Marketing and branding has struggled to find its footing within the architecture industry. Researchers suggest that architects believe it is unprofessional to be associated with business and marketing. In her doctoral dissertation, “Marketing Architecture in Canada: Exploring the Architecture Profession’s Understanding and Use of Marketing: 1955 – 1985 to Present”, Brynne Campbell explores the relationship between marketing and architecture over history.
Among the +300 pages of research, her case studies stood out to me the most.
Campbell studied two architect firms that used marketing in their practice – John B. Parkin and Associates and Arthur Erickson and Associates. Both firms used marketing to communicate the value of their work and elevate their image. While Parkin focused on the team’s image, Erickson promoted his philosophies and put himself in the spotlight as the firm’s spokesperson.
In other words, Parkin created a corporate brand while Erickson created a personal brand.
Branding isn’t a foreign concept in today’s consumerist society but to many of us, it is abstract. How do we see it? Touch it? Measure it?
I’d argue: Google.
Erickson created his personal brand in the 60s and 70s before Google was invented, but given the technology, I’d like to think he would have used search engines to construct his public image. I say that because I see so many architects do it today. In this article, I want to show you how they’re doing it.
Seeing Personal Brands on Search
Search for an acclaimed architect like Eva Franch i Gilabert or Lesley Lokko on Google.
Notice something special? The search result page for these architects is different than if you were to Google your neighbour.
Their name and profession is listed big and clear. Their headshots beam across the screen and on the right hand side there is a snippet of their biography, birthday, and education.
This is called a Knowledge Panel. And it is not random.
This is what their personal brand looks like. It is a result of their efforts publicly demonstrating their expertise and contributing to architecture and society at large over the years – on social media, through press, books and videos.
Creating Personal Brands on Search
Knowledge Panels don’t appear randomly, they can be created. This is a form of search engine optimization (SEO). We often think SEO is the keywords, metadata and sitemaps we add to our own website, but it is also how we optimise our online presence across the world wide web websites beyond our own. Just like Erikson, we curate our public image.
These Knowledge Panels used to be hard to attain. You had to have a Wikipedia page, bylines from global media publications, and a book. But Google is changing its algorithm. You no longer have to reach celebrity status to be recognized by Google. Being an expert recognized within your own microcosm is enough.
Now, search architectural designers like Natasha Lebel or Britta Siggelkow on Google.
Notice that their Knowledge Panel, or personal brands, aren’t as developed as the earlier examples but it’s exciting to see it in motion.
The search engine industry suspects that the future of SEO will revolve around personal brands, influencers and individuals over corporations. In 2022, Google updated its algorithm to add another “e” (experience) to E-E-A-T. That was a big clue of the new direction. Leaders in the space, like Lily Ray, have also publicly expressed the same observations.
Curious myself, I’m currently studying and scrapping knowledge panels to find patterns and understand how to recreate one. So far, these are the common ingredients I see among experts in and out of the architecture industry:
- Domain – They have a website domain with their name in it.
- Digital Assets – They have digital assets with their name on them, like a book, TV show, or film.
- Social Media – Historically, Google says socials aren’t a ranking factor but we’re starting to see a shift. Those with knowledge panels all have social media handles with their name in them.
- Expertise – They regularly speak on the same topic (that is, similar keywords), making them an expert.
- Authority – They don’t just create content on their own channels but other high-authority ones. They have bylines and features in digital publications, podcasts or YouTube channels. Many also have a Wikipedia page.
Measuring Personal Brands on Search
Using keyword research tools we can measure a personal brand’s demand or growth.
Take “Siamak Hariri” as an example. An average of 940 people are searching his name every month.
Contrast that with a generic search term like “architect firm toronto”. About 1,500 people search for the keyword every month.
Another way to measure a personal brand, and probably one of the most important, is the impact it has on your practice.
In Campbell’s own research, she saw a correlation between marketing and profitability and overall financial growth.
From my own experience, working with designers and architects that come through my agency, I see branding doesn’t just bring in more revenue. It also brings a degree of ease. Instead of wooing prospective clients, they come to sales calls already believing, respecting and trusting you.
Branding through search engines makes your business easy to find online. And the easier it is for the public to understand, value and find you, the more impactful work you can do.
Daniela Furtado is an SEO professional and specialises in the design-build industry. Through her work running an agency, Findable Digital Marketing, teaching courses and writing, she’s on a mission to make search engine marketing less elusive. She is based in Toronto, Canada.