Branded search is an essential aspect of search marketing. It involves bidding on keywords that contain your brand name to maintain control over search engine results and prevent competitors from capturing valuable traffic. This guide explores the philosophy behind branded search, its benefits and drawbacks, and strategic approaches to maximize effectiveness.

What Are Branded Terms?

Branded terms refer to search queries that include a company’s name. These are highly valuable as they indicate strong user intent. For example, if the company is Nike, branded search terms might include:

Brand Name	Example Branded Search Queries
Nike	Nike shoes, Nike running gear, Nike Air Max
Adidas	Adidas running shoes, Adidas sneakers

When users search for these terms, they are already familiar with the brand and are likely seeking specific products or information. Companies can bid on their own branded terms to maintain visibility and control over their search presence.

Why Bid on Branded Terms?

Companies often face the dilemma of whether to bid on their branded terms or rely on organic search results. Below are some key considerations:

Factors	Description
Competitive Landscape	If competitors bid on your branded terms, they may divert potential customers. Conduct a competitor analysis using the Auction Insights Report.
Cost-Benefit Analysis	Evaluate the cost of branded ads and the impact on impression share. Usually, branded clicks are cheaper due to high relevance.
Performance Testing	Implement incrementality testing to assess if branded bidding improves conversions.
Bid Strategies	Use manual bidding with CPC caps or automated strategies like Target CPA to manage costs effectively.
Audience Exclusions	Avoid showing branded ads to existing customers by using audience lists.

Competitive Landscape Analysis

Conduct a regular Google search (in incognito mode) to understand how competitors position themselves. Look for:

• Who is bidding on your branded terms?
• What messaging are competitors using?
• Are there competitor ads that could entice your customers?

By analyzing Auction Insights, businesses can decide whether they need to bid defensively.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Assess the costs involved in branded search campaigns by looking at:

• Search Impression Share – How often your ads appear.
• Search Lost Due to Budget/Rank – The percentage of lost opportunities.

Example Data Analysis

Metric	Value
Search Lost Due to Rank	72%
Search Lost Due to Budget	0.5%

A high Search Lost Due to Rank suggests increasing bids or improving ad quality.

Strategies for Branded Search Campaigns

1. Bid Management Strategies

• Set manual CPC caps to control spending.
• Experiment with Target CPA bidding for cost efficiency.
• Allocate seasonal bid adjustments during peak periods.

2. Audience Exclusions

• Exclude previous purchasers using customer lists.
• Avoid showing branded ads for post-purchase queries like “login” or “order tracking.”

3. Negative Keywords

Use negative keywords to prevent ads from appearing on irrelevant searches.

Type of Negative Keywords	Example Queries
Free/Coupon-related	“Nike free shoes,” “Nike coupon”
Career-related	“Nike jobs,” “Nike careers”
Pirated Content	“Nike cracked courses”

4. Ad Preview & Diagnosis Tool

Instead of manually searching for your brand (which affects CTR and bid performance), use Google’s Ad Preview & Diagnosis Tool to check ad visibility.

How Much Budget Should You Allocate?

• Analyze Auction Insights for impression share trends.
• Start with a limited daily budget (e.g., $50-$100) and scale based on performance.
• Monitor search lost due to budget/rank to adjust allocations accordingly.

Best Practices for Branded Campaigns

Strategy	Benefit
Use audiences under observation mode	Gain insights into audience behavior without restricting reach.
Create separate ad groups for different branded queries	Allows better ad customization and targeting.
Implement brand exclusions in non-branded campaigns	Prevents brand searches from inflating performance metrics of other campaigns.
Capture branded traffic in shopping ads	Ensures visibility beyond text ads.

Summery

Bidding on branded terms is a strategic move to protect brand visibility, stay ahead of competitors, and drive higher conversions. To maximize ROI, businesses should continuously monitor competitor activity, refine bid strategies, and utilize audience exclusions effectively