Branded Search vs Digital Display Advertising
There are several effective digital marketing strategies that businesses can incorporate to increase their online presence and attract prospective customers. Two of the most popular types are search engine brand search and digital display advertising. While both tactics aim to increase visibility and brand awareness, they differ in their approach and the benefits they offer. Keep reading below to understand the benefits of both tactics and how your businesses can utilize them to create effective campaigns that reach your target audiences.
What is Brand Search Advertising?
Brand search advertising refers to the practice of bidding on brand-specific keywords related to your business in popular search engines, like Google or Bing. When someone searches for your brand or its related terms, your ad will appear at the top of the search results page. This tactic is effective because it specifically targets users that express interest in your brand or product. It also ensures that your business appears at the top of the search results, even above organic results, making it easier for customers to find you.
An advantage of brand search advertising is that it is highly targeted. When you bid on specific keywords related to your brand, you can ensure that your ads are shown to users who are actively looking for your product or service. This also allows you to control your brand narrative. Meaning, you can control your keyword messaging and shape the conversation around your brand to ensure users see your business in a positive light. Overall, this can lead to higher click-through rates and conversions, as users are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
It is important to note that your direct competitors may be bidding on your branded terms, including your company name. Wordstream.com explains this in the article Five Reasons to Bid on Branded Terms in PPC, which states:
“If your competitors are savvy, they’re already bidding on your branded terms. So, if someone does a search for your company, they’ll find your… organic listings flanked (or even preceded) by… [an] ad singing the praises of your competitor. This may actually cause traffic that would have been headed to your site to be diverted… to the welcoming landing pages of your competitor.”
What is Digital Display Advertising?
Digital display advertising refers to the practice of placing visual ads on websites, apps, and social media platforms. These ads can be targeted to select audiences based on factors such as demographic information, interests, and behaviors. As per the HubSpot article 20 Display Advertising Stats That Demonstrate Digital Advertising's Evolution:
“Thanks to ad exchanges and real-time bidding, advertisers can choose to bid only on ad space that is relevant to them, based on the targeting criteria of the audience. In addition to this change in process, the introduction of more seamless advertising techniques such as native advertising and retargeting have helped to reshape the way people are seeing and engaging with advertising material online.”
This upsurge in user engagement is why digital display advertising is often used to increase brand awareness and reach new audiences who may not be actively searching for your brand, thereby offering you a wider reach.
Digital display advertising also offers more creative freedom. For example, banner ads allow you to create eye-catching visuals combined with powerful messaging that captures the attention of users and encourages them to click through to your website. This can be especially effective for businesses in industries that rely heavily on visual content, such as fashion or food.
Which Advertising Strategy is Right for Me?
Ultimately, the choice between branded search and digital display advertising will depend on your business goals and target audience. For instance, if you are looking to attract users who are already familiar with your brand, then branded search may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you are looking to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness, then digital display advertising may be the better option. However, using a strategic combination of both tactics can offer you maximum benefits by allowing you to reach a greater audience.
Search engine branded search and digital display advertising are two effective digital marketing strategies that offer different benefits and can be used in tandem to maximize results. Contact ALTAMIT LLC, an industry-leading marketing and technology firm, to learn how you can strategically incorporate both tactics for your business. Visit ALTAMIT.net to chat live with an online specialist. Or call (888) 377-ALTA, that’s (888) 377-2582 to speak with a specialist now.
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