In a recent analysis, Tom Capper from Moz discussed brand authority and HCU, sparking conversation from experts like Ross Hudgens, Cyrus Shepard, and Matt Diggity in the recent video.
Brand Authority vs. HCU
I conducted a similar study in June 2024, and the key finding was clear: sites with higher brand SV experienced less traffic drop.
Brand authority isn’t new—it’s always been a part of SEO, adding value both directly and indirectly. The difference now is that it carries more weight than ever.
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(Note: While the study is from June 2024, the findings remain relevant, though slightly dated.)
Sample Study:
👉 Total websites analyzed: 56
👉 Industry: Cybersecurity
👉 Pools: Divided into three groups based on Brand SV:
High SV: 16 websites
Mid SV: 16 websites
Low SV: 16 websites
👉 Competitor mix: Direct, Indirect, and SEO competitors
👉 Duration: Sep 2023 vs June 2024
🪴 Results:
🎱 Pool 1: High Brand SV
Overall Drop: 27.77%
🎱 Pool 2: Mid Brand SV
Overall Drop: 22.22%
🎱 Pool 3: Low Brand SV
Overall Drop: 66.66%
❇️ The higher the brand SV, the less traffic declines.
Study Highlights:
1/ Brand SV has always been important, but now it’s carrying more weight than ever. With blog sites like SoftwareTestingHelp and Geekflare fading, the only way to stand out as a real business vs. a random blog is through brand SV. If you have it, Google sees you as legit.
2/ Since March 2024, more product/service pages are already ranking higher than blog posts. That tells you Google wants to showcase real brands and their products—more SV means better chances of ranking.
3/ More web presence = more reward. For example, running a PR campaign boosts your brand SV, increasing your chances of getting recognized(crawl>authority) by Google.