Integration of corporate branding and SEO

SEO isn't an exact science. This becomes clear when you try to integrate SEO and branding into one strategy. This process is tricky, to say the least. On the one hand, SEO is about the placement of keywords and phrases. On the other hand, branding is about the loyalty and culture of the company. Considering both aspects diminishes the importance of both. However, eliminating one or the other aspect may not achieve all strategic and marketing goals.

It should be emphasized again that SEO is more of a guideline than an exact science. However, the following recommendation can address both sides of the equation. Generally speaking, keywords and phrases (i.e., SEO) should be the focus of every business in the initial stages, while the inclusion of corporate branding should only occur later in development. This is merely a general statement and should not be taken literally.

The reasoning is quite simple: Initially, no one knows your company name, but they might be searching for your products or services. In other words, you should target keywords and phrases that relate to your offering, not your company. As loyalty and credibility build, branding becomes increasingly important. At this point, you can integrate corporate messaging to strengthen the relationship with your customers and build trust in your brand.

One final thought on branding: If a searcher types in your company name, they'll likely still find your website. This is primarily due to anchor text and backlinks. Therefore, optimizing for the company name is relatively unimportant in most cases.