The SEO Scoreboard Nobody Checks: Track Branded Searches in Search Console

You got on a "best of" list. You posted three videos. A podcast had you on. Did any of it work?

Most people answer that with vibes. There's a better answer: count how many people Google your name.

Kasra Dash hammered this in two videos (Nov 1 and Nov 2, 2026). Every mention, list, short video or review should end the same way: someone typing your business name into Google. So that's the number to grow, and the number to track.

Quick words (one line each):

• Branded search: a search that includes your business name, like "acme roofing reviews".

• Google Search Console: Google's free tool that shows which searches bring people to your site.

• Regex: a short pattern that matches several spellings at once. The "|" symbol means "or".

• Baseline: your starting number, so you can tell if it goes up.

Why this number

Kasra Dash (Nov 2, 2026) cites an Ahrefs study of 75,000 brands: branded search volume correlated 0.392 with showing up in AI Overviews, vs 0.218 for backlinks. He calls it a correlation, not proof. Still, that's almost twice as strong.

In his Nov 1, 2026 video he also quotes a Semrush survey of 1,000 US shoppers: 40% search Google for more info after an AI recommendation. So AI recommendations turn into Google searches for your name.

Step 1: Open the Performance report

1. Log in to Google Search Console.

2. Pick your site.

3. Click Performance.

4. Set the date range to the last full month.

Step 2: Filter for your name

1. Check for the built-in branded queries filter. Kasra Dash (Nov 1, 2026) says Search Console now splits branded and non-branded searches automatically.

2. No built-in filter on your site? Click + Add filter > Query > Custom (regex).

3. Type your name plus common misspellings, separated by "|". Example: acme roofing|acmeroofing|akme roofing

Step 3: Write down your baseline

1. Note this month's branded clicks and impressions.

2. Put it in a simple sheet: month, branded clicks, branded impressions, what you did that month.

Step 4: Check monthly and match the jumps

1. Same day each month, same filter.

2. Number jumped? Look at your "what we did" column. That's your proof of what worked.

Step 5: Don't mistake "direct" traffic for AI traffic

André Pitì on the Candour podcast (Nov 2, 2026): a jump in "direct" traffic is not proof of AI traffic. App clicks, privacy settings and people who heard of you and typed your address all land in "direct". Keep the branded search number as your main scoreboard.

Step 6: Grow the number (in this order)

Kasra Dash's order (Nov 1, 2026), fastest first:

1. Directories and reviews. Yelp for local. Trustpilot, G2 or Clutch for software and agencies.

2. Best-of lists. Find the lists AI reads for your main keyword. Email the writer: who you are, one real result, make it easy to add you. Lists update yearly, so a "no" can become a "yes".

3. Short videos. One customer question = one short video. Say your business name out loud and spell it on screen. If people can't spell it, they can't search it.

4. Podcasts. Search "[your industry] podcast", pitch one useful topic and one real story. He says Hunter's free plan gives 50 email lookups a month.

5. Reddit, last. Answer the question for real. Mention where you learned it by name, with no link. He says Reddit removes about 25,000 spammy posts a day.

Step 7: Treat every platform like a search engine

Kasra Dash (Nov 2, 2026): TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook all have search bars. Use the words people type in your titles and captions. A lunch spot's Instagram is now part of its SEO.

Do this today

1. Open Search Console > Performance.

2. Filter for your business name (built-in filter or regex).

3. Write down last month's branded clicks.

4. Pick one thing from Step 6 to do this month.

5. Set a reminder to check again in 30 days.

Related reading

• Get your business on the best-of lists AI reads

• Stop screenshotting ChatGPT: how to measure AI search traffic

• Ask for reviews at the right moment so AI gets it right

Sources

• Kasra Dash - I Found Google's Most Overlooked SEO Signal (2026-11-01)

• Kasra Dash - SEO Is Dying (Here's What Replaces It) (2026-11-02)

• Candour Agency (André Pitì) - Debunking AI Search Myths: Measurement, Direct Traffic, and Location Signals (2026-11-02)

Don't worry if this seems like it's a pain in the ass for someone who doesn't build websites. That's because it is. The good news: just click the link below, pull the trigger, and we'll take care of the rest.