Glossary · MeasurementTOFU
Branded search
The short answer
Branded search is any search that includes your brand name — "PMG agency", "Performance Marketing Guru contact", "[brand] reviews". Non-branded search is everything else in your category.
Rising branded search volume is one of the clearest signals that upper-funnel marketing — video, social, PR, creators — is working, because it shows more people now know you by name and are looking for you specifically.
How to use it
- Track branded search volume monthly in Search Console and Google Trends
- Compare against competitors' branded volume (share of search)
- Look for lifts after campaigns and launches
- Separate branded and non-branded performance in both SEO and paid reports
Should you bid on your own brand?
Usually yes if competitors bid on it — it's cheap and protects searchers who were looking for you. But report it separately, because it flatters account-level results.
Where to measure branded search
- Google Search Console — queries containing your brand
- Google Ads — brand campaign impressions and impression share
- Google Trends — relative interest over time and by region
- Amazon and marketplaces — brand searches in seller tools
See share of voice.
Branded search in practice
After a brand starts YouTube and creator campaigns, searches for its name rise in Google Search Console and Google Trends. That growth is evidence that upper-funnel marketing is creating demand that search later captures.
How to use branded search
- Track it as a leading indicator of brand demand
- Protect it with low-cost brand campaigns
- Separate it from non-brand results in reporting
Common branded-search mistakes
- Mixing brand and non-brand results
- Letting competitors bid on your name unanswered
- Counting brand-search conversions as new demand
Frequently asked questions
Does branded search count as organic success?
It reflects brand strength rather than SEO skill. Non-branded organic growth is the better SEO metric.
Why is branded search a TOFU signal?
Because it's often caused by upper-funnel marketing, even though the search itself happens at the bottom of the funnel.
Why does branded search matter for performance marketing?
It reflects demand created by awareness activity, and branded clicks usually convert cheaply.
Should branded search revenue count toward campaign ROAS?
Report it separately; otherwise it inflates the apparent performance of prospecting.
Should we pay for ads on our own brand name?
Usually, cheaply — it protects your listing from competitors and costs little.
Why does branded search inflate ROAS?
Brand searchers already know you, so many would buy anyway; separate brand results to see true performance.
How do we track branded search?
With Google Search Console, Google Trends and brand campaign data.
Why do competitors bid on our brand?
To intercept people searching for you — a brand campaign protects your listing.
Related terms
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