Bidding on Brand and Competitor Terms: The Decisions That Matter
Buying search ads on your own brand name or on competitors' brand names.
Samir Haddad
Why does it matter?
Brand bidding protects visibility but can pay for clicks you would get free, and competitor bidding carries trademark limits.
What are the numbers?
- Trademarks in ad text Google restricts trademark use in ad text after complaints
- Keywords Google generally allows bidding on trademarked terms in the US
- Brand defense competitors may bid on your brand
- Incrementality brand ads may partly replace free clicks
What should I do?
- Measure incrementality of brand campaigns
- Keep competitor ad copy factual
- Monitor competitor bidding on your brand
- File trademark complaints where appropriate
- Separate brand and non-brand reporting
What should I avoid?
Avoid:
- Competitor trademarks in ad text
- Misleading comparisons
- Judging brand campaigns on last-click alone
- Ignoring trademark complaints
When should I get help?
Short answer Bring in help when competitors bid on your brand.
Where this comes from
- Google Ads Help — Trademarks policy
- United States Patent and Trademark Office — Trademark basics
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
Working on something like this?
We take on Digital Marketing & CRO work for teams who want it done once, properly. Tell us what you are building and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right studio for it. Start a project.
Where to go next
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
