RE: Research on SEO/SEM Effects on Brand Equity

By the way, Andrew, I guess you've already got loads of studies showing how search marketing drives 'consideration' (usually for purchase)? There's been quite a bit on this e.g. most people research buying a car online (no surprise there then...).

Depends if you consider "purchase consideration" or the "research" part of the buying cycle as brand metrics? Not really the stuff of FMCG.

Also, there's the iProspect research study (see details at http://www.iprospect.com/about/whitepaper_seuserbehavior_apr06.htm) which says:

"36% of search engine users report that they believe that companies whose  websites appear at the top of the search results are leaders in their field. This belief has increased slightly over the last four years (33% in 2002). Surprisingly 40% of users 25-44 years old associate top search results to company prominence. Traditional and “brand” marketers need to become involved in the initiatives that their colleagues on the search engine marketing side are undertaking, as those efforts are apparently helping to achieve branding goals. "

So search rankings (paid or natural) could well drive brand equity in the minds of users?

Ashley Friedlein
CEO
E-consultancy.com