At Wildcat Digital, we have had a few clients that were concerned about the impact SEO can have on branding. Whilst we understand that your brand and aesthetic is important, sometimes we need to make changes in order to improve SEO. When done well, these SEO changes can compliment branding without having a large visible impact. So, how do you balance branding with SEO?
To balance branding and SEO it is important to consider your brand voice but do keyword research around what your users are searching for. Ensuring there are clear trust signals on your website such as testimonials and your address as well as having a good user experience is also recommended.
Keep reading to find out more about how SEO and branding can be balanced, as well as why branding benefits SEO.
Balancing branding with SEO best practices may seem difficult to begin with, but we are here to show you how this can be achieved effectively. Have a read below to find some of the key features of balancing branding with SEO.
As a business, it is imperative to identify your audience so that you are aware of the type of user you are targeting your content towards. This helps you determine the type of brand voice to use as well as tone. For example, as a law firm we expect your audience would be looking for a formal and factual tone that gets straight to the point. Whereas, if you are a dance training company you might expect your audience to enjoy a more friendly and informal tone.
Having a good understanding of your brand voice can then be intertwined with your keyword research. Now that you know your audience you can research keywords that they would be searching for. The purpose of keyword research is to identify these keywords, assess the intent, keyword volume and difficulty before you start targeting them within your content. The end goal would then be to rank highly on the first page for these search terms.
Being aware of your audience can make keyword research more focused, but it is important to be open-minded with branding and keywords. Ideally you would want your key pages, services and products to be titled what people in the industry are searching for. That is how you would draw them onto your page.
For example, if you are a law firm and you have a service page titled ‘Personal’ or ‘Commercial’. These are extremely generic terms that your audience is not going to be searching for. A better example would be ‘Personal Legal Services’. You need to have targeted keywords within your H1s and H2s. Some clients do not like having keyword oriented headers appearing at the top of their pages but there are ways around this such as having smaller H1s created that work for SEO, whilst you have your branded header visually larger.
For more information on keyword research including best practices and how to avoid keyword stuffing, take a read of our recent blog by clicking here.
Once your content is optimised for keywords, it is important to start thinking about trust signals as part of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness). Whoever your audience is, it is natural to assume that they will be looking for certain trust signals to convince them to convert, especially if your industry is YMYL. For example,
Common trust signals include:
Whilst trust signals are an SEO factor, they also have to incorporate branding because they are relevant to your audience. If you have a particular style of font or page design, you can find ways of implementing trust signals on your website that adheres to these stylistic rules.
To learn more about E-E-A-T and how you can improve trust with your audience, take a read of our informative blog by clicking here.
User experience is another SEO factor that can be incorporated with your branding. It is important in SEO because it can determine whether a user stays on a website or clicks off, which is a ranking factor. For example, if your website loads slowly then a user may decide to go to a competitor instead. Similarly, if your navigation is confusing and makes it harder for a user to find what they are looking for, they may also go elsewhere.
When considering user experience on your website, it is also helpful to consider branding and your audience. Try to put yourself in your audience’s position and think about the journey they would want to follow on your website.
Typically, businesses in a more creative industry tend to have more of a design-focused website to display their skills. Other industries may require a more content heavy website to answer users questions. Either way, the user experience of that website needs to be seamless. Even if your website is image or video heavy you should ensure that:
Now that you know how SEO and branding can be utilised together, you may be interested to learn how SEO can actually benefit your branding. Keep reading to find out more.
SEO strategies are designed to attract users to your website to potentially convert. Having a SEO strategy that compliments your branding can help you become a market leader in the industry. If you are ranking highly against competitors for key terms, provide a great product or service and your branding is on point, there is no reason why this cannot happen.
SEO can also help your branding to become recognisable, which may help increase returning customers. For example, if you have a strong blog strategy which answers commonly searched user queries, users may land on your website when they are not even looking for a product or service. The brand awareness achieved by blogs puts the company in the customer’s choice set for when they are ready to purchase or convert.
Backlinks are a big factor in SEO. Typically, trusted sources or content that is helpful to the user gain the most backlinks. This in turn can help improve your domain authority and result in you ranking higher for search queries. Users could be reading an online forum, magazine or even a social media post and come across your brand referenced via a backlink. By having SEO optimised content, your online presence can become recognised as a trusted brand within the industry.
There is no doubt that SEO adds a lot of value to branding, and attracts users to your website so that they recognise your brand. However you may be wondering, what value does branding bring to SEO?
The reality is that without a strong brand it is possible that all the hard work achieved by SEO may be lost. If a user lands on your website and you don’t have a strong brand that looks professional and trustworthy, then it’s highly unlikely that they will convert.
Without a strong brand message, mission statement and proven brand success, users may doubt your business and look elsewhere. Inconsistencies in branding such as fonts, design and colours may seem a little suspicious to a user, because these are details that are expected of a trustworthy company.
Wildcat Digital is a team of experts that specialise in designing and implementing comprehensive SEO strategies that not only incorporate but compliment your brand. As part of our client onboarding process we have in depth discussions about your brand positioning, tone of voice and choice of language so we can tailor our strategy around this. To improve your online presence and make your brand more recognisable, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
SEO Account Manager
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
Senior PPC Account Manager
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Team Leader
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Team Leader. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
PPC Team Leader
Carl joined Wildcat in 2023 with a wealth of experience in PPC. He has experience working with a wide range of clients, industries and budgets, from small local businesses all the way to international e-commerce businesses. Carl has a particular interest in strategic planning and forecasting. He is passionate about data analysis and creating sustainable long-term cross-channel strategies.
In his spare time, Carl enjoys keeping fit by lifting weights, bouldering and running. He’s also a keen musician, having played the double bass and bass guitar for 20 years.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
Senior SEO Executive
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
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