Are KEYWORDS replacing BRAND in the new economy?

There is a lot of discussion in marketing circles about the relevance of the brand in the new economy.

Technology enthusiasts would have us believe that the brand is already dead. Or at the very least, in its death throes. They believe information is the new order and with information freely available on the web, the Brand has simply become irrelevant.

Just as fervently, brand marketers argue that the Brand is even more important in the new economy than in bricks and mortar. They claim that consumers are in information overload and are seeking "sign posts" to help guide them in their purchase decisions. Such guides are found in the Brand that makes a 'promise' to the consumer. A promise about quality, value, and is trustworthy.

Originally the brand was a name, label or symbol developed to denote ownership. When shipping their items, companies would brand their logotype insignia on the shipping barrels. Modern brands originated with the advent of the packaged goods industry and mass production. It was found that branded goods competed more favourably with local familiar products, than generic packaged goods.

Manufacturers also found that customers were developing relationships with their brands: socially, psychologically and anthropologically. To take advantage of the phenomenon and gain the edge on their competitors, manufacturers began to associate 'values' with their brand: fun, healthy, active, and so branding developed as a marketing discipline.

The underlying ethos of the brand is that it provides the consumer with a familiar and presumably trustworthy option when faced with a daunting and confusing options landscape.

So how does this work in the on-line environment? Well the simple answer is this: the same as in an off-line environment. But then maybe we are asking the wrong question.

The web is not just used for commerce. It is also used for entertainment, for social interaction, and for information/study/research. A bit like TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, promotions….wait a minute - just like any other medium!

So all the same rules apply.

If you are too small to spend squillions of dollars on your Brand (like almost all small business), then the same rules apply in an on-line environment as off-line: you need to attract your buyer, engage them, get them to take an action, AND get them to come back.

So where do keywords searches fit in? Well they are your on-line advertisement for your site. Yes, that's right - think of them as the copy of your advertisement - the headline in fact - and you can't go wrong. When advertising - what do you need to do? Attract the attention of your customer. Usually by coming up with a catchy and engaging headline. You use words that attract them, words they understand, words they would logically think of when they are seeking out a service provider. To do this you need to understand how your customers buy your product/service in an on-line environment.

This means you need to track visitations to and through your website. You need to understand how your customers are searching for your category of product/service and then use that knowledge to further enhance the on-page and off-page optimization of your website. You need to encourage testimonials and referrals (other ways to build trust when you have little or no brand presence). And you need to promote your site through all the traditional avenues: networking, PR, promotions, email tags, advertising, direct marketing, seminars, and association memberships.

So back to the question: Are KEYWORDS replacing BRAND in the new economy?

I'll let you be the judge.

Terri Gilden is a Senior Marketing Consultant with Marketing Angels. She specialises in working with clients to optimize their website presence within the marketing mix. Terri has worked with both large Corporates and SME's in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and has extensive experience in CRM and loyalty management within a range of industry sectors. Her email address is terrigilden@marketingangels.com.au.

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