I shared a poll to poke curiosity at the status of brand reputation and its perception among my peers across industries. Though the results of the poll presented a familiar outcome, with Google ranking first among platforms being first utilised to research a brand (53%), a deeper dive into the analytics of the data revealed a much more interesting and diverse picture — responses from industry veterans seemed to be restricted to their respective fields: those operating online prioritised a brand’s digital presence (18% for social media, 25% for brand websites) and those in the press emphasised a brand’s offline visibility (4%).

From a customer’s perspective, Google is perhaps the explicit go-to when it comes to researching a brand or looking for one. After all, if a brand’s online presence is not optimised, it stands to lose potential business because users may land on a competitor’s page. Similarly, if a brand had suffered a mishap or a flood of negative posts, they will be the first things that customers see, contributing to the importance of online optimisation to drive positive results. Effectively, in the world we live in today, a business is one click away from making a customer or losing one.

I do not deny the logic behind individual preferences, however, if I were to offer my two cents, I would lean in towards the imperative need to prioritise Google results above all else. That’s not saying other platforms and mediums are to be ignored; the acuity of the majority of those polled may have based their responses on their fields, yet their insights are integral to understanding prevalent trends.

As a digital native, I have come to embrace and adopt the importance of nurturing brand loyalty and the power that it presents by doing so. However, while my emphasis may be based upon platform-centric metrics, my experience with marketing grants me the insight to take a step back to consider the broader perspective.

It may be easy to dismiss Google’s dominance as a macro-platform given the access to the relevant insights of each individual service, but SEO is continuously growing in strength for good reason: the moment you engage with any piece of content through your online search, your entire online experience is altered through AI and programmatic processes. Search for anything online, on any website, and your social media feeds will be populated with promotions for similar products or services.

By all means, keep track of social media and website analytics, but do not disregard the power that Google presents to brands if they equip themselves with the knowledge to navigate its tools. Do not hesitate to work with those who are versed with SEO, as an optimal presence on Google will be reflected across virtually every other platform. Always look at the bigger picture and keep your eyes on the ultimate prize and the sum of all parts to present a complete picture for brands.