To Bid or Not to Bid on Branded Keywords, That's a Good Question

Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns are all about showing up when it matters most — when someone is actively searching. But what happens when that search includes your brand name? Do you still need to pay for that click?

The answer isn’t always straightforward, but with today’s AI-driven search changes and how brands are finding ways to succeed in search, it’s more critical than ever to get your branded keyword strategy right. To get closer to a solution, we need to know what branded keywords are, how they differ from non-branded search terms and why putting budget toward them can be a smart move in your overall paid media strategy.

What Are Branded Keywords and How Do They Differ from Non-Branded?

• Branded keywords: Search terms that include your company’s name, product name or something uniquely tied to your brand. For example, someone searching “Yeti cooler” or “Nike running shoes” is typically in the bottom-of-funnel stage, signaling high intent and likely to make a purchase.
• Non-branded keywords: Broader and more generic terms — such as “best camping cooler” or “women’s trail running shoes” that are focused on the category, not the brand. These users are typically in the top and mid-funnel stages as they’re still exploring options and may not have a preferred brand in mind yet.

The key differentiator is user search intent with branded search generating stronger click-through rates (CTRs) at a lower cost-per-click (CPC). Leveraging both branded and non-branded keywords enables you to better align your ad message with user search intent. The result is a more impactful, funnel-stage search strategy that puts your message ahead of competitors.

Why Does Brand Keyword Bidding Improve Results?

If someone already knows your brand, it might seem unnecessary to pay for that click — especially if your organic listing is already showing up. But here’s why it often makes sense:

• You get to control the message. Branded paid ads let you immediately update and customize responsive search ad (RSA) headlines, extensions and landing pages — something organic listings don’t offer, or at least you can’t be sure your information will show exactly how you hoped. This level of control over the entire user search experience can improve your CTR’s and site conversion rates.
• You protect your digital real estate. If a competitor bids on your brand name, there’s the potential that they could end up outranking your organic listing. A branded ad helps you stay at the top and essentially “own” a SERP.

In fact, a survey by Search Engine Land found that 46% of users trust both organic and paid listings equally — reinforcing the idea that showing up in both spots can strengthen your brand’s presence and hopefully earn you a click that otherwise may have gone to a competitor.

Can’t Organic Search Handle Branded Traffic?

It’s true that a well-optimized site will often rank highly for its own brand terms. But organic alone isn’t always enough. Search results pages today are filled with ads, maps, shopping carousels and other distractions — making it easier to get pushed down.

And now, there’s a new challenge: AI-generated overviews. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is changing how searchers get information — sometimes answering questions without the user ever needing to click. Since SGE has become more widespread, CTR for both organic and paid search listings have fallen at a consistent rate, but branded queries remain less impacted because they are high-intent and brand-aware — users often bypass AI summaries to click official sources.

Is Owning the SERP a Defensive or Offensive Play?

The short answer is: both. With fewer clicks overall, you need to make the ones that remain count. Showing up in both paid and organic spots gives you double the chance to capture attention. And when you control the message in your ad copy, you’re better positioned to pull users out of the AI summary zone and into your site.

In short, branded keyword bidding isn’t just about protecting traffic today — it’s about adapting to how users interact with search results tomorrow.

When Is the Right Time to Reassess Bidding on Branded Keywords?

There are a few cases when branded bidding may not be worth the spend:

1. If no competitors are bidding on your brand.
2. Your brand dominates the SERP with strong organic, map and other placements.
3. If branded CPCs are inflated and conversion lift is minimal.
4. Budget limitations. Branded bids target existing customers, but tight budgets may require shifting spend to acquisition.

Still, these cases are exceptions. Most brands benefit from maintaining some level of branded coverage.

When in Doubt, Follow Branded Campaign Best Practices to Sort It Out

Once you commit to branded keyword bidding, structure and targeting matter. These quick best practices will help ensure every click works harder for your brand.

• Use Exact/Phrase Match for Branded Terms. Exact match helps ensure your budget only goes to highly relevant, brand-qualified traffic. It also avoids over-triggering on generic queries.
• Segment Campaigns. Branded campaigns should be isolated from non-branded campaigns to enable cleaner reporting, more controlled budgets and tailored ad copy. This also prevents automated bidding from favoring branded terms at the expense of broader ones.
• Monitor Auction Insights. Regularly review who’s bidding on your brand and how often. Competitor encroachment may not be constant, but when it happens, it can impact your impression share.
• Test Ad Extensions Strategically. With branded queries, site link extensions to conversion-focused pages (e.g., “Find a Dealer,” “Get a Quote”) can improve performance metrics significantly.
• Audience Targeting. Use Customer Match or RLSA to customize offers better suited past site visitors and existing customers.
• Integrate Robust Negative Keywords – Protect budget from irrelevant brand-related searches and avoid overlap with non-branded campaigns
• Collaborate with SEO. Determine effective messaging across organic and paid listings to reinforce brand authority and consistency. Use SEO to own the informational space and PPC to dominate conversion-driven traffic. SEO can help identify branded keyword gaps from organic click loss due to AI overviews

Branded keyword bidding may not be the flashiest tactic, but it’s one of the most reliable ways to safeguard high-value clicks and control your message. In a search environment where AI overviews and competitor ads can chip away at visibility, maintaining a smart branded strategy keeps your brand top-of-mind and conversion-ready. Treat it as a living tactic — one you refine as search behaviors and technology evolve.