When Google Title Tag Revisions Interfere With Corporate Branding

Disclaimer: I am not an “SEO Expert” – in fact, I think that title gets throw around too loosely, but that’s for a different post.  I am just passionate about digital marketing and search engine optimization.

If you’re unfamiliar with Search Engine Optimization – or “SEO” – it can be defined as the practice of getting your website to rank well for relevant keywords and search queries.  So what does MIBAR.net, a Business Software Consulting and IT Services firm have to do with SEO?  Because not only is SEO inextricably linked with technology, it is also fast becoming an essential marketing tool for almost every business.  And I believe that means that all businesses should be aware of it!

So, while this post isn’t meant to be a 101 on SEO, it does discuss and shed light on a new Google practice – something we accidentally stumbled upon while launching our new website – that may be interfering with your corporate branding.  And that’s something that every business can relate to!

If you’re already familiar with basic SEO, you can skip the next paragraph – if not, read on!

I’ll start by giving some background on how Google (and most search engines) work.  When you Google something, you see a few important elements of the search engine results page (also known as SERP).  I’m going to focus on the bold blue link that you click on.

 

  • This text isn’t random – it comes from the pages “title tag” – something that you have full control over.  From an SEO perspective, it is widely considered to be the most important element of a web page.

For example, if you search for “Business Software Consulting, NY” – this is what you will see on the SERP:

Business Software Consulting SERP

The reason that our site comes up when you search “Business Software Consulting, NY” is because, amongst other factors, we have specifically put the words “Business Software Consulting” and “NYC” in our Title Tag.  And that’s why you see the words, “Business Software Consulting – IT Services – MS Dynamics GP | NYC – NJ” in the big blue link – because that’s the Title Tag that we wrote for our homepage.

Who Moved My Title Tag?

However, we have recently noticed instances where Google is replacing the Title Tag that you write, with something they deem “more relevant.”  For example, when we Googled our own company name, “MIBAR.net,” our Title Tag had changed!  The search result brought up the same page, but it represented it with a different title.  This is what we saw:

MIBAR screen clip

Yes!  It’s the same page, but it’s a brand new Title Tag.  We’re now “Mibar.net.”  And at first glance that may seem pretty harmless.  However, we have spent the last 10 years branding ourselves as MIBAR.net, in all capital letters.  In fact, it’s an acronym for “Managing Information Business Applications & Resources.”  But Google doesn’t know this.  And nor should they.  Google has a lot to do, so I don’t expect them to be aware of this!  And that’s exactly why we’re upset with this recent practice that Google has adopted.

We’re MIBAR because we “Manage Information, Business Applications & Resources.”  We’re not Mibar.  And unfortunately, Google hasn’t shed any light on how to either control or change this.  So for now, the MIBAR brand, an acronym that we’ve spent a decade working on, is now just Mibar – I hope Google doesn’t start thinking that we’re a drinking establishment in Spain!

So that wraps up my first post, Is Google Changing Your Brand?  If you know how to fix this, please share.  If you’ve had the same thing happen to you, please share.  If you have anything to say about SEO, Business Software, Technology and beyond, also please share!

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