A full page of branded results doesn’t mean your entity is “done.” Google still needs a deep, discoverable network of external pages that confirm your business details across the web — not just rankings on page one. That’s why we keep building branded Web 2.0s even when the SERP looks clean. More corroboration, more crawl paths, and more structured signals strengthen the knowledge graph and make your brand harder to dislodge in local search.
Table of Contents
Start with a simple brand check
We always begin by simulating a local search. Use a geolocated browser tool and run a pure brand search without city words or extra modifiers. Look at the top 20 results. Ask: how many of those results are external pages that show the company name, address, phone, or website?
Our rule of thumb is clear. At least 16 of the top 20 results should be external page URLs that reference the branded business location. That is 80 percent or higher. If you hit that mark, the knowledge graph around that brand is well developed. If not, you have work to do.
Why we check external pages
Pages on the company domain are useful, but Google also looks for third-party pages that confirm what it knows. Listings, profiles, document sites, and bookmarks act as citations. The more corroborating pages Google can find, the stronger and clearer the business picture becomes.
Keep building even when page one looks full
Seeing branded assets on page one is only the start. We keep adding more supporting assets for three reasons:
- Corroboration – More pages with the same facts tell Google the data is correct.
- Redundancy – If one link goes away, many others still point to the business.
- Discoverability – New pages help Google find the business details faster.
Think of Google trying to make a puzzle picture. Each branded page is a piece. The more correct pieces we hand Google, the faster it can assemble the image of the business. Waiting for Google to find those pieces on its own is slow and unreliable.
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What types of assets should we build?
We look for high authority properties where we can create branded profiles or pages. Some common examples:
- Document sharing sites
- Profile pages on bookmarking and web 2.0 platforms
- Industry directories and niche listings
- Local citations and media mentions
- Supporting blog posts or content on third-party sites
Each new page should include some combination of name, address, phone, and website. Even one of those data points helps. But ideally we include multiple data points to make the citation strong.
Interlinking and optimization
We do not just create pages and forget them. We optimize profiles, add branding, and interlink them with other assets. That network of pages helps search engines connect the dots faster. It also improves the chance those URLs show in the top results for a geolocated brand search.
Where to publish and how to feed Google the data
Publishing a page is only half the job. We must help search engines find and trust the page.
- Google Business Profile posts – Use posts to link to new supporting pages. This prompts Google to crawl the page quickly and consider the information when building the knowledge graph.
- Local business schema – Add sameAs attributes in the local business schema that list your supporting page URLs. This tells search engines those pages belong to the same entity.
- ID page and spreadsheet – Keep a central ID page or a spreadsheet with every branded URL. Use that file in your workflow so nothing gets lost and Google can see the collection of assets.
Quick audit checklist we use
- Geolocate the browser to the target market and run a pure brand search.
- Count how many of the top 20 results are external branded page URLs.
- Check the Google Business Profile for links in posts and recent updates.
- Verify local business schema contains sameAs attributes for supporting pages.
- Make or update an ID page and add every supporting URL to it.
- Create new high-authority profiles and pages if the ratio is under 80 percent.
Monthly deliverables: what we keep doing
Monthly work should not stop once the top 20 looks good. Our ongoing tasks often include:
- Producing new branded web 2.0 profiles and document pages.
- Publishing a few press releases or semantic links where needed.
- Interlinking new pages with existing branded profiles.
- Adding new URLs to sameAs in the schema and updating the ID page.
- Posting to the Google Business Profile with links to the new pages.
We prefer to keep a mix. Semantic links and press releases can help reach niche audiences. Branded web 2.0s build the base of citations Google uses. Keep both types of work in your plan and keep producing new branded assets month after month.
Tools and tips
We often use local SERP checkers to simulate a search from the city where the business is located. BrightLocal tools are a common choice. When you need to hide results from the company domain to focus on external citations, use a minus operator in the search to remove the main domain from results.
Make each branded profile look solid. Use consistent NAPW data—name, address, phone, website—and use the same branding across pages. Small inconsistencies make Google less confident.
Simple example of the process
Say a dentist has five listings and a few media articles. The top 20 results show 12 branded external pages. That is under our 80 percent threshold. We would:
- Create 6 to 10 new profiles on high-authority web 2.0 and document sites.
- Link those new pages from the Google Business Profile posts.
- Add all new URLs to the local business schema sameAs and to the ID page.
- Monitor the top 20 again in a week or two to see the change.
Final thought
Branded location authority is one of the two biggest drivers in local search, the other being site efficiency. A strong network of external references gives Google a clear picture. We keep building and feeding Google those references until the knowledge graph is sharp and stable.
If the top 20 results are already branded assets, can we stop building web 2.0s?
No. Even when the top pages look full, we keep creating new supporting assets. More corroborating pages strengthen the brand and help with discoverability.
What is the 16 of 20 rule for branded searches?
We aim for at least 16 out of the top 20 results to be external URLs that reference the specific branded business location. That is 80 percent or greater and shows a well-developed knowledge graph.
How do we make sure Google finds new branded pages quickly?
Link to the new pages from Google Business Profile posts, add them to the sameAs attributes in local business schema, and list them on a central ID page so Google can crawl and connect them faster.
Are semantic links and press releases still useful?
Yes. Keep semantic links and press releases in your monthly plan, but pair them with ongoing branded web 2.0 work so you build a broad, corroborated footprint.
What if the brand has many locations?
If the brand is multi-location, we want the top 20 to show branded assets that reference the brand. Ideally the assets will point to the specific location when possible. If the brand is well represented across locations, we allow a bit of flexibility but still push for more location-specific pages.