Branded Search Ads: Do or Don't?
- Nathan Leverette
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Updated: May 29
"Should I bother bidding on my own business name in search, or should I simply rely on the organic listing?"
This is a classic question that anyone who runs search ads, such as on Google or Microsoft (Bing), encounters at some point.
Arguments Against Branded Search Ads
There are many opinions on this topic in the PPC world, some going so far as to say that bidding on branded keywords (which is targeting searches where the potential customer uses your specific business name) should never be done. Those opponents declare that if the search mentioned your business name specifically, the user probably made up their mind and intended to find you regardless of who else manages to sneak into the search results. Thus, if they click on your ad instead of the organic listing, you simply turned an organic click into a paid click, meaning you wasted your money.
But are you sure that's always the case? Could it be a situation where they used your name not knowing of alternatives, like how people say "Kleenex" instead of "facial tissue"? Or maybe they got a recommendation and are checking you out for the first time, but could be swayed by a competitor with a better offer?
When Branded Search Ads Can Help
We generally recommend running a designated search campaign bidding on your business name, but using only a small amount of the total budget for this effort.
While it's true that most people should be able to find a website in the organic listings, here are 3 reasons you may not want to leave it to chance:
Keep competitors out. Protect searches intended for you, and push rivals out of sight. If a competitor is determined, they have to spend much more if you occupy the space, and you have more leverage to push them to a lower position in the results page. Left undefended, competitors pay less to claim the top position with their ad, which is an opportunity for them to capitalize on customers’ attention.
Control your message. Ads can be customized virtually however you like. You don’t have full control over how organic results are presented, and you have to wait for the search engine to update based on your website. Ads go into action immediately and also take up more space than organic listings, which could include things you may not want visible, like outdated employer review sites or news articles.
Professional optics for cheap. These campaigns have among the lowest CPCs among search campaigns, and smaller volume compared to searches for products/services, requiring very little budget for most businesses to maintain a professional-looking presence. You can even show only to new users, so you don’t spend money on repeat visitors. Plus, studies done over the years by various PPC experts have concluded that at the very least, these campaigns pay for themselves in terms of ROI.
When a potential customer searches for your business by name, one could make the argument that they're probably close to making up their mind, so as Happy Gilmore would say: "just taaaaap it in".
But that's not the only tactic, and no two businesses are facing the exact same circumstances, so we don't recommend the same moves for all cases. Like most things in digital advertising, it depends on the situation.
So What?
We at IBA have been operating search campaigns long enough that we've dealt with everything from strict regulatory bodies to industries where the competitors watch each other like hawks.
We also monitor website traffic from all sources to make sure that your advertising efforts are leading to a net increase in traffic, not just turning organic clicks into paid clicks.
If you want to discuss a game plan that works for you, get in touch!
