Almost Half of Google Searches Are Branded. Here’s Why That Matters
Everyone obsesses over ranking for generic keywords like “best CRM” or “email marketing tools.” But the chart from Ahrefs’ latest study shows a different game: 45.7% of all Google searches are branded. Almost half the time, people are not shopping around—they’re hunting for a specific name. If you want your easiest SEO wins, you don’t just chase searches. You create so much demand that people search for you by name.
How to engineer more branded searches
Think of SEO as capturing demand and brand as creating it. Run memorable campaigns that give people a phrase to type into Google: your company name plus your flagship product or problem you solve. Use that exact phrasing in podcasts, webinars, YouTube descriptions, and guest posts so it sticks. Then make sure your homepage, product pages, and review pages are perfectly optimized for those branded queries. The more often people search specifically for you, the less you have to fight over generic keywords with everyone else.
What the Ahrefs chart is really telling you
- Non‑branded keywords still win on volume (54.3%), but they’re split across millions of vague searches and competitors.
- Branded searches (45.7%) are pure intent: people already know who they want, they just need a fast path to your site.
- Single‑word branded queries (12.3%) show you’ve built a name that can stand alone, like “HubSpot” or “Notion.”
- Two‑word and 3+ word branded queries (33.4% combined) reveal product lines and use cases people actively associate with your brand.
- Owning more branded search variations makes you algorithm‑proof: even if rankings shuffle, people type you in directly.
Brands turning branded search into an SEO moat
Ahrefs uses educational content, free tools, and constant data studies to drive branded searches like “ahrefs site explorer” and “ahrefs keyword tool.”
Shopify built an ecosystem of apps, courses, and influencer partnerships so thousands of merchants now Google “shopify store” before they ever search for a generic ecommerce platform.
Mailchimp turned fun, memorable campaigns into a habit where small businesses simply type “mailchimp login” instead of searching for “email marketing software.”
