New Brand Controls For Google Ads

Google Ads has introduced new options, brand restrictions in Search campaigns, and brand exclusions in Performance Max, to provide advertisers with enhanced control over their ad placement. With AI technology playing a larger role in advertising, Google recognizes the importance of giving brands greater control over where their ads appear.

Brand Restrictions in Search Campaigns:

Google's Smart Bidding algorithms, when paired with broad keyword match types, help reach relevant audiences and generate conversions. However, some advertisers face challenges when using broad match for their brand name campaigns, as they want to avoid non-brand-related traffic and clicks.

To address this, Google is globally launching brand keyword restrictions for broad match. Advertisers can now set brand terms as broad match keywords but restrict them to show ads only for searches that include the brand name. This allows ads to reach more people, enhance performance, and adhere to brand guidelines effectively.

Brand Exclusions in Performance Max Campaigns:

Previously announced, Performance Max campaigns would have the capability to exclude specific brands. Following successful testing, Google is making this feature available to all advertisers.

Brand exclusions enable advertisers to opt-out of having their ads appear on certain brands' Search and Shopping inventory. Advertisers can block specific brand names from displaying their ads, including misspellings or brand names in other languages. They can also exclude competitor brand names from triggering their ads. Google provides an extensive list of major brands that advertisers can choose to exclude, and they can even request the addition of any missing brands to the list.

By blocking irrelevant brands, advertisers ensure that their ads are displayed only for the most relevant searches.

Differentiation from Negative Keywords:

Brand exclusions and negative keywords are both tools that advertisers use to control ad placement, but they serve different purposes and work in distinct ways.

Brand exclusions prevent ads from appearing on specific sites or apps, whereas negative keywords prevent ads from appearing alongside particular search terms or phrases. While both tools help limit where ads are displayed, they operate differently and cater to specific requirements.

For more information on these features and how to use them, advertisers can refer to Google's help page.