Google Explains Why Having a Differentiating Brand Is Important To Search Visibility

Which came first: The brand or the top rankings? It’s an age-old question that’s resurfacing as smaller content publishers figure out how to be competitive in the search results.

Google says it wants to help smaller, independent creators to rank, but they need to differentiate somehow.

Given that 50% of the web is spam, according to Google, and the other probably 40% of websites aren’t taking the time to differentiate, Google’s got its work cut out for it to surface good results. And independent creators need to take the time to build their brands to stand out.

@searchliaison said 50% of the content on the web is spam pic.twitter.com/pKTInyBo1u

— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) March 20, 2025

In this article:

• Independent Sites Are Struggling in Search, Recognizable Brands Fare Better
• When Will Google Finally Help the “Little Guys” with Great Content?
• What Does Google Say Independent Creators Can Do?
• Tips: How to Build a Strong Brand
  1. Define and Communicate Your Brand
  2. Double-Down on E-E-A-T
  3. Monitor Brand Sentiment
  4. Use SEO for Brand Awareness
  5. Compete with Larger Brands Through Agility
• Final Thoughts
• FAQ: How can smaller websites successfully compete with big brands in SEO by using a differentiating brand strategy?

Independent Sites Are Struggling in Search, Recognizable Brands Fare Better

Let’s start by recalling the September 2023 Helpful Content update, which hit certain categories of independent sites hard, notably the travel sector.

While many of those sites that were negatively impacted were seemingly spam, the chatter in the industry suggests that legitimate sites like travel bloggers lost substantial rankings and traffic, too.

At Google Search Central Live in NYC in March, Google acknowledged the challenges that smaller, independent sites are having to remain visible in the search results.

Google’s Danny Sullivan said that he personally reviewed thousands of sites that have been negatively impacted since the 2023 update.

He also acknowledged the feeling that big brands always rank well on Google to the detriment of smaller sites. And while this may be true in some part, Sullivan says it’s not what they ultimately want.

I’ve written about this before: Of course, being a bigger company or brand does have its advantages. In my article, Does Google Favor Big Brands? I discussed how being a recognizable brand acts as a sort of feedback loop in Google:

“A more aggressive SEO strategy with all the right components can increase expertise, authority, and trust signals to Google. So, Google will reward that brand’s website.

If that brand ends up in position one on the search results, it will begin to garner more clickthrough than the other results.

And if people dwell on that site for a significant period of time, that could also be a signal that the page is very relevant to users.

All this can then act as a feedback loop for Google to continue to reward that page.

Don’t forget also that if you have a strong brand, people will recognize that, and it may impact their willingness to click on a result, too.”

And, research conducted by my agency in October 2023 shows the impact of brand awareness on customer decision-making.

Here are some of those stats:

• Google is the No. 1 place where people discover brands online, followed by social media at No. 2. Key takeaway: If you can’t show up, you’re non-existent. This makes it even harder for independent sites that aren’t building their brands.
• Sixty-five percent (65%) of consumers reported purchasing from a competing brand if the brand they were searching for was hard to find on Google. Key takeaway: You will lose to other brands if you’re not investing in your brand.
• When asked how many times consumers discovered a brand on Google when they weren’t intending to purchase from them (but ultimately did purchase from them), the majority (40%) of consumers made an impulse purchase based on search results up to five times in the past year. Key takeaway: If you invest in your brand (and if Google’s efforts ultimately learn to recognize this in its algorithms), independent sites have a real chance to drive revenue.

When Will Google Finally Help the “Little Guys” with Great Content?

Knowing that independent creators are struggling with Google’s algorithmic changes, how long will it actually take Google to help smaller sites win again?

That is the question, and Google says it’s slowly working on it. According to Search Engine Journal (linked earlier), Sullivan said the following:

“… we’ve been spending a lot of time (and we’re going to continue to spend a lot of time) to understand how can we do a better job on better understanding and perhaps guiding some of the smaller creators and small independent sites so they can be successful. It has been like a huge chunk of my time over the past year. And I’m not alone in it.

… we have done some changes that we think help and we have done some changes that have helped. We also anticipate working through the whole rest of the year.

… One of the things I would say is I don’t expect you’re going to suddenly see one day we do a big huge, ‘And here is the independent small site update’ type of thing. I think it’s going be these incremental things that we do, in part because these kinds of sites are not monolithic.”

If there’s any silver lining here, it’s that smaller independent sites and creators that continue to invest in their content and SEO while simultaneously building their brand will likely be those that come out on top when Google is able to better identify them in search.

What Does Google Say Independent Creators Can Do?

Sullivan gave some tidbits during the NYC event for independent publishers, according to reporting at SEJ. The advice centers on branding.

“And I’ve seen where people do research and say, ‘I’ve figured out that if you have a lot of branded searches…’ That’s kind of valid in some sense. … What it’s saying is that people have recognized you as a brand, which is a good thing. We like brands. Some brands we don’t like, but at least we recognize them, right?

So if you’re trying to be found in the sea of content and you have the 150,000th fried chicken recipe, it’s very difficult to understand which ones of those are necessarily better than anybody else’s out there.

But if you are recognized as a brand in your field, big, small, whatever, just a brand, then that’s important.

That correlates with a lot of signals of perhaps success with search. Not that you’re a brand but that people are recognizing you. People may be coming to you directly, people, may be referring to you in lots of different ways… You’re not just sort of this anonymous type of thing.

So, one thing I would encourage anybody, but especially to smaller and independent ones that are kind of feeling like the big brands are kind of getting it all is, are you making sure that people understand who you are?”

What Sullivan is saying here is that it doesn’t matter if you are a big brand or small brand, but you must establish yourself as a brand, which is a go-to recognizable authority in your space.

Doing this correlates positively with search signals that increase your site’s visibility algorithmically and can also increase traffic from branded searches.

This differs from just adding a templated bio to your website and calling it a day. Sullivan went on to say:

“Make it easy for them to come into the site and know exactly what you’re about.

I know the travel bloggers, you all have the thing on the side that says, ‘we love travelling the world…’ It’s like, OK, that’s fine and at least people know to expect that from travel bloggers and you’ve got it there.

But help them understand what’s unique or different about you, that makes you a brand. And that is a really good thing.”

So what are some takeaways here?

Sullivan’s comments align with Google’s stance on “authoritativeness” (the “A” in E-E-A-T) as outlined in its Search Quality Rater Guidelines. In it, Google says that to achieve authority, one must be a recognized expert in their field:

“Consider the extent to which the content creator or the website is known as a go-to source for the topic. While most topics do not have one official, Authoritative website or content creator, when they do, that website or content creator is often among the most reliable and trustworthy sources.”

So what does this mean? Being the go-to resource builds authority. And Google’s E-E-A-T is a guiding light on how to rank quality content.

A strong brand will also garner trust. As a reminder, “Trust is the most important member of the E-E-A-T family,” according to Google in its SQRG.

So there are advantages to creating a strong brand that garners a certain sentiment online, which sends trust signals to Google, according to our research. When managed well, this could translate to higher rankings and more clicks.

Tips: How to Build a Strong Brand

Google wants independent creators to invest in their brands, and make sure that’s translated to their online presence.

It may come as no surprise that I recommend SEO as a way to improve your brand online. That is, in fact, the only way to compete in Google.

That said, here are some practical tips on ways you can create a strong brand identity:

1. Define and Communicate Your Brand

Get crystal clear on your brand and what makes you unique:

• Conduct thorough brand research by engaging with your target audience, employees and stakeholders to understand the perceptions around your brand.
• Identify common themes from this research to create a clear brand identity.
• Ensure your brand identity is consistently communicated across all content, visuals and interactions.

For more, read: What Is Your Brand Identity and Why Does It Matter to SEO?

2. Double-Down on E-E-A-T

Everything you do with your website and your identity online is an opportunity to build your brand:

• Showcase your experience and expertise by creating high-quality, informative content relevant to your industry.
• Build authority through earning backlinks from reputable sources and demonstrating thought leadership.
• Foster trust by maintaining transparency and ensuring positive user experiences.

For more, read:

• The Complete Guide to the Basics of Google’s E-E-A-T.
• The New Link Building Manifesto: A Complete Guide to Earning Links That Count.

3. Monitor Brand Sentiment

Do you know what people think of you? Shaping public perception is a big part of maintaining a brand.

• Regularly assess your audience’s perception of your brand through sentiment analysis.
• Address negative feedback quickly and engage with your audience to build a positive reputation.
• Use insights from sentiment analysis to inform your SEO and content strategies.

For more, read, Is Sentiment an SEO Trust Signal?

4. Use SEO for Brand Awareness

SEO can play a key role in a bigger brand strategy, especially when you consider your website is the hub of your brand online.

• Conduct keyword research to identify terms your target audience is searching for, and incorporate these into your content.
• Publish valuable and engaging content, like blog posts and social media updates, that speak to your audience’s needs and interests.
• Develop an editorial calendar to plan and organize your content strategy effectively.

For more, check out: 3 Ways to Use SEO for Brand Awareness.

5. Compete with Larger Brands Through Agility

Independent creators and smaller businesses have an advantage over bigger brands that they may not realize: the ability to be nimble.

• Take advantage of being a smaller organization by implementing SEO strategies swiftly and adapting to changes more rapidly than larger competitors.
• Focus on long-tail keywords and niche markets where competition may be less intense, allowing for better visibility.
• Continuously refine your SEO tactics based on performance data to stay competitive.

Read: How to Beat the Giants in the Search Results in 9 Simple Steps.

Final Thoughts

While Google works on its algorithm to help support independent creators in the search results, those creators need to be working on their brand.

Those who differentiate will have a better chance of competing in the search results once Google has been able to tweak its algorithm to better surface the content of smaller brands.

Our SEO experts can help you optimize your site for E-E-A-T to earn Google’s trust, improve your search rankings and strengthen your brand.

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FAQ: How can smaller websites successfully compete with big brands in SEO by using a differentiating brand strategy?

Independent creators are struggling to compete with the clout of big brands in the search results, but they’ve got something far more powerful: focus. A small yet potent brand paired with precision SEO can better prepare you to achieve growth.

Here’s how to be different in a digital space that is bursting with content creators:

Define Your Unique Brand Identity

Get clarity about what distinguishes your brand. Is it your voice? Your principles? Your experiences? That distinctiveness needs to steer your content and messaging. You don’t have to compete on a direct level with any of a number of brands; you just have to give your audience a reason to pick you over the others.

Target Niche Audiences with Long-Tail Keywords

Large companies usually pursue wide, high-volume keywords. You don’t have to. You can concentrate on particular, intent-driven, long-tail keywords that are almost guaranteed to convert. These are much easier to rank for and much more likely to bring in visitors who are ready to do something.

Build a Connected, Loyal Community

One of the most potent differentiators is community. Use blog comments, email newsletters, social media and forums to engage with your audience in a way that feels authentic. When you do that, you get loyal communities that spread the word for you. And they do it in a way that’s more potent than any advertising.

Use the Right SEO Tools and Analytics

Keep track of what is and isn’t working. Tools such as Google Analytics, Search Console and rank trackers can assist you in knowing where your content is catching on and where it needs to be tweaked. The information you gather from these tools makes you more nimble and allows you to optimize with a little more brainpower.

Partner for Visibility

Expanding your scope is a reason to work with others. When doing so, consider influencers, other small brands or creators who resonate with your mission as ideal partners. Working with these types of collaborators is a surefire way to reach previously untapped, yet highly relevant, audiences.

Get the Technical Details Right

Your website must provide an uninterrupted experience. Uninterrupted means fast load times—under 1 second is ideal. Mobile devices account for the majority of web traffic. Despite the rapidly increasing number of mobile users, many websites are not yet entirely mobile-friendly.

Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Clearly specify what your brand stands for and how it adds value.
2. Market research should be conducted to pinpoint the aspects that make your offering distinct.
3. Create a brand story that speaks directly to your target audience.
4. Direct your SEO keyword activities at long-tail, low-key competitor phrases in your niche.
5. Create content of high quality that is also useful and relevant to your audience.
6. Create a site that is SEO-friendly, simple to navigate and fine-tuned for performance.
7. Remain engaged on social platforms and answer your community.
8. Utilize content from the blog, as well as polls or comments, to promote engagement.
9. Work together with businesses and influencers that have a similar mindset.
10. Maintain an up-to-date understanding of SEO trends, algorithm updates and optimal practices.
11. Put fast page load times and mobile optimization at the top of your list of priorities.
12. Earn high-quality backlinks from credible websites in your industry.
13. Ensure your brand identity is consistent across all points of interaction.
14. Encourage your audience to offer simple reviews or testimonials.
15. Employ email marketing to create and sustain affiliations with your audience.
16. Provide exceptional customer experiences to ensure retention and to promote positive word-of-mouth.
17. Consistently reassess and enhance the user experience of your site.
18. Examine your niche competitors to see what’s effective and why it is.
19. Maintain flexibility and be prepared to adapt when chances present themselves.
20. Rejoice in your victories and communicate significant accomplishments to your followers.

Why We Care About Competing with Big Brands

As Google figures out how to help independent creators get more visibility in the search results, those creators can work on their brands by being smarter, more focused and more personalized.

It’s not enough to just be creating; if you want to show up, you have to differentiate yourself not only through your branding but also by building community and executing SEO consistently.