Don't rush to sue if your competitors' ads appear when you enter your brand name in a search. They don't always violate search engine policies, so you risk wasting time on litigation.
Should you fight your competitors' ads for your brand and which ads violate Google's policies, in our new article.
What ads are "normal"
There are different ways to use someone else's brand name. If your competitors have analyzed popular searches for your brand and are using it to advertise theirs, that's normal.
* Example of normal ads. Google does not consider this a violation, but there are still consequences: the bounce rate for ads “Papa-pizza” and “Startupizza” will be higher, because the user searches for “Fly Pizza” and ends up on other sites.
Fly American Pizza can run its own ad with inflated bids (so that it is higher than competitors’ ads). If the ad has a high CTR and a low bounce rate, Google will lower its advertising bids. So, with a low bid, the company’s ads will be higher than those of its competitors.
If we talk about food delivery, a customer will easily order from a competitor if he sees more favorable conditions or promotions. In the case of buying luxury watches, it will be more difficult to convince the client: most likely, he has already decided on the brand and model.
What do ads with violations look like
Google prohibits comparing products with competitors' products or mentioning them in the ad. Such ads are rejected by the search engine.
For example, the BMW brand cannot mention and compare Mercedes-Benz in its ads. If you notice such a mention of your brand, send a complaint to Google and request the removal of competitors' ads.
*if BMW used such an advertising move, their ads would not be in the search results
How to use competitor advertising wisely
Use competitor advertising for your brand, but wisely. To do this, determine 2 things:
- who is your main competitor;
- What keywords they use (without being too specific: if you sell small apartments on the outskirts of the city, using keywords from competitors selling luxury apartments is a bad tactic. This will increase your ad bounce rate).
When writing your ads, turn your weaknesses into strengths. For example, explain to the client that your prices are lower because pizza delivery takes 10 minutes longer, but customers always receive it hot.
Instead of conclusions
If your competitor's ads are tailored to your brand's key queries but do not violate Google's policies, you should not fight them. Adopt the strategy of your competitors and use their key queries when placing your ads, but do it wisely.
Even if your site is at the top of the search results, don't give up advertising. The client will scroll through the competitors' ads to get to your page. If your competitors offer favorable offers, some customers will never get to your site. Therefore, if your business niche is full of offers, advertising is a must have.
If you need Google Ads audit or contextual advertising settings, contact our company. We will be happy to help you with any tasks.
