Google AdWords has completely changed the face of digital marketing for the better. Even the smallest of businesses and brands can now reach large audiences with the appropriate budgets, keyword selections and content. It should come as no surprise that many brands are using this to reach individuals in various niches, which is facilitated through the selection of specific keywords and phrases. Many smaller brands target generic terms, but there is also value in targeting your own brand name. Why is this true? We’ll answer that question below and outline the benefits of bidding on your brand name.

Prevent Unwanted Competition

Perhaps the most obvious reason for bidding on your own brand name via AdWords is to reduce the likelihood of unwanted competition. There are no regulations for which keywords and phrase you or your competitors can bid on. Your competitors – if they feel threatened enough by you – may take to bidding on your keywords…only for searchers to be shown links to their websites! Generally, a respectable bid by you on your brand name can help prevent this dynamic from developing. Rather than your competitors pinging search engines with links to their sites through your brand name, err on the side of caution and put in a bid. Even if your brand name isn’t well-known, this is generally a good idea.

Low Cost, Potentially Big Benefits

Most brand name keywords are not expensive entities on which to bid. This means that you won’t be losing tons of money by bidding on your own keywords, especially if your brand is newer. However, newer brands who may have made an impression upon those who visited their websites prior can benefit from this tactic. Perhaps they are trying to find their way back to your website but cannot remember the URL, and at the same time, perhaps you are not ranking as well in certain SERPs. This is why it is not only a good idea to bid on your exact brand name, but any potential variations or misspellings of it as well. You may re-capture valuable customers or attention that would otherwise be lost to competitors.

Keyword Research Findings

Google does a pretty good job these days of showing users ads that are relevant to their searches, even if there are some misspellings or variations. When you bid on your own brand name, you’ll not only be able to see how many people are searching for you, but you’ll also see all of the variations and misspellings that people are searching for that resulted in your ad being displayed. This can be very helpful in determining other keyword variations that relate to your brand on which to bid.

Increased Chances of Success; More Dominance

It’s simple: the more territory you control in a given SERP, the more likely a user is going to click on a link to your website. Especially if SEO efforts are still in infancy, this can guarantee that users will see your links as they’re pinging search engines in multiple places. Likewise, you will have more control over your brand name and ensure that whenever somebody searches for it (or certain variations), that you are the first thing they see. This can be immensely valuable, especially as your brand expands.

Google AdWords presents plenty of opportunities for new businesses and brands, but it’s important not to forget about your own brand’s presence when it comes to keywords. What other types of keywords relating to your brand or niche have you considered bidding on? If you followed through, what were the results? Tell us below more about how it worked out!