Should you prioritize 'remarkable actions' over link building for better visibility?

What does Google mean by 'remarkable actions'?

Mueller refers to offline media outings: local press, radio, public events, visible partnerships. The idea is to create buzz around your brand, not directly on your site. Even if these media do not provide a clickable link to you, they trigger brand searches — users typing your name into Google.

This mechanism sends a signal of notoriety to the algorithm. Google interprets the volume of brand searches as an indicator of real trust and popularity. In the logic of entities and the Knowledge Graph, a searched brand exists more than a brand that accumulates artificial backlinks without any user demand.

How does this fit into Google's algorithm?

Google has long leveraged brand searches as an indirect ranking factor. A site that generates 500 monthly searches for its exact name benefits from a trust boost for its generic queries. This is documented in patents related to QDF (Query Deserves Freshness) and entity processing.

Mueller does not say that backlinks are dead — he suggests a diversification of popularity signals. An editorial link remains a vote of confidence. However, a link without associated user demand is worth less than a link accompanied by brand searches. This aligns with the fight against link spam: Google seeks non-manipulable signals, and real searches are one.

Why is 'stepping out of your comfort zone' SEO advice?

Because the majority of SEO strategies remain confined to digital: guest posts, automated press releases, directories. Mueller encourages expanding to the physical world and traditional public relations. An appearance at a conference, a street marketing operation, a partnership with a local association — anything that generates visibility outside of search engines.

The problem is that this advice is much more actionable for a local brand (restaurant, physical store) than for a B2B SaaS or niche site. It’s difficult to generate local radio coverage when your product targets European CFOs. Mueller remains vague about execution for these specific cases.

• Brand searches = notoriety signal captured by Google
• Offline media coverage triggers these searches even without a direct link
• Traditional link building remains useful but insufficient if there is no user demand accompanying the link
• Diversification of signals reduces dependency on manipulable backlinks
• Primarily applicable to local or mass-market brands, less obvious for B2B or technical niches

Is this statement consistent with observed practices in the field?

Yes and no. Well-known brands — Amazon, Airbnb, Booking — dominate their verticals even with average link profiles. Their volume of brand searches is such that they crush the competition on generic queries. This validates Mueller's thesis: real notoriety counts more than aggressive link building.

However, in competitive niches without strong notoriety — insurance, finance, real estate — sites with the best backlink profiles continue to dominate. A site that generates 100 monthly searches of its brand but has 500 DR80+ will outperform a competitor with 1,000 brand searches and 50 DR40. Link building remains a massive lever in these sectors. [To be verified]: Mueller provides no numerical data on the relative weight of brand searches vs. backlinks according to sectors.

What nuances should be considered regarding this advice?

First, 'doing extraordinary things' is a communication strategy, not a technical SEO one. An SEO cannot control a brand's PR or marketing strategy. Telling a client 'do something remarkable' without a media budget or comm team is hollow. This advice is more aimed at decision-makers than at SEO practitioners.

Next, generating offline media coverage takes time and budget — often much more than a link building campaign. A small business with no press service or PR agency will struggle to land a radio interview. Link building remains more scalable and predictable for these structures. Mueller omits this budgetary reality.

Finally, brand searches only trigger if the audience remembers your name. In certain sectors — technical SaaS, industrial tools — customers rarely remember the exact brand name. They type 'inventory management software' or '200 bar hydraulic pump'. For these markets, link building on generic queries remains the main lever.

In what cases does this rule not apply?

For pure niche sites without aimed brand notoriety. An affiliate site on the best coffee makers does not seek to become a searched brand — it aims for positions on 'best coffee maker 2023'. No remarkable action will generate searches for 'coffee-expert.com'. Thematic link building remains the only lever here.

The same observation applies to ultra-specialized B2B sites. A publisher of hospital waste management software will not land local radio coverage. Its audience is too restricted and geographically dispersed. It relies on industry-specific link building (professional associations, specialized journals) and pure technical SEO.

What concrete actions should be taken to generate these 'remarkable actions'?

Start by identifying offline visibility channels accessible to your sector. For a local business: regional press, local radio, partnerships with neighborhood events, sponsorship of amateur sports teams. For a national B2C: street marketing operations, offline influencer partnerships (TV, radio), participation in public trade shows.

Next, create an editorial pretext. Journalists don’t write about a brand just because it exists. A hook is needed: innovative product launch, exclusive study with numerical data, positioning on a current topic, charitable operation, unusual record or performance. The more concrete and measurable it is, the better it works.

What mistakes should be avoided in this strategy?

Do not confuse visibility and credibility. A cheap buzz operation — ice bucket challenge, provocative happening — may generate volume of searches but damage your brand image. Google also picks up negative searches. If your name is searched with 'scam' or 'scandal', it won't help you.

Another trap: neglecting brand search tracking. If you generate media visibility but no one searches for you afterward, it means your message wasn’t memorable or your brand name is too generic. Use Google Trends and Search Console to measure the real impact of your actions.

Finally, do not abandon traditional link building on the pretext that Mueller values remarkable actions. Both strategies complement each other. An article in local press can contain a link — and that link will carry even more weight if accompanied by brand searches triggered by coverage.

How to measure the effectiveness of this approach?

Track the volume of searches for your brand in Google Trends and Search Console (brand queries). Compare before/after a media operation. A spike in searches within 48 hours following a radio appearance is a good indicator. If nothing changes, your message didn’t make an impact.

Also, measure direct traffic and branded searches in Google Analytics. An increase in direct traffic after an offline campaign signals that people remembered your URL or name and are actively searching for you. Cross-check with your positions on generic queries: if your brand searches increase, your rankings on non-branded keywords should follow suit in the medium term.

• Identify 3 offline visibility channels accessible to your sector (local press, radio, trade shows, event partnerships)
• Create a measurable editorial pretext (exclusive study, product launch, charitable operation, record)
• Measure brand search volume before/after in Google Trends and Search Console
• Track direct traffic and branded searches in Analytics to detect real impact
• Do not abandon traditional link building: media coverage + editorial link = dual signal (notoriety + authority)
• Avoid cheap buzz operations that generate volume but degrade brand image