Chapter Eight: SEO Tactics, Techniques, and Strategies
Third-person rewrite of The Fundamentals of BrandSERPs for Business by Jason Barnard
Why SEO is the foundation of a successful digital brand strategy
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tactics are the fundamental tools for managing a Brand SERP and form the bedrock of an effective digital strategy. When applied consistently, SEO techniques significantly improve a brand’s digital presence—starting with the Brand SERP. Improvements to the Brand SERP cascade through to reputation, visibility, SEO, content marketing, and ultimately, revenue.
While SEO takes time to deliver, most tactics are non-technical, simple to apply, and highly effective when executed consistently.
Brand SERP-focused SEO is more effective and accessible
The digital space is flooded with SEO advice, but very little breaks down the approach in a way that makes it accessible to non-technical business leaders. Fewer still explore SEO beyond ranking and traffic.
Jason Barnard recommends flipping the traditional SEO model. Instead of focusing 80% on technical SEO and 20% on content, brands should do the opposite—prioritising audience-focused content and reducing reliance on technical fixes.
This approach maximises ROI by aligning with business objectives and user expectations. Content becomes the priority. Technical SEO still matters, but it becomes the support act, not the headline.
Reframe SEO as helping Google serve its users
The core principle behind Jason Barnard’s SEO strategy is simple: package your content to help Google achieve its goals. Google wants to deliver the best possible answer to its users. If your content aligns with this objective, Google is more likely to recommend your brand.
Google’s understanding and perception of your brand is central. Every time your brand appears in search, the algorithm synthesises content through its current understanding of your brand identity.
By treating each Google SERP as a product and contributing value to that product, your SEO strategy becomes content-led, user-first, and future-proof.
The three SEO pillars: Understanding, Credibility, Suitability
- Understanding – How clearly does Google understand who your brand is, what it offers, and who it serves?
- Credibility – Does Google trust your brand enough to recommend it above competitors?
- Suitability – Is your content the best fit for the SERP and Google’s users in context?
When all three are aligned, your Brand SERP will reflect a clear, accurate, and audience-relevant identity—and your wider SEO strategy will drive measurable business results.
Google’s Hummingbird update changed everything
Before 2013, SEO was a numbers game. Marketers could manipulate rankings with backlinks and keyword density. The release of Google’s Hummingbird algorithm rewrote the rules.
Hummingbird shifted Google’s focus to understanding entities and their relationships—just as humans do. Now, Google assesses your content by evaluating your brand’s relevance, authority, and the quality of your offers in relation to the user’s needs.
To benefit, brands must focus on clarity, context, and semantic value. SEO is no longer about tricking Google—it’s about teaching Google.
Foundational techniques that help Google understand your content
Use semantic triples (Subject-Verb-Object)
Google reads content much like a human. It looks for simple, declarative sentences to establish facts and relationships. Example: “Adidas makes shoes” is clearer to Google than “Adidas, the German company founded in 1949, makes shoes.”
Content should use precise verbs and structure to clarify meaning without becoming robotic or unnatural. Balance is key—clarity for machines and appeal for people.
Use headings effectively
Headings help Google understand the structure and relevance of your content. Use one H1 per page for the main topic, then H2s for subsections. Each heading should be concise and clearly signal the content that follows.
Embed multimedia and optimise it
Google favours multimedia content—images, video, and audio—because users do. Use descriptive filenames and alt tags to help Google understand media elements. Multimedia also improves user engagement and enhances your Brand SERP with Rich Elements.
Ensure technical SEO basics are in place
Your content must be crawlable, fast-loading, mobile-friendly, and well-structured.
- Every page should load in under two seconds.
- Design must work on mobile devices.
- Content should be chunked into digestible blocks for better parsing.
- Internal linking should be logical and intuitive.
These elements are crucial to Google’s satisfaction and therefore your ranking and visibility.
Link strategies that build credibility and authority
Internal, external, and inbound linking reinforce Google’s understanding of your digital ecosystem.
- Internal links help users navigate your site and show Google the relationship between content.
- Third-party links to sites that mention your brand build trust and E-A-T.
- External links to credible sources provide context and signal alignment with authoritative knowledge.
These strategies help Google confirm your brand’s relevance and trustworthiness.
Fresh content and audience engagement
Regular content creation is essential. It shows Google your brand is active and authoritative. Not all content needs to be new—updating cornerstone pages also demonstrates relevance.
Share new content on social media to:
- Encourage engagement.
- Reinforce Google’s understanding of relevance.
- Drive users back to your site.
Link your website to your social profiles and vice versa. Two-way verification increases Google’s confidence and boosts your social profiles in your Brand SERP.
Encourage third-party validation
What others say about your brand carries more weight than what you say about yourself. Encourage reviews, testimonials, and peer recognition. Third-party content—especially on independent platforms—is critical for E-A-T and Brand SERP optimisation.
If you’re not confident in your ability to receive positive feedback, improve your offer before inviting reviews. Feedback from others is a powerful signal to Google and a persuasive asset for potential clients.
SEO is how you educate Google about your brand
Every technique in this chapter is a way to teach Google who you are, what you offer, and why you matter. SEO techniques allow you to design your digital brand presence intentionally. When executed well, your Brand SERP becomes your best business asset.
Google relies on everything it can find—your site, social content, third-party mentions, user feedback, and multimedia—to form its understanding. SEO is how you organise and optimise that understanding.
Even with great content and a strong Brand SERP, some businesses benefit from paid campaigns. Google Ads can be a powerful complement to your organic efforts, especially when used to control key elements of your Brand SERP or secure visibility for high-converting terms.
This chapter lays the groundwork for mastering SEO through a Brand SERP lens. SEO is no longer optional—it’s essential to long-term success in search, AI, and business.
