Latest / Online Reputation Management Podcast / How Jason Barnard at Kalicube Doubled My Digital Asset Valuation | Brand SERP
Transcript
- Jason Barnard: Hi, I’m Jason Barnard. A lot of people know me as the Brand SERP guy, meaning I specialise in the search engine results page for brand names and people’s names. I spoke to you, James, a few years ago about the importance of Brand SERPs, and at first, you didn’t think it mattered much to your business. Yet a few years later, it has doubled the value of some of your assets. Can you tell me about that? James Dooley: For sure. When we first spoke about branding and Brand SERPs, I understood the importance of branded anchor text from a backlink point of view. But when you opened up the Brand SERP itself—making sure that when someone searched a company name or an individual’s name, like an author or the business owner—it opened up a lot of new avenues for me. I realised how many additional benefits existed, including with Google’s algorithms and with overall credibility. Two assets doubled in value—both in the iGaming sector. One was a slots site, and the other was a casino site for games like roulette. I’ve helped a lot of people line things up correctly to sell their sites. Platforms like Empire Flippers and Flippa usually get valuations around 24 months’ profit. But I knew certain investors paying up to 60 or even 72 months if everything was perfect. I helped people go from two years to four or five years, which was a 250% increase. So when I went to sell my own website, due diligence came back offering only 2.5 years. I knew it should be at least five, because these were the same investors who paid six years before. I refused to sell and asked why. Their due diligence said I’d only get a full valuation if I sold my PBN network with the site. I said, “What PBN network? I don’t have one.” They had found an old video—seven years ago—from Amsterdam where I talked about link building with people like Matt Diggity. In the video I said PBNs were a good strategy back then. They assumed I must be running a hidden PBN network. They couldn’t find any PBNs in their further checks, but I was still guilty by association. Because of that video, they refused to give me higher valuation unless I included a PBN network that didn’t exist. So I refused the sale and focused instead on fixing my personal brand. The website itself was flat, maybe 5% growth, nothing major. But I strengthened my personal brand so I was no longer being connected to PBN strategies. They also said there wasn’t much information about me online, and that affected trust. If you’ve only sold one website, you might only get two or three years valuation. Once you sell more, you build a track record and trust—like no-claims on car insurance. Over time, with more sales, buyers trust you more. Trust in the seller matters. That’s when the lightbulb moment hit: the Brand SERP for “James Dooley” mattered just as much as the business brand. It’s not only for winning new business—it’s also critical when selling assets. Jason Barnard: That makes total sense. As the face of the business, your personal brand is important. People look you up on Google. In your case, it meant distancing yourself from things that devalue assets and pushing the things that add value. Instead of seeing old PBN videos, they should see successful sales and credibility. That immediately raises valuation. Your story shows the power of a personal brand—sometimes for that one big deal. James Dooley: Exactly. At first, I didn’t see the value of a personal brand. Many people think personal brands only matter for E-E-A-T. But there are many more reasons. A positive Brand SERP won’t give immediate ROI next week or next month. But the most important part is controlling the narrative of your personal brand. You display what you want the world to see. Buyers then view you as a trusted source. Thirteen months later, I got a 5.5-year valuation. I more than doubled the original offer. It was a seven-figure sale, not a small one. I wasn’t willing to sell at the undervalued rate. Jason Barnard: Exactly. A Brand SERP is Google’s opinion of the world’s opinion of you. To make it perfect, you need to “walk the walk” and emphasise the positive aspects of your brand wherever you show up online. Google and AI engines like ChatGPT, Bing, and Perplexity reflect what you present—clearly and consistently. At Kalicube, we help people walk the walk across their digital footprint so Google reflects a credible, consistent personal brand. James Dooley: This isn’t a sales pitch for Kalicube—it’s to show that Brand SERPs also affect sale price. But I strongly recommend anyone unsure about branding and Brand SERPs to speak with Jason. I tried doing PR and press releases myself, but there are too many moving parts. You need to connect data points perfectly. Kalicube’s tool has those data points. Anyone wanting to improve their Brand SERP or get a knowledge panel should contact Jason. Viewers, let me know your thoughts on branding. Do you have a good Brand SERP, or are you looking to improve it? Comment below. Jason Barnard: One last thing: we not only have the data points—we do the heavy lifting. We free up your time as a business leader so you can focus on the business, while we handle the details and corrections across your online presence. We push all the right buttons in the right order. Everyone lacks time, so if you want it done for you, contact Kalicube.