps you add sections that match real searches.

Finally, check if the keyword fits your site’s goals. Branded terms can be great for affiliate posts, but only if you can compete and actually satisfy the reader’s intent.

How can RightBlogger help me create content that targets branded keywords the smart way?

RightBlogger can help you plan and write branded keyword content with a clear structure that matches search intent. This is especially useful for reviews, comparisons, and “best alternatives” posts.

Start with strong research so you do not chase a misleading “low competition” score. Use the RightBlogger keyword research tool to explore variations and find more specific phrases you can actually win.

Then write faster with a consistent style using the RightBlogger AI Article Writer. You can create outlines that include key sections like pros and cons, pricing, who it is for, and common questions.

After publishing, keep improving the page based on performance. Tracking what is working helps you decide when to go after harder branded terms and when to stick with easier angles.