Capture high-intent customers searching for your brand while maximizing ROAS

Imagine someone searching for your brand on Google.

They’ve already heard about you—maybe from an Instagram ad, a YouTube video, or a friend’s recommendation.

But when they type your brandname, the first thing they see is a competitor’s ad trying to steal their attention.

Without a Branded Search Campaign, you risk losing customers who were already interested in buying from you.

Worse, you have no control over what people see first when they search for you.

A Branded Search Campaign makes sure your business is always the first result when people search for your name.

It protects your brand from competitors, makes it easier for customers to buy from you, and helps Google understand your business better.

Even big companies like Nike and Apple run these campaigns because they know how important it is to own their brand name in search results.

Plus, these ads are super cheap—you’re only paying a small amount to bring back people who already want to buy from you.

This guide will show you exactly how to set up and optimize your Branded Search Campaign step by step.

Whether you’re new to Google Ads or just want to improve your current setup, this checklist will make sure you do everything the right way.

If you want more sales, better brand protection, and an easy way to boost your ad performance, this is the campaign you must have.

Best Practices for Branded Search Campaigns

  1. OWN THE TOP SPOT - Your brand ad should always appear first. If competitors bid on your name, increase your bids to stay ahead.
  2. USE EXACT MATCH FOR YOUR BRAND NAME - Prevents Google from showing your ad for unrelated searches. Stick to [Brand Name], [Brand Name Product].
  3. EXCLUDE YOUR BRAND NAME FROM OTHER CAMPAIGNS - Add your brand as a negative keyword in Performance Max and other search campaigns to prevent budget cannibalization.
  4. BID FOR ABSOLUTE TOP IMPRESSION SHARE (90-95%) - Use Target Impression Share bidding to ensure your brand ad appears at the top as often as possible.
  5. USE MANUAL CPC FOR FULL CONTROL - Google's automated bidding can inflate CPCs. Start with Manual CPC and only test Max Conversion Value or tROAS after gathering solid data.
  6. LEVERAGE AD EXTENSIONS FOR MAXIMUM VISIBILITY - Add Sitelinks, Callouts, Price Extensions, and Promotions to make your ad bigger and more clickable. Highlight best sellers, sales, and unique offers.
  7. A/B TEST YOUR AD COPY & OFFERS - Test different headlines, descriptions, and discount codes to see what converts best. Example: "Get 10% Off – Use Code WELCOME10" vs. "Free Shipping on Your First Order".
  8. MONITOR SEARCH TERMS WEEKLY & ADD NEGATIVES - Even with exact match, Google can slip in irrelevant terms. Check your Search Terms Report weekly and exclude anything unrelated.
  9. EXCLUDE EXISTING CUSTOMERS (OPTIONAL) - If you don't want to pay for repeat buyers, upload your Shopify customer list and exclude them from the campaign.
  10. SET A REASONABLE BUDGET (10-15% OF TOTAL SPEND) - Branded campaigns should not take up most of your ad budget. Keep it under 15% of your total Google Ads spend.
  11. CHECK COMPETITOR ADS & ADJUST BIDS ACCORDINGLY - If a competitor starts running ads on your brand name, raise your bids slightly to maintain your absolute top position.
  12. REFRESH YOUR PROMOTIONS & EXTENSIONS MONTHLY - Keep your sitelinks and promo extensions updated with current sales and product launches.
  13. USE BROAD MATCH ONLY WITH BRAND RESTRICTIONS (IF NEEDED) - If your brand name is generic (e.g., "Computer Parts Store"), use Google's brand restriction settings to avoid irrelevant traffic.
  14. TRACK ROAS & ADJUST BIDDING AS NEEDED - If ROAS is high, test Max Conversion Value or tROAS to see if Google can optimize further. If CPCs rise with no benefit, switch back to Manual CPC.
  15. KEEP ADS SIMPLE & DIRECT - Your brand name should be pinned in Headline 1. Avoid overcomplicated messaging—confirm the searcher is in the right place and give them a reason to buy now.

Happy Scaling,

Jordan, demandcaptur

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Branded Search Campaign Checklist