Utilizing search engines is a common way for users to discover a new brand. However, when considering using search engine marketing for your next marketing campaign, it is crucial not to overlook the significance of brand terms. 

Read on to find out what brand terms are, and how they can be integrated into your next SEM campaign in China. 

What are brand terms?

Brand terms are a search term or phrase, comprised of brand words, variations of the brand name, or a specific product name. 

For example, in the below example of ‘The Chinese University of Hong Kong’, the brand terms of the university might be:

• The MBA programs at CUHK (香港中文大学 MBA);

• Admissions of MBA at CUHK (香港中文大学MBA招生);

• Courses of MBA at CUHK (香港中文大学MBA课程); 

• Price of MBA at CUHK (香港中文大学MBA价格). 

Why is it necessary to advertise brand terms? 

It is important to advertise brand terms, as these are common terms that users search to find out more information about the brand, inform their purchase decision, compare with similar brands/products, and deepen their trust in the brand. 

As such, two main advantages to advertising brand terms are: 

1. High conversion, but low cost. 

Users who search for brand terms are usually familiar with the brand, wary of it, or loyal to it. By advertising the brand name, the user’s confidence in the brand increases, as it is more likely they will encounter the brand more frequently. Additionally, as brand word competition and price are not as fierce, conversion intent will therefore be higher. 

2. Complementary to organic search.  

While natural search results may already have a high ranking, the natural search ranking includes information, images, links to landing pages, etc. that are not human-controllable. As such, there is still a need to strengthen user confidence by promoting brand terms and creating targeted ad creatives. By doing so, when users in need click on the ads, the resulting landing page will have stronger marketing power, and be likelier to lead to conversion.  

Therefore, advertising brand terms could be another marketing strategy to consider, in addition to natural search. 

Brand term optimization 

If considering incorporating brand terms into your SEM marketing campaign, there are a few points to bear in mind, to maximize your brand term optimization. The three points are: 1. Using SEM advertising to improve the display of brand terms, 2. Adding search engine brand promotions, to increase the authenticity and visibility of the brand, and 3. Naturally adding brand terms to the relevant landing page. 

Using SEM advertising to improve the display of brand terms

1. Expanding the number of brand terms. 

To reach even more intended users, it is important to expand the total amount of brand terms. The main method of expansion are: brand terms, brand + official website, brand + product, brand + generic, geography + brand, etc. 

2. Adding brand words to brand terms. 

We recommend adding brand words to existing brand terms. Therefore, in addition to brand terms (the core), the system can also recognize relevant synonymous variants, allowing conversion rates to increase. As such, irrelevant web traffic can be filtered out, to ensure ads are only viewed by potentially interested users, and only relevant web searches will reveal the desired search result. 

3. Increase the bid for brand terms.

We also advise trying to rank on the first page of search engine results. Regularly tracking term rankings and reports can allow for a confident bid increase of effective brand terms. However, it is important to be mindful of the quality of brand terms. 

Baidu search promotion background term report

4. Adding creative styles for brand terms to attract users and increase their confidence in your brand. 

To encourage users to click on your website and subsequently boost their confidence in your brand, it is important to add innovative styles to your existing brand text. We suggest adding all sophisticated creative add-ons to the ad creative of your brand term, in addition to text creative styles. Styles with a higher click-through rate can also enhance your ad creative. 

Brand terms advanced style Case 1: single image + multiple images + text + sub-chain

Brand term advanced style Case 2: product display + text + sub-chain

5. Adding brand words to other types of terms, to increase chances of users remembering the brand message.

Put brand phrases above the title (the most prominent position), and include the ‘geographical wildcard’ in the creative of the SEM ad. By doing so, when users search for your brand/brand terms, they will see your brand at first look, strengthening their perception of your brand and help them remember your brand’s details. 

Adding CPT products for branding promotion, to increase authenticity and visibility of the brand

As there are more results in text-based searches, users have to spend more time identifying which searches contain relevant information, which could potentially lead to a diversion of their attention, resulting in possible user loss. Therefore, to reduce risk of possible user loss, it is important that brand ads are presented in a creative way, showing a rich array of information to attract and enhance the user’s trust in the brand, and in so doing, establish the brand’s image. 

Chinese search engines, particularly Baidu and 360, have ‘Brand Zone’ ads. These ads are on the top position of the first page of search results, with text, pictures, videos, and other rich forms of advertising available directly in front of the user. By incorporating the term ‘official website’ as well, users can easily identify and understand the brand, and quickly receive the information they need. 

Naturally adding relevant brand terms to the relevant landing page

Brand terms also need to be added to your website, for example in the title, description, body content, alternative text for images, URL, etc. We recommend incorporating relevant brand terms across your website, and not just concentrating in one area. This is because stacking or forced inclusion of brand terms can negatively affect users’ experience by being too overwhelming. 

Lastly, the landing page with the mention of brand terms must be a page with high relevancy to the brand. This is because the page is critical in persuading users of the brand’s power, impact in the industry, honors received, etc., convincing users to have trust and have confidence in the brand. 

For more advice on SEM in China, contact our marketing consultant at: enquiry@so360.hk.