“When you don’t advertise, you force people to Google generic things.”
This quote from media sales expert Ryan Dohrn sheds light on a pressing issue for local businesses. Without a proactive advertising strategy, businesses leave their visibility up to chance. Potential customers who don’t know your brand name often type generic searches like “coffee near me” or “best plumber in my area.” Unfortunately, seemingly innocent search behavior can leave small businesses competing in an uphill battle against big brands, algorithms, and AI-generated content.
This blog explores why advertising is critical in today’s digital age, the dangers of relying on generic searches, and actionable strategies to elevate your brand’s presence.
The Risk of Generic Search Behavior
When people use generic inquiries, they’re looking for solutions—not necessarily for specific businesses. Searches like “best daycare” or “roofing company near me” trigger a flood of results, often favoring:
- National brands with strong SEO and deep marketing pockets.
- Review sites like Yelp, where rankings rely heavily on user reviews.
- Nearby competitors, possibly even newer and less qualified businesses.
This issue is compounded by reliance on factors beyond your business’s control, like local search algorithms, reviews, or pricing wars. When your brand isn’t top-of-mind, you immediately lose leverage, leaving customers to rely on convenience and ratings rather than your unique value.
Why AI Overviews Make Generic Searches Riskier
AI is transforming how search engines function. With tools like Google’s AI overviews, users now get summarized answers directly at the top of search results. These AI-driven snapshots pull information from multiple sources to provide an instant response, reducing the need for users to click through to individual websites.
The Implications for Businesses:
- Organic traffic takes a hit. Fewer clicks mean fewer new customers discovering your brand through traditional search.
- Your business gets lost in AI-generated summaries. If customers don’t search for your brand by name, your business may not even get a mention.
- AI defaults to generalizations. Without direct advertising and brand-building efforts, customers are more likely to engage with larger, highly ranked brands referenced by AI.
The takeaway? Failing to advertise your brand effectively now forces customers to engage with generic narratives, limiting the chances of them landing on your site.
Why Branded Presence Matters
The key to staying ahead of AI and search algorithms lies in brand recognition. Proactive advertising places your business front and center in the minds of consumers, ensuring they search directly for your name instead of a category.
Branded Searches vs. Generic Searches
- Branded Searches:
- Lead to higher click-through rates and better SEO performance.
- Build customer loyalty due to increased trust and familiarity.
- Cut through competitive noise by focusing directly on you.
- Generic Searches:
- Fuel reliance on competitive rankings, review platforms, and AI algorithms.
- Provide results influenced by pricing comparisons and location, not actual value.
- Prioritize convenience over meaningful or personalized recommendations.
Advertising bridges this gap, ensuring potential customers know your name before they type anything into Google.
What Happens When You Invest in Advertising
When businesses double down on advertising, the benefits are as measurable as they are impactful:
1. Higher Brand Recall
Advertising creates mental associations with your brand, making it more likely for customers to remember you when they’re ready to make a purchase.
2. Enhanced Trust
People tend to trust brands they’ve seen or heard multiple times in ads. This perceived credibility can make the difference between someone choosing your business or a competitor.
3. Real-World Impact
Targeted digital ads can significantly impact search behavior. For example, running ads over a few months can lead to a notable increase in direct brand searches while reducing reliance on generic, high-competition search terms like "services near me."
Advertising positions your brand as the answer. It transforms potential customers from passive searchers into active brand advocates.
The Cost of Silence
Not advertising doesn’t just mean stagnant growth; it actively benefits your competitors. Every time your business skips a marketing campaign, it hands the spotlight over to others.
Here’s what can happen:
Lost Market Share
Competitors not only dominate search results but also capture customer attention while your brand remains invisible.
Pricing Perceptions Get Skewed
Without a narrative, customers might assume your services are overpriced or offer less value compared to competitors.
Reactivity Replaces Proactivity
Instead of leading engagement, you’re forced to chase it, using expensive promotions or discounts to try and win back lost customers.
Silence in advertising ensures that your competitors aren’t just driving traffic; they’re dominating mindshare.
A Better Strategy: Own the Search
Combining advertising with a strong SEO and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) strategy is the way forward. Here’s how to own the search:
Step 1: Build Brand Awareness Through Advertising
Invest in consistent advertising across multiple platforms, including:
- Radio, Print, and Digital Ads for local reach.
- Social Media Ads for targeted awareness campaigns.
- Google Ads to place your name at the top of key search terms.
Step 2: Optimize for Branded and Non-Branded Keywords
Ensure your website ranks for both your brand name and relevant search terms by:
- Regularly updating web content with SEO best practices.
- Including location-specific sections (e.g., “Serving Mid-Missouri Residents Since 2010”) to help local relevance.
Step 3: Encourage Direct Traffic
Engage customers with loyalty incentives for visiting your site directly, rather than relying solely on generic searches.
Step 4: Tackle Zero-Click Searches
Provide comprehensive yet engaging content on your website to improve AI visibility and ensure your business is referenced in summarized AI overviews.
Proactive strategies like these ensure your business isn’t just in the game; it’s shaping the narrative.
Stop Making Google Do the Work for You
Advertising isn’t optional if you want to stand out. It’s the foundational investment in ensuring that customers search for you by name, not for generic alternatives.
Remember, you’re not just competing against other businesses; you’re also up against algorithms and AI that favor familiarity and relevance. It’s up to you to take control of your narrative and demand visibility.
Don’t leave your business’s fate up to chance or algorithms. Be the name people remember. Start building your brand’s presence today and own the search.