When you think of branding, SEO might not be the first thing that pops into your head. Most people think of branding as a logo, color scheme, or a catchy tagline, but SEO? Probably not. You may be familiar with SEO. Many business owners are, to some extent. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a process by which online content is created or enhanced in ways that increase its likelihood of being found by searchers. Historically, it's been a website thing - you get the pages of your website optimized so that they show up in search results. But the importance of SEO is growing and in so doing, it's shifting how brands market their products and services. Enter search-driven branding.
Your brand is built by more than what you put out there. It’s built by what people find when they search for you. I remember having a brief phone conversation with my favorite Brand Technologist, Hajj Flemings a few years ago, and he offered the most succinct definition of personal branding I'd ever heard: Your brand is how people experience you. And in those seven words, I completely understood this concept of branding.
So, AI and I have created this guide (because AI is my jam). And in this guide, I'm going to break down for you how you can and should use SEO to elevate your personal brand, show up in search results, and position yourself as the go-to expert in your niche—even if you’re starting from scratch. Especially if you’re starting from scratch. Whether you’re a business owner, freelancer, or micro-business owner, understanding how SEO influences your visibility and credibility can be a game-changer. LET'S GO!!
What is SEO?
First things first. Let’s talk about SEO.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo!. It’s a set of strategies and techniques that help your content rank higher in search results so people can easily find you when they look up topics or questions related to your brand or business. It’s also one of my favorite things to do as well as one of my favorite topics to talk about.
In simple terms, SEO is how you get your website or content to show up as one of the top results when people search for stuff. When done right, SEO helps you attract more visitors to your website, build authority in your niche, and turn casual browsers into loyal followers or customers—all without paying for ads.
And it works. I’ve crafted search-driven strategies that generated tens of millions of dollars in pipeline and revenue. And that's organic, meaning that doesn't include any paid marketing efforts. Just good, old-fashioned organic search marketing.
Now, it’s worth nothing that SEO isn’t magic or a one-time thing. SEO is a blend of science and art that requires you to understand what your audience is looking for, how and where they're searching, and how Google ranks content.
SEO is an ongoing effort, and its cumulative, meaning the effort and resources you put into SEO six months ago, and even a couple of years ago, will continue to deliver benefits in the form of visibility, credibility, and profitability for years to come.
Why We're Talking About Search-Driven Branding
Before we jump into this idea of Search-driven branding, let me just be clear here. Search-driven branding is a thing, but it isn't a thing. It's fast becoming a thing though, which is why I'm taking out the big guns to write extensively about this now, and create a bunch of multimedia content before the other talking heads (I'm a talking head) start talking about this. Why? Because the search habits of consumers are shifting. Even the technology we use for search is changing. And if people are using different methods to search for what they need, and no longer defaulting to Google Search, that change impacts how businesses are found and how new products are discovered.
Marketers like me have been watching and preparing for this shift for years. But if you don't happen to be in marketing, you may not see it coming, so to speak. You may just notice your foot traffic dropping. Or you may notice you're not getting as many calls. I want you to have the chance to prepare for this thing before it starts affecting your bottom line though. So, if you can grab a few minutes to read through this guide, I promise you, it'll help your business.
Because SEO and Branding Work Together to Drive Business
A big part of my job has to do with finding ways to align a brand's offerings with the search terms that brand's audience is using to find similar products and services. That's SEO.
The other part of my work is around making sure search engines can determine that a particular business or expert is worth recommending. That's the branding part of this.
SEO: Making sure there's content on your website that answers the search query.
Branding: Making sure search engines are willing to recommend your content and your brand to searchers.
Think of it like this: you know who you are and what you want to be known for, but search-driven branding makes sure that when people type relevant keywords into Google, you’re the one they see because you're the one Google will recommend.
And here’s why it matters: there's an old stat from HubSpot that says 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. That stat has been considered basic information when it comes to search behavior. And I think it pretty much holds true today. But there's a second set of stats we want to consider from First Page Sage.
39.8% of traffic for a particular search goes to the first organic (non-ad) search result.
18.7% of search traffic goes to the second organic result.
10.2% goes to the third search result.
The takeaway here... if you’re not showing up in the top results, you’re visible to search engines (good for you!!) while being invisible to your potential customers. 😢
The Intersection of SEO and Personal Branding
You probably already have a personal brand in some form, whether it’s a well-curated LinkedIn profile or a consistent social media presence. But where does SEO fit into this?
Well, the key lies in understanding that search engines, like Google, determine your visibility and credibility online. They decide if your name pops up when someone searches for “freelance marketing strategist” or “branding consultant in Detroit.” This is where entity SEO comes into play.
What is Entity SEO?
Entity SEO focuses on establishing you as an entity—an identifiable and authoritative figure—in search engines’ eyes. I recently wrote an article on this for a publication called The Shelf, wherein I distilled the concept of being a Person Entity down to this idea of being Search Engine Famous. Hop on over to The Shelf and take a look if you have the time or need that info.
If you think about the knowledge panels you see when you Google a celebrity or thought leader. That’s entity SEO in action. I'm gonna drop Alex Hormozi's knowledge panel down here because as I write this, an ad for Skool is running, so...
You've seen these before, right? They're usually reserved for celebrities (traditional and internet). But what I'm telling you is that in the coming months, you'll see more and more content creators showing up in this prime digital real estate, as Google formalizes a framework for recognizing and aggregating info to build out these types of knowledge panels for those who are consistent high-volume content creators, which could and probably should include any one of us, if we're running businesses.
Admittedly, I haven't quite figured out exactly how Google is deciding on a single thing to call you. For instance, this knowledge panel 👇🏽 for Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts tags her as an author. So, I'm wondering if search behavior is showing that more people know her as an author than a pastor. Unsure.

Why does it matter how Google tags you? Because Google's moving toward not only identifying a Person Entity, but also zeroing in on where a person's influence truly lies, whether in entrepreneurship (like Alex Hormozi up there) or Fashion like Lady Nneka Michel.

My point is...
By implementing strategies like optimizing your bio, using consistent information across platforms, creating content around your area of expertise, and earning backlinks from reputable sources, you build a digital footprint that begins to vouch for your reputation as a trusted entity. This is how Google and other search engines start recognizing you as the authority in your field.
Why Branding Needs SEO: Key Benefits
If you’ve been building your brand purely through social media and referrals, adding SEO into the mix can open up new opportunities you may not have considered. Let’s look at why personal branding needs SEO:
Increased Visibility: Showing up in search results means more people see your content, visit your site, and engage with your brand.
Higher Credibility: Google’s first page is prime digital real estate. Being there positions you as a credible expert and builds trust with your audience.
Long-Term Growth: Unlike social media posts that disappear from feeds, search-driven content works for you 24/7, attracting new leads and opportunities long after it’s been published.
Understanding Google’s E-E-A-T Principles for Personal Brands
Okay. Okay. Okay.
To understand how Google measures the strength of your brand, you need to know about E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These are the signals Google uses to determine if your content is credible, useful, and deserving of high rankings. And it's based almost entirely on your personal brand.
Breaking Down E-E-A-T:
Experience: Do you have real-world experience or firsthand knowledge in the topics you’re talking about? Google wants to see that you’re not just regurgitating information.
Expertise: Are you recognized as an expert in your field? Google looks for indicators like your qualifications, work history, and the types of content you create. 👀
Authoritativeness: Are others looking to you as a source of reliable information? This is where citations, backlinks from reputable sources, and social proof come into play.
Trustworthiness: Does your online presence look legitimate? Google evaluates things like website security, your content’s tone, and whether you have a clear and honest bio.

Applying E-E-A-T to Your Brand
Start by creating content (👈🏽 important and non-negotiable) that aligns with your area of expertise, ensuring it’s well-researched and actionable. Include elements of social proof (like testimonials), and make sure your website or LinkedIn profile is professional and complete. Over time, this will build Google’s trust in your brand, boosting your rankings.
Creating Content That Ranks: How to Develop a Branded Content Strategy
So, how do you get started with all of this? I know. It's like telling someone to build a mountain. How? Where? Who? What? Dude, I'm not gonna pretend I know how to build a mountain, or tell you something philosophical that equates to a one-rock-at-a-time sort of parallel. Let's just talk about how you can start this process of building your brand online using content that ranks and resonates with your audience. I'll keep this list simple.
Identify Your Core Topics: What do you know that you know that you know you can talk about? Focus on topics that intersect with your expertise and what your audience is searching for. For example, if you’re a marketing strategist, your core topics might be SEO, content marketing, and social media strategy.
Build Content Clusters: Love this technique. Create pillar posts (big pieces of content) around these core topics and develop supporting articles. So, your pillar post may be a long blog post, or it may be a podcast or a keynote. Then you create smaller pieces of content that are directly tied to your pillar content. For example, a pillar post on “SEO for Personal Brands” might have supporting articles on keyword research, building backlinks, and optimizing content for Google’s E-E-A-T.
Use Multimedia Content: Mix things up by creating blog posts, videos, infographics, and even podcasts. Different formats appeal to different audience segments and can increase engagement.
Local SEO for Brands: How to Optimize for Your Market
If your personal brand has a local component—say you’re a coach, consultant, or a service provider—local SEO is key. Here’s how to optimize:
Set Up Google My Business: Claim and optimize your Google My Business profile. Include your name, business address, phone number, and website.
Get Listed in Local Directories: List your brand on reputable local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and niche-specific directories. Consistency is key—ensure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are the same across all platforms.
Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews can significantly impact your local SEO. Ask satisfied clients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, or industry-specific platforms.
Measuring the Success of Your Search-Driven Branding Efforts
Success in SEO isn’t just about where you rank—it’s about how you’re building authority and driving engagement. Here’s what to measure:
Organic Traffic: Use Google Analytics to see how much traffic your site is getting from search engines. I promise we'll talk more about this in a later article.
Keyword Rankings: Track how your target keywords are performing. Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush can help.
Knowledge Panel Visibility: If you have a knowledge panel, track how often it shows up in search results and what information is being displayed. One of the great things about Google is that information updates quickly - usually within hours.
Content Engagement: Look at metrics like time on page, bounce rate, and social shares to see how people are engaging with your content.
Final Thoughts: The Future of Personal Branding is Search-Driven
In a world where digital presence equals professional success, SEO isn’t just for websites—it’s for people, too. Your personal brand’s strength depends on how well you position yourself as an authority, not just to your audience, but to search engines as well. And as search continues to evolve with updates like Google’s E-E-A-T, the brands that stay ahead will be the ones who understand how to align SEO with their personal branding strategy.
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