Why Bid on My Branded Keywords in Google Ads?

There is an increase in brand awareness when both paid (Google Ads) and organic search listings appear together in top spots. Consumers think highly of brands that they see more frequently. Bidding on branded keywords is an excellent method to “protect your territory” on the first page of Google SERP (search engine results page).

Brand Infringement: Protecting Your Space with Paid Search on Google Ads

If you don’t bid on your branded terms – your competitors will. Look at 800-Flowers. If they weren’t bidding on their own branded keywords, then two other ads would have taken up that ad space with Google Ads, according to our friends at searchenginewatch.

Search Situation-Based User Behavior

Though many people may never click on paid search Google Ads and only click organic, other people are the opposite, or situation-based.

The evolution of universal search is changing the SERP into more of a menu. There are videos, tweets, paid search, organic search, local business ads, images, news, etc.

With all these options, your brand must be an option on this menu. Paid search, and bidding on your branded keywords, is a guaranteed way to get placement inside Google.

Paid Search Impact on Brand Awareness

Many studies have demonstrated an increase in brand awareness when both paid and organic search listings appear together in top spots with Google Ads and SEO. Consumers think highly of brands that they see more frequently.

They identify with traditional advertising methodology. The more times a consumer is exposed to the brand, the better in any form or medium.

By not running branded keywords in paid search, you will only make up one-third of the clicks with organic traffic through SEO (search engine optimization). Not running branded keywords will result in losing out on thousands of incremental visitors to your site.

How Do I Test Whether My Branded Keywords are Effective?

Run an A/B test with Google Ads for 30 days.

Run two campaigns, each targeting a demographic market area (DMA), so each campaign aims a similar audience. The first campaign will include branded keyword terms, while the second campaign eliminates the branded keywords.

More: Read our SEO strategy with Google

Your Branded Keywords are Relatively Inexpensive so Why Not?

Depending on how big of a brand your business has, bidding on your branded keywords can be quite inexpensive.

Chances are there is little competition for your branded keywords and it solidifies the decision to create a branded keyword campaign in Google Ads, or Adwords if you prefer. With that being said, it’s a small investment to protect your brand and prevent your competitors from cannibalizing your click-thru-rate and stealing your potential customer’s search intent with your brand.

Conclusion

“The results were impressive. We realized that by paying for our brand terms, there was only a 33% cannibalization rate – in other words, by not running on branded keywords in paid search, we only made up one-third of the clicks with organic traffic, losing out on thousands of incremental visitors to our site. We also found that the conversion rate on branded keywords was 5.12%.”

– Quinn Veysey, Vineyard Vines

Unless you have a massive budget with Google Ads for advertising, an organic search strategy will be better for your organization in the longer run. Evergreen content will continue to provide you with quality traffic for years to come, returning ROI every month.

Another consideration to emphasize organic search results is that roughly 3 out of 4 search visitors will click-thru organic listings in Google.

Have you experimented with Google organic and paid search ads campaigns working together?

If you are interested in talking to us about a new digital project,
please send us a message or call us direct at (248) 974-8866.

About Syreo

Syreo is an SEO Consultant based in Detroit, Michigan. Syreo’s search engine optimization | SEO experts work with Fortune 500 businesses throughout the United States including Detroit and New York City. Syreo consults companies to increase revenue organically, through thoughtful digital marketing tactics and the expert use of search engine optimization | SEO. Syreo understands how to bridge the gap between the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) and the CIO (Chief Information Officer), bringing data, science, and technology to life through creative storytelling that all stakeholders can understand and embrace. Syreo understands the importance of visual design that generates great user experience (UX) that converts into marketing goals through web analytics.