If Your Competitor Has Bought Your Brand Keyword…

How many times have you noticed a competitor website at the top of the paid search results for your brand? You would surely think such a thing is illegal and you can report this to Google. We hate to be the bearer of bad news but you can’t report this or you can’t claim keywords (even if you own the brand) as your own. This means that if your competitor wants to outbid you at the keyword game, they can. What do you do?

Damage Control Mode On

To start with, you might want to determine the extent of damage. Does it extend from your PPC campaign to partnering websites? Look out on the top partnering websites to determine if your competitors are ranking above you. Once you have the details, start with bidding on your own brand name (if you haven’t already!). Your competitor most likely saw that no one (including you) was bidding on your brand name. They took advantage of this opportunity and successfully siphoned valuable leads away from you. That’s why it is important to take control of the narrative about your business and ensure that you outdo your competitors’ efforts in this regard.

Reporting Your Competitor

During your investigation, watch out for your competitor using your trademarked brand name or slogan in their ad copy. You can report such trademark infringement to Google as they abide by local trademark laws and requires that Google Ads don’t infringe on third-party trademarks. More details here.

Finally, Staying Cautious

Branded, search engine ranking can make or break your online presence. The chances of winning that first click are much higher when you show up on the top position. Continue running ads in your brand name so no one can position themselves as an alternative to your well-known product or service. Fighting fire with fire is not a bad idea. You can beat your competition at their own game by running ads on their branded terms from time to time. However, it helps to work with a professional to ensure that you don’t end up paying more money and spending more time going on the offensive.