When running Performance Max campaigns, it is important to eliminate brand keywords to avoid cannibalising your Search Brand campaigns. By excluding brand keywords, you can spend your budget more effectively to find new customers for your business. This easy, step-by-step guide will show you how to exclude brand keywords Performance Max campaigns!
STEP 1: Create a Brand List
Login to your Google Ads account
Navigate to Tools (left-hand-side menu)
Open the Shared Library drop-down menu
Select Brand Lists
Click on the Create a brand list button
Name your List
Select your Brand
Don't forget to Save
Keep in mind that this is not the same as adding keywords, but you are selecting brands. For instance, if you type "Apple", you can select the brands relevant to Apple that you would like to add to this list.
📝 If your Brand is not in the list: Select + Request a Brand, and fill in the form to be added to Google Ads' brands' library
Fill in all the forms and add the other names that may be relevant to your brand (e.g. acronyms). It will take 4-6 weeks for Google to process to brand request and once it is approved, you will be added to the Google Ads' brands library.
STEP 2: Apply the Brand List as an Exclusion to Your Performance Max Campaigns
Navigate to the Performance Max campaign you would like to modify
Navigate to Campaign settings
Scroll down and open the drop-down menu under Brand exclusions
Select your Brand List and Save
Alternatively, you can follow the steps listed above and create a New brand list straight from your Performance Max campaign settings.
Frequently Asked Questions on Applying Brand List as an Exclusion to Performance Max Campaigns
Why should I use brand exclusions in Performance Max?
Brand exclusions help you:
Prevent your ads from showing up for specific brand searches
Save your budget for non-brand searches
Reach new customers who don't know your brand yet
Avoid competing for branded terms
Focus on growing your customer base
Can I use multiple brand lists in one campaign?
No. Each Performance Max campaign can only use one brand list at a time.
However, you can:
Combine multiple brands into a single list
Use different brand lists for different campaigns
Update your list anytime to include more brands
How do I know if my brand exclusions are working?
You can check effectiveness by:
Monitoring your search term reports
Looking for drops in brand-related impressions
Checking if traffic is shifting to non-brand terms
Reviewing changes in audience reach
Analyzing your conversion patterns
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