Big brands 'lead in SEO'

17th January 2008

Well-known brands have a natural advantage when it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), according to one expert in the field.

Internet marketing consultant Patrick Altoft, writing in his e-consultancy blog, explained that Google aims to ensure its algorithm picks out sites that web users want and expect to see at the top of search results.

As a result, anyone running a popular query is likely to find the first results are companies that spend a lot on other forms of promotion, such as television advertising, to establish their brand, he continued.

"This isn't a coincidence. If a Google search for car insurance was full of websites nobody had ever heard of something would be wrong and users wouldn't be happy," said Mr Altoft.

He added that anyone starting a new website and simply expecting it to appear above established brands in search engine rankings would be in for disappointment.

A recent report by eMarketer predicted that the paid search advertising market will experience significant growth in the next few years and that spend in the US alone will reach $16 billion (£8 million) by 2011.