The most important facts in brief:
- Brand ads are aimed at customers who are already actively searching for your brand
- Careful keyword selection and appealing design are the key
- High quality factors lead to lower costs per click
- Brand ads enable a precise target group approach and increase brand awareness
Brand ads are a powerful tool in the online marketing arsenal. 🎯 They enable companies to present their brand to customers who are already actively searching for their products or services. Due to the prominent placement in the Google search network and the high relevance for the searcher, brand ads often achieve impressive click-through rates (CTR). Here we are talking about figures in the 50-70 % range.
But how exactly do brand ads work and what makes them so effective?
Unlike ads for generic search terms, brand ads are triggered when someone searches specifically for your brand, company name or specific products. As a result, they appeal to an audience that has already expressed an interest in your offer – the perfect time to convince them to click!
The key to success lies in the careful selection of the right brand keywords, an appealing ad design and a promise that encourages people to click. If you skillfully combine these aspects, you will not only achieve high click rates, but also a first-class quality score. Three to four ads are ideal to achieve the best possible visibility. And in the world of Google Ads, this means one thing above all: lower costs per click and excellent visibility for your own branding. 💰🔍
Are you ready to exploit the full potential of brand ads? Then read on and find out how you can take your brand campaigns to the next level and address your target group with maximum precision. Let’s go!
What are brand ads and why are they important?
Brand ads are a special form of text ads in the Google search network that bid on keywords with your own brand name or specific product name. The aim of these ads is to target users who are already actively searching for the brand – a so-called pull strategy. The better known your brand is in the market, the more competitors will also place ads on your brand name.
The advantages of brand ads are manifold: they increase your presence in search results, cover more space and prevent competitors from bidding on your brand. Due to the high relevance of the ad, brand ads usually achieve an above-average click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate at a low cost per click.
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Advantages of brand ads |
Examples |
|---|---|
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High click-through rate (CTR) |
Through maximum ad relevance |
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Low click prices |
Due to manageable competition for brand search queries |
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Above-average conversion rate |
Users with high purchasing potential are addressed |
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Increased visibility |
Presence in top Google results increases traffic |
Brand ads can be placed both in the Google search network and in the partner network (YouTube, Gmail, etc.). They complement the organic search results and create a coherent brand experience. Branding campaigns are an important tool in the battle for visibility and market share in the platform economy, especially for online stores and service providers that are dependent on large platforms such as Amazon, Booking.com or Treatwell.
The basics of effective brand ads
To create an effective brand campaign on Google or Amazon, the right choice of keywords is essential. Relevant search terms should be used that contain the brand name in combination with the advertised products or services. This ensures that the ads appear for relevant search queries and that the target group is optimally reached.
The ad texts also play an important role in the success of the brand campaign. The use of ad extensions can further increase visibility and click-through rate (CTR). It is important that the target page is relevant and meets the expectations of users in order to achieve a high conversion rate.
Another step towards optimizing brand ads is the regular analysis and adjustment of the campaign. Continuous testing of different ad variants and careful structuring according to brands and product groups can improve performance and simplify administration. The following key figures are particularly relevant:
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Key figure |
Meaning |
|---|---|
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Impressions |
Number of times the ad is displayed |
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Click Through Rate (CTR) |
Ratio of clicks to impressions |
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Conversion rate |
Share of purchases in clicks |
|
Advertising Cost of Sale (ACOS) |
Advertising expenditure in relation to sales |
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Total Advertising Cost of Sales (TACOS) |
Total advertising costs in relation to total sales |
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Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) |
Turnover in relation to advertising expenditure |
Tips for maximizing the CTR
To achieve the highest possible click-through rate (CTR) with brand ads, choosing the right brand keywords is crucial. The search terms should be closely aligned with your products and your brand. Place the brand name prominently in the headline and in the text of the ad to increase visibility for potential buyers.
Use ad extensions such as sitelinks, snippets and reviews to make your ad more attractive and informative. A personalized approach and emphasizing the unique benefits of your product can also increase the CTR. Carry out regular A/B tests to identify the best-performing ad texts.
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Display position |
Average CTR |
|---|---|
|
1 |
31,7% |
|
2 |
24,7% |
|
3 |
18,7% |
The positioning of your ad has a major influence on the CTR. As the table shows, ads in the first three positions of the search results achieve significantly higher click-through rates than ads in subsequent positions. Optimize your bidding strategy and quality score to ensure top placement for your branding ads.
Compare your CTR with benchmarks from your industry to assess the optimization potential.
Branding campaign: Analyze and optimize
Regular analyses are essential to measure and continuously improve the success of your brand ads. You should pay particular attention to key figures such as the click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per click (CPC) and quality score. These give you valuable information on how well your ads are being received by your target group and whether they are strengthening the desired trust in your brand.
In addition to the direct effects on your ads, it is also important to keep an eye on the effects on organic traffic and the visibility of your website. After all, your brand ads should not only generate clicks, but also help to improve your company’s overall presence in the search results and increase its popularity.
To optimize your campaigns, you should regularly check your keywords and adjust them if necessary. Remove keywords that do not generate conversions and focus on the performance drivers. You should also regularly review your ad texts, bids and the targeting of your ads and make adjustments if necessary. This will ensure that your messages are optimally tailored to your target group and have the desired effect.
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Invest a maximum of 10-15% of your advertising budget in brand campaigns
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Use the setting “Aimed share of possible impressions” with 100% impression share (can increase CPCs by 10-20%)
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Use coherent keywords, especially the match type “largely matching” for the start of a brand campaign
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Remove keywords that do not generate conversions, especially those with few or no clicks
Another helpful tool is the auction report in Google Ads. This allows you to see whether and which competitors are bidding on your brand and adjust your strategy accordingly. This way, you always have an overview and can react quickly if someone is tampering with your brand.
With the right analyses and optimizations, you have the opportunity to improve your branding ads step by step and strengthen trust in your brand in the long term.
This is what a successful brand ad looks like
A successful brand ad is characterized by high relevance for the user. The brand name is clearly in focus and is cleverly combined with the most important keywords of the search query. This allows customers to recognize at first glance that the brand ads offer exactly what they are looking for.
The ad text precisely addresses the search need and conveys the key benefits and unique selling points. It is important to state the reason why users should choose this particular offer. Whether it’s a unique product, the best service or the best price – the added value must be clearly visible.
Clever ad extensions allow additional useful information to be displayed prominently. These include, for example
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Product extensions with prices, images and direct links to the article
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Location extensions with address, opening hours and directions
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Rating extensions with stars and customer reviews
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Caller extensions for direct telephone contact
Which extensions make sense for you depends on your individual offer. In any case, they offer real added value for the user and increase the relevance of the ad.
A comparison of successful brand ads from different companies shows these common characteristics:
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The company |
Unique Selling Proposition |
Call-to-action |
|---|---|---|
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Nike |
Innovative sports products for top performance |
Store now |
|
Apple |
Intuitive technology & stylish design |
Learn more |
|
Coca-Cola |
Unmistakable taste for generations |
View product information |
The key to success lies in the seamless customer journey. If the user lands on the target page by clicking, the expectations from the ad must be fulfilled. Relevance, user-friendliness and loading speed are the decisive factors for conversions and satisfied customers.
Conclusion: The path to successful brand ads
Successful brand ads are based on a combination of keyword research, meaningful ad texts and a targeted landing page that motivates visitors to take action. Clear campaign structures ensure that ads appear in the right place at the right time.
Of course, the work doesn’t just end with the one-off creation. Ongoing tests, analyses and adjustments to ad texts, keywords and landing pages maximize performance, increase visibility, traffic and qualified leads.
Brand ads are an important part of the online marketing mix, strengthen brand awareness and ensure measurable results. With a smart strategy and creative know-how, we support companies in increasing their brand presence and optimizing ad performance. If you are interested in one of our search engine marketing services, please contact us!
FAQ
What are brand ads?
Google Ads are text ads in the Google search network that bid on keywords with your own brand name or specific product name. They aim to target users who are already searching for the brand (pull strategy).
Why are brand ads important?
Brand ads increase visibility, cover more space on search results pages and prevent competitors from bidding on your brand. They usually have a high click-through rate and conversion rate at a low cost per click.
Which keywords are relevant for brand ads?
Relevant keywords for brand ads include the brand name in combination with products or services. The ad texts should emphasize the brand, match the search query and address the user directly.
How can I increase the click-through rate (CTR) of brand ads?
To achieve a high CTR, the keywords should be closely aligned with the brand and products. The brand name should appear prominently in the headline and text. Ad extensions, a personalized approach and unique benefits additionally increase the CTR.
How do I measure and optimize the success of brand ads?
Regular analyses of the click rate, conversion rate, cost per click and quality score are important. If necessary, adjustments must be made to keywords, ad texts, bids and targeting.
What characterizes a successful brand ad?
A successful brand ad is highly relevant for the user. The brand name is the focus, but is combined with the most important keywords. The ad text precisely addresses the search need and conveys key benefits. The target page exactly meets the user’s expectations.
