The world of e-commerce is very fierce. Companies will do seemingly anything to outrank competing brands on search engines. After all, they want to target the same customers as you. What should you do if one of your rivals starts to profit from your brand’s name? Although it may seem hopeless, it’s possible to regain control of the situation.
Google and other search engines are very finicky. Even with a trademark, competitors can sometimes use your brand name as part of their marketing campaign. Some shady marketers may use your brand to promote their own business in related searches. If their scheme works, they may even lure customers away from your company. Are you worried this might happen to you? Here are some simple and highly effective tips to stop competitors that are making money from your brand.
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1. Stop The Damage At All Sources
Although Google is the most popular search engine, savvy marketers don’t stop there. Their campaign more than likely encompasses several other targets, including other sites that partner with Google AdWords, such as AOL and Amazon. The more money funneled into a rival’s PPC campaign, the more places you’ll find your brand under fire.
It’s important to find every website where your rival ranks above you before you can regain your traffic. This will also give you a clue as to how much the competitor is spending to benefit from your name. If you don’t notice a difference in your click-through rate, the campaign is not hurting your brand too much. However, if you see a decline in clicks, it’s time to take action.
2. Tattle To Google
Google doesn’t allow unlawful advertising practices on its platform. While bidding on brand names alone isn’t illegal, using a trademarked brand name, logo, or slogan as part of a marketing campaign may qualify as infringement. If you can prove your competitor is breaking any laws, report them to Google. However, you’ll need to prove their ad copy contains something from your brand that is officially trademarked.
3. Ask For A Small Favor
Sometimes asking a competitor to stop marketing your branded keywords is enough to get them to reconsider their tactics. After all, stepping on toes is never the best way to climb to the top. Be polite, and consider complimenting them on a job well done. However, firmly request they stop. They may surprise you and halt the campaign, but if they refuse, you can always target their own branded keywords in retaliation.
4. Pour More Money into Branded Keywords
At the end of the day, whoever spends more money targeting keywords will probably come out ahead. Consider increasing your ad budget to reclaim your branded keywords. If you want to make it even harder for others to rank with your brand’s keywords, look into paid advertisement space on Google. These ads appear above the top-ranking spot, ensuring your brand is the first result people see.
5. Improve Your Landing Page
The landing page is the first thing potential customers see when they visit your site, and if it’s cluttered or loads too slowly, they may leave as quickly as they arrived. High-quality landing pages also make a lasting impression on Google. The search engine uses bots to make sure paid keywords align with a brand’s objective. If Google likes your landing page, it will boost your ranking. Even if a rival tries to steal your branded keywords, they won’t succeed if your brand is favorable in Google’s eyes.
The Takeaway
Competitors will always try to find ways to profit from your company. If you notice a rival targeting your branded keywords, it’s time to take action. Even if they’re not doing anything illegal, it’s possible to outsmart your competition and rise to the top once again.
Also Read: 7 Out Of 10 Users Prefer Digital Formats Of Outdoor Advertising
