If you are running Google Ads – are you bidding on your brand?
This is an important question because if you are not, chances are that your competitors are!
You must protect your brand, and Google ads are just one tool that allows you to protect your brand.
You should be bidding on your brand.
While it is great to be at the top of the organic search terms. Who is above you in the ads? Is it also you, or is it your competitors?
When bidding on your brand, you can appear in the search results with a paid ad and an organic search result. Two links are always better than one!
Brand keywords
Competitors who use your brand in their keywords can take business from you. Ideally, you want to get in first and secure your brand and space.
The largest brands in almost any space will dominate paid and organic search spots, but you can succeed if you are smart and strategic.
Your brand keywords will be affordable and effective for you to use as part of your paid campaign.
Strong brands show:
- Commitment – a belief in themselves
- Relevance – they show us how to complete our needs
- Protection – they protect what is theirs
- Understanding – there is an understanding of what is distinctively theirs
- Clarity – values, position, and proposition are clearly shown
- Consistency – all touchpoints show off the brand consistently
- Presence – they have a presence both on and offline
- Responsiveness – they adapt and pivot to market challenges and opportunities
- Differentiation – there is a distinctiveness from the competition
- Authenticity – well-grounded and observed values that deliver on customer expectations
An example
You may think someone like Country Road does not need to pay for their brand term. Can you imagine what this search result would look like if they didn’t pay for the term ‘Country Road’
At the top, they have shopping ads, followed by their website and then the organic search result. They dominate the results for the search term ‘Country Road’.
If they were not utilising these tools, a competitor might target the term ‘Country Road’. If this happened, you might see the competitor’s shopping ads and website before you saw the organic search result for ‘Country Road’.
This would be incredibly damaging to the brand and its image. Instead, when we type ‘Country Road’ into Google, we are reaffirmed with everything that is their brand.
Your business brand
While not every business needs to be concerned or can afford to be concerned, it should be part of your planning. It is a smart solution for your business, even if you can only afford to target your brand keyword alone. Decide to take ownership today.
For e-commerce stores, it can be a vital inclusion in their marketing strategy.
Do you need help to ensure that your brand is well-represented across all marketing channels?
Contact Kelly @ My Sassy Business today to discuss your digital marketing needs.
