What's the broad-term-search competition like in your industry?  In most, it's intense.  Broad terms lose some luster for successful brands that have "made it," though ironically, the more popular a brand within an industry, the more likely it ranks well for broad terms of the industry, at the same time lessening its internal, marketing dependence on broad terms for traffic.  For instance, most, desiring the brand's product, would conduct an "iPhone" or "Apple" search rather than one for "cell phone" (though it's likely the brand's long-term engagement in online marketing has secured it good rankings regarding its respective industry's broad, search terms).

If Apple's reputation was of a lesser degree, or just beginning to issue cell phones, "cell phone" would be a keyword receiving high attention (and dollars) regarding the company's SEO and overall marketing efforts.  Through degrees of brand and product awareness and success, brand-related keywords, such as "Apple" and "iPhone," start attracting more traffic.

Companies must place focus on search terms related to the brand's evolving reputation.  Some terms, such as those related to a small business' name and appellations of head executives or bloggers, may receive ancillary or zero focus; this is an oversight, especially considering the widespread options we have on the Web to promote reputation and awareness.

Over time, a brand, devoting resources to building its reputation and those related to services, products, and recognizable personalities, can shift browser behavior, lessening dependence on highly-competitive and budget-draining search terms.

How can a brand help generate awareness and success?  As a company may segment broad and brand-related search terms, it can segment its endeavors of creating exposure.

Short Term

In the short term, social platforms invite immediate opportunity to engage customers and industry cohorts directly.  A company can present accolades, express appreciation, and regularly interact with markets, creating awareness and sowing social seeds, which later develop into brand-related user traffic.  How can a company network and spread social awareness in the short term?  Take your pick of a plethora of available social media platforms!  Know your target market and consider which platforms provide the best opportunity to create a good dynamic with it.

Quick tip: Have you tried creating a social account for a particular product, service, or fictional personality, making it come "alive" and interact with the public?  If performed properly, and befitting to your market, it could attract attention!

Long Term

While social networking and social media engagement is effective, user behavior and traffic on social sites can be staggered and inconsistent – by both consumers and brands.   A company needs stable, ongoing, and reputable outlets to create brand-related awareness.  A company blog gives a business the chance to share information and expose a brand's personality and figureheads to a specific market.  Through time, dedicating resources to developing a company's reputation and that of brand-related personalities, products, and services, will influence user-leveraged search terms, allowing the brand to take the broad terms out of close focus regarding SEO and online marketing budgets.