4 Reasons You Should Buy Your Branded Search Terms
With all of the time, creativity, and dollars spent on capturing just the right search terms and keywords for your Google Ads, there may be some very obvious ones you’re overlooking: your own brand terms.
What are branded terms? Branded terms include your business name, your product names, and any variations on those names. Seems simple, right? Well, there are still ecommerce businesses that aren’t buying their branded terms either out of ignorance or out of the idea that they shouldn’t have to pay for their own name… especially if they’re showing up first in organic results. We’ll get into why this doesn’t matter later in this article, but first here’s an example of what an ad for branded terms looks like:
Many business owners associate this strategy with a lazy PPC advertiser. Why would we purchase our own name when we’re at the top of the Google search results already? That’s a fair question, but it needs some rethinking. Believe it or not, purchasing your brand terms is actually a smart and necessary component of your PPC strategy.
For one thing, you may not always be at the top (we’ll talk more about why in a moment).
Additionally, in regards to the marketing funnel we often talk about building as well as a successful video ads strategy, purchasing your branded terms is an essential step in that funnel. Typically we achieve brand awareness through top of the funnel ads and videos. Search engines are likely the next place to capture these potential customers when they’re searching for your product or trying to learn more. You can’t depend on SEO alone for that, because organic results can be volatile and unpredictable. Plus, ads always appear above the organic search results and other brands can (and will) buy your brand term.
The bottom line? If there’s potential for ads above your organic listing, you need to be there to capture that traffic at all costs. The good news is your brand terms are probably the least expensive and most effective terms to buy!
Where Branded Terms Fit in the Buyer Journey
To get a clearer picture of who might be searching for your branded terms and clicking on these ads, let’s take a quick look at the buyer journey. We’ll use a three-step marketing funnel as a basic example.
At the top of your funnel, you might use a video ad on YouTube to capture the interest of potential customers. This ad should be funny or interesting and inform users about your brand. We talk all about the keys to a successful video ad in a different article, but in short, the main goal here is to be memorable.
For the second level, you’ll reinforce that first brand interaction with Facebook ads or display retargeting. These types of ads allow you to remain top of mind and continue to build brand recognition. Even if users don’t click through to your site, your name is being filed away in their memory.
When these users do think about your brand or want to buy something you have to offer, they’ll likely go to Google and search for it. This is when the third step of your funnel, purchasing branded terms for Google ads, comes into play. At this point, you’ve spent so much money marketing to them that you definitely don’t want a competitor snatching them up when they’re trying to search for your name!
4 Reasons to Buy Your Branded Terms
Now that we understand branded terms and where they fall in the funnel, let’s look at 4 reasons it’s a critical part of your PPC strategy as an ecommerce brand.
1. It’s simply good strategy.
As we discussed, it’s an important piece of your marketing funnel. Thanks to other steps of the funnel, your company will begin to see increased interaction between your brand and potential customers. One of the primary places this occurs is on a search engine, so you need to be present to capture them.
2. Your competitors are already bidding on your name and branded terms.
Yes, it’s true. And technically, you could legally stop them from doing it if you have your name trademarked. But it takes a lot of time, budget and effort to police that. We’ve found it’s more effective to just play the game and actually bid on your own terms.
3. It’s not expensive.
In fact, it’s likely the most cost effective way to spend your PPC budget. Your brand is the best bang for your buck. If someone is typing your brand name into Google, you can’t rely on them to find your organic results. They’re going to have to pass (and potentially be swayed by) 3-4 ads before they even see your listing. Don’t leave it up to chance; just buy your terms and be on top!
4. You’re already the best result for your name.
When you bid on certain terms, Google and other search engines rank you based on how relevant the content on the landing page is. This ranking affects how much it costs, where it’s ranked, and more. Who is better at ranking for your name or branded terms than you? You have the highest relevance and best quality score (hopefully) on your company’s name. It should be easy to win and be at the top!
All things considered, buying your search terms is not so much a necessary evil as it is an effective use of strategy. Not only is it a simple way to win, it’s a smart way to make sure you’re not beat out by your competitors. It’s your name, and it’s your job to make sure you stay on top by buying those terms!
