Almost Half of Google Searches Are Branded. Here’s Why That Matters

• Hugo H. Macedo argued that many branded searches are just navigational: people typing a brand into their browser bar and hitting enter. It’s not always brand awareness—sometimes it’s just habit. Or as Alek Asaduryan suggested, Google has become a default navigational tool, not just a research engine.
• Stefan Repin pointed out that demand is now often created outside of Google—on social media, podcasts, and other platforms—and Google serves more as the place people go once interest is sparked.
• Isabel Hughes and Shawn Busse highlighted the murky waters of attribution. Just because someone typed your brand into Google doesn’t mean search was their first touchpoint.
• John Emoavwodua emphasized that branded search is often a sign of people moving further down the funnel—seeking more info after discovering your brand elsewhere.
• Mike Escott made the case that a declining brand leads to fewer branded searches, and generic search performance will eventually suffer too (this is something that deserves a study on its own).
• Joshua Squires raised a great point about retailers who don’t own the brands they sell—what does branded search mean for them?
• Michael Fertman pointed out that offline channels (like billboards) can drive branded search volume too. It’s not just digital.
• Marcel Nanning summed it up well: strong branding makes everything else easier.

Final thoughts

This study is one more reminder that brand matters—a lot. Even as the search landscape shifts with things like AI Overviews, brand still stands out as a key driver of visibility in the SERPs.

In fact, I’d argue brand marketing is the most underappreciated SEO strategy. When I analyzed SEO tactics of Nasdaq-listed companies, brand strength kept showing up as an entity within Google’s knowledge graph that can win SERPS.

I also found that companies that have a branded version of an unbranded keyword, like “mortgage calculator” versus “NerdWallet mortgage calculator”, tend to rank higher for the generic term, too. Again, brand marketing has an impact on SEO.

So if you’re investing in SEO, don’t overlook brand. It’s doing more of the work than most people realize.

Got questions or comments? Let me or Tim know, or drop a comment in the discussion on LinkedIn.