Pay-per-click is one of the most effective digital advertising tools; it also continues to evolve alongside changes in search behaviour and increased competition across almost every industry. As platforms such as Google Ads become more sophisticated, advertisers must be more strategic about where they allocate their budgets and how they measure performance. One of the most debated areas within Pay Per Click is the role of branded keywords, particularly whether paying for traffic you may already own organically is worthwhile.
In this blog, we are going to delve deeper into what branded keywords really are and the benefits and disadvantages of using them. We are going to look into when we should or shouldn’t use them, and how to balance a branded campaign with a non-branded one. All the tips and tricks are below.
What are branded Keywords?
Branded keywords are search terms that contain your brand name, or a variation of it, for example, “Embryo Marketing”, “Embryo SEO” or “Embryo PPC”. These types of keywords differ from non-branded generic keywords, which are broader terms such as “PPC marketing near me” that don’t state a specific company name.
In PPC, branded keywords are used within search campaigns to show ads when people type in specific terms for your company or products.
Branded keywords can also include common misspellings, abbreviations and branded product names. For example, users online may search for shortened versions of a company name, or include terms such as “price” or “login” alongside a brand name.
These searches often indicate high commercial intent, meaning the user is either actively considering a purchase or trying to reach a specific page that they already had in mind within a website. As a result, branded keywords are often treated differently in PPC accounts and should be separated from generic keyword targeting, which we will discuss later in this blog.
Why do branded keywords matter in PPC?
At a glance, paying for clicks on searches that already include your brand name might feel counterproductive, as you can show organically to capture these types of searches. However, there are several reasons that bidding on branded keywords can still be valuable.
They boost click-through rates and conversions.
Users who search your brand are usually far deeper into the sales funnel; they already know your brand, and as a result, branded ads often have much higher click-through rates, and searches including your brand are more likely to convert because the intent is higher. (Source: PageTraffic)
Cost per click can be reduced overall.
Branded keywords usually have lower competition in the bidding auction than your competitors’. Especially if you are bidding on your own brand terms and no one else is. Lower competitions can often lead to lower cost per clicks, which means more efficient spending (Source: Content Whale)
They can improve your quality score.
As the keywords would be highly relevant to your website, Google will recognise this, which can, overall, improve your quality score, with a knock-on effect of reducing cost per click and improving your ad position ranking.
They protect your presence on the search engine results pages.
Without branded PPC ads, you can risk your competitors bidding on your name, affiliate sites appearing above your organic listing, and users clicking on negative or irrelevant third-party content. By running branded ads, you maintain control over what searchers see at the top of search results pages. (Source: Embryo)
They give you valuable insights into the peak search times, types of demographics searching for you, and conversion rates/path behaviour. You can then use this data to inform broader PPC or SEO strategies. (Source: PPC)
The role of user intent:
User Intent plays a significant role in determining how effective branded keywords are within your PPC campaign. When a user searches for a brand name, their intent is typically clearer than when someone uses a more generic search query. Because intent is stronger, branded keywords generally produce higher conversion rates and lower bounce rates than non-branded keywords.
Branded searches usually fall into one of three intent categories. Navigational intent occurs when users are trying to reach a specific website or page. Transactional intent indicates users are ready to make a purchase or complete a signup. Lastly, commercial investigation intent arises when users compare your brand to competitors or look for reviews and pricing. Understanding which intent type is most common in your branded search traffic enables advertisers to tailor ad copy and landing pages more effectively, ensuring the pay-per-click budget is spent on the clicks most likely to convert. (Source: FatJoe)
Common mistakes with branded keywords:
One of the most common mistakes advertisers make is assuming that branded campaigns do not require ongoing optimisation. Although branded campaigns do often perform well, failing to monitor performance can lead to unnecessary spend and possibly missed opportunities.
This can allow branded terms to overlap with any non-branded campaigns. It can also result in using more generic ad copy rather than brand-specific messaging or sending branded traffic to irrelevant or generic landing pages. These issues can reduce efficiency and limit the overall effectiveness of branded PPC campaigns.
When to use branded keywords in PPC campaigns:
Timing is important, specifically in scenarios where branded keywords are specifically valuable.
One of the largest reasons to bid on branded terms is as a defensive strategy. If competitors are targeting your company name, you should really do the same; otherwise, you could lose customers before they even reach your website.
This is especially true in competitive industries, where competitors actively bid on each other’s brand terms to steal traffic and conversions. (Source: The SEO Works)
When you are running promotions or new product campaigns, branded keywords are ideal for promotion support because they help you to highlight discount messages, drive users directly to campaign landing pages and also increase visibility for specific offers.
Users searching for your brand name are often ready to take action, meaning they are more receptive to offers when they appear in front of them.
For returning customers, if your brand already has an existing customer base, branded keywords can help you retarget returning users or past customers who are already familiar with your services. This specifically helps during peak periods such as holidays, Black Friday, or a product relaunch.
Even if you rank organically for your brand name, if your organic rankings are not strong enough, you may not always appear in the top position on the first page. (Source: The SEO Works)
If you want to increase conversions efficiently, because branded searches are often further down the sales funnel, they typically produce better conversion rates and a lower cost per acquisition than your generic keyword traffic. If your goal is efficiency rather than reach, branded keywords often perform better than broader terms. (Source: Content Whale)
When not to prioritise branded keywords:
Although branded keywords can be a powerful strategy, they are not always ideal. If your budget is very limited, your initial spend should go towards acquiring new users through non-branded, generic keywords, especially if your brand awareness is low.
Putting limited funds into any branded terms that are probably going to convert organically already may not drive the growth that you need (Source: The SEO Works)
If you have a strong organic presence and no competitors bid on your brand name, it is not as crucial to pay for branded clicks, especially if budget efficiency is a priority. If you are already dominating the search engine results page, a pay-per-click campaign might simply take all the traffic that you would otherwise receive for free.
Branded keywords are great for conversions; however, they rarely drive new users who do not know your brand. If your KPI is reach and awareness, you should invest in non-branded targeting first before allocating a larger share to your branded terms.
Another scenario where branded keywords may be less effective is during the very early stages of a brand lifecycle. If brand awareness is extremely low, there may be insufficient search volume to justify allocating any budget towards the branded PPC campaigns. In these cases, investing in non-branded keywords and awareness campaigns may help generate future branded demand instead.
Businesses operating in industries with strict trademark policies may face fewer risks by not bidding on branded terms.
Branded vs non-branded keywords and how they complement each other:
A well-rounded PPC strategy often uses both branded and non-branded keywords, but for different purposes:
Branded keyword campaigns
- Build conversions and revenue
- Protect your brand from competitors
- Boost your ad rank and visibility
- Support promotions
Non-branded keyword campaigns
- Drive brand awareness
- Attract new customers
- Expand your market reach
- And improve long-term growth and discovery
You shouldn’t mix branded and non-branded keywords in the same campaign; create separate campaigns for each. This will help you control budgets, measure performance, and optimise more effectively. (Source: HawkSEM)
If you are looking to use branded keywords in your PPC campaign, below are some helpful tips and tricks to help maximise your success:
Separate your campaigns
Keep branded and non-branded keywords in different campaigns. This helps you measure performance more accurately and helps avoid skewing conversion metrics. (Source: HawkSEM)
Allocate budget appropriately
Start with a certain budget for your branded terms, and then expand only after you see strong ROAS. You do not want to overspend on clicks that your organic presence can capture for free.
Use negative keywords
Exclude branded terms from non-branded campaigns to avoid internal competition against each of your own campaigns. This will also help to ensure that your budget is not being wasted on clicks you already intended to capture elsewhere.
Tailor landing pages and ad copy
Branded campaigns should speak directly to users who already know who you are. Use specific messaging and landing pages that will match the intent of the search.
It is also important to regularly review search term reports within branded campaigns. This ensures that irrelevant enquiries are excluded and that the budget is focused on higher-intent searches. Alongside this, advertisers should test sitelinks, callouts, and any structured snippets within branded ads to maximise real estate on the search engine results page and push competitors further down the Google page.
Conclusion
- Use branded keywords to protect your brand and maximise conversions.
- Consider scaling back if your budget is right, or if the overall brand search volume is low.
- Always separate your branded and non-branded campaigns for clear measurement goals and optimisation.
- Monitor performance closely to ensure your strategy evolves in line with your goals.
Branded keywords are an essential part of a PPC strategy; they are not a magic wand. When used wisely, they help protect your brand, maximise conversion efficiency, and deliver a return on investment. When misused, they can drain the budget and potentially cannibalise your organic traffic.
They should be viewed as a strategic lever within PPC, rather than a default setting. When used correctly, they offer protection and efficiency, alongside valuable insights for the advertiser, which will help support wider marketing efforts. However, without clear objectives, they can quickly become a source of wasted spend.
By understanding user intent and closely monitoring performance, businesses can ensure their PPC strategy remains scalable and cost-effective. Success lies not in whether branded keywords are used, but in how strategically they are implemented.
