SEO as a branding tool? Sure for B2B

B2B/Industrial marketing via Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a slightly different game than for others. Adding branding to the overall value of SEO makes it all the more important for us. Most would say that SEO isn't a branding tool, however that depends on the situation. An article published by Webposition called Search Engine Marketing and Branding 101 tells it this way:

Imagine you're researching a category you know nothing about - whose leading companies aren't "household names" (as is often the case in the BtoB marketplace). Suppose you perform a search on "conveyor belts" and the website that shows up at the top of the search results is "International Conveyor Belt Corp." Would you assume that this firm is the leader in its industry? Most people unfamiliar with the category would - and the company would have accomplished exactly what it set out to do in establishing themselves at the leading brand in their online marketplace where the target audience may be unaware of who the category leaders are - either online and offline.

Of course a high ranking doesn't add to branding unless the rest of their experience with the brand, which at this point is limited to the website, is also positive and demonstrates leadership.

I'm all fired up to check on my rankings and site stats now (using the tools listed on the right of this webpage, of course).