Picture this: You’ve worked hard to build your startup’s brand, and customers are finally searching for you by name on Google. But right above your organic result, a competitor’s ad appears – sometimes even using your brand name in their ad copy to attract those customers. 😠 This is a common scenario in online marketing. Competitors often bid on your brand name as a keyword to siphon off traffic. If you’ve seen a rival show up for your searches, you’re likely wondering how to stop it. The answer lies in a mix of savvy tactics and legal rights, namely using your trademarks to protect your brand on Google Ads.
In this guide, we’ll explain why competitors bid on brand names and how you can fight back. You’ll learn how a registered trademark becomes your weapon to block rivals from using your name in ads, and step-by-step how to file a Google Trademark Complaint. We’ll even provide a handy checklist for brand protection that every startup can use to keep their online presence safe.
Why Do Competitors Bid on Your Brand Name?
First, let’s clarify what’s happening. In Google Ads (formerly AdWords), advertisers can target any keywords, including the names of other businesses. This means your competitor can set it so that when people search “[Your Brand]”, their ad may show up. Google generally allows bidding on trademarked terms as keywords – it won’t automatically block someone from bidding on “Nike shoes” even though Nike is a trademark. In fact, Google explicitly states that it “will not investigate or restrict the use of trademark terms in keywords, even if a trademark complaint is received.” In plain English: even if you own a trademark, others can still bid on it to trigger their ads. So yes, a competitor can buy ads on your brand name.
Why would they do this? To steal traffic and customers. A competitor bidding on your brand hopes that some people searching for you will click their ad instead (maybe out of curiosity or thinking it’s related). It’s a quick way for them to get in front of an audience already interested in your type of product. This tactic is especially tempting if you’re a well-known player and they are lesser-known – by piggybacking on your brand query, they gain visibility.
There’s another incentive: if they can manage to include your brand name in their ad text, their ad will look very relevant to the searcher and likely get a higher click-through rate (CTR). A higher CTR means Google gives that ad a better quality score, which lowers the competitor’s cost per click. In other words, using your brand name in their ad copy saves them money and gets them more clicks – at your expense. It might also drive up the cost-per-click on your own branded ads if you run them, because now you’re both bidding on the same term. This can become costly and annoying for you, essentially forcing you to pay more to maintain visibility for your own name.
To summarize, competitors bid on your brand because:
• They want to grab some of your potential customers who search for you.
• If they can use your name in their ad text, they get a big boost (better CTR and cheaper clicks).
• It can force you to spend more on ads to defend your turf.
Not exactly fair, right? The good news is, while you can’t stop the bidding, you can usually stop them from using your trademarked name in their ad copy, which makes those competitor ads far less effective.
Using Trademarks to Fight Back on Google Ads
This is where having a registered trademark for your brand becomes crucial. Google has policies to protect trademark owners in advertising. Specifically, if you own the trademark for a term, you can request Google to prevent other advertisers from using that term in their ad texts (like the ad headlines, description, or display URL). They won’t stop the competitor from bidding on the keyword, but they will disallow the explicit use of the protected term in the ad content. Effectively, your competitor can pay to show up for the search, but they have to be vague – they can’t say “Official [YourBrand]” or “[YourBrand] vs. OurBrand” in the ad if Google has flagged that as your trademark. Without being able to reference you, their ad will likely get fewer clicks (and might not even make sense to include at all).
Important: This protection only kicks in if you file a trademark complaint with Google Ads. It’s not automatic just because you have a trademark. And naturally, Google requires that the name/term is an actual registered trademark that belongs to you, and that you submit proof. (If your brand name isn’t trademarked, competitors are generally free to use it in ads as long as they aren’t misleading about being you.) Also, Google’s trademark policy has some nuances: legitimate resellers or informational sites might be allowed to use a trademark in ads in certain cases, but competitors directly using it for their own benefit is usually what the complaint process stops.
Let’s put it clearly: If your company’s name is trademarked, no other brands can use that name in their Google Ads ad copy per Google’s guidelines. They can bid on it as a keyword all day, but their ad text has to avoid your name. Enforcing this requires action on your part, which we’ll explain next.
How to File a Google Trademark Complaint (Step-by-Step)
Google has an online form specifically for trademark owners to report ad violations. It might sound daunting, but it’s a straightforward process. Here’s how you can file a trademark complaint to stop those pesky competitor ads:
Google’s trademark complaint form allows brand owners to request restriction of their trademark use in Google Ads. You’ll need to provide your information, trademark details, and examples of infringing ads.
1. Make Sure You Have a Registered Trademark: Google will ask for your trademark registration details (like the registration number and country). You must hold a valid trademark for the brand name in the country where the offending ad is running. For example, if you see a competitor’s ad on Google UK using your name, you need to have the trademark in the UK. Tip: If you only have a trademark in your home country, you can only protect the ads in that region. Ensure you have your trademark certificate or info handy. (If you haven’t registered your brand name yet, unfortunately you’ll need to do that first – Google won’t accept common law or unregistered rights in most cases.)
2. Gather Evidence of the Violation: Before filling out the form, find at least one example of a competitor actually using your brand name in their Google ad. Do a Google search for your brand and screenshot the results where the competitor’s ad appears. Make sure the ad clearly shows your trademarked name in the ad copy (title or description). You’ll need to provide this example to Google. They require you to show it’s happening – you can’t file preemptively. As one expert notes, “Google asks you to prove that somebody is already using your brand term in their ads”. So copy the exact text of the offending ad or grab the click URL, and note the date and search query.
3. Access the Trademark Complaint Form: The form is usually found on Google’s Ads support site (often titled “Report Trademark Infringement” or similar). You can search for “Google Ads trademark complaint form” to find the link. It’s a multi-page form that will ask for:
• Your Information: You (the trademark owner or authorized agent) fill in your name, company, contact info. You’ll also specify your relationship to the trademark owner (e.g., “I am the owner” or “I am an authorized representative”).
• Trademark Details: Here you input your trademark name, registration number, and the country of registration. (If you have multiple trademarks or regions, you may be able to list them or have to submit separate forms per region.)
• Scope and Ads Affected: Google will ask whether your complaint is against specific advertisers or “all advertisers” in general. For most startups, you might choose “all advertisers” to broadly protect your name. But be cautious: if you have partners or affiliates who are allowed to use your name, you’ll need to list them as authorized, otherwise Google might accidentally block their ads too. Many opt to just target specific offending ads/advertisers to be safe. Then you will provide the examples of the ads that violate your trademark – this is where your evidence from step 2 goes. You’ll input the ad text or attach screenshots and include the offending advertiser’s details (like the display URL of the ad or their company name if known).
• Legal Affirmation and Signature: Finally, you’ll sign off that you have the rights you claim and that the info is accurate, etc., and submit the form.
The form might sound lengthy, but it’s mostly checkboxes and text fields to ensure Google has what it needs. Once you fill it out properly and hit submit, you’ve officially lodged a complaint.
4. Wait for Google’s Response: After submission, Google’s team will review the complaint. It’s not instantaneous – expect to wait anywhere from a week to up to 6-8 weeks in some cases for processing. Google may reach out via email if they need clarification or more information, so keep an eye on the inbox you provided. Be patient; they handle many requests, but they do take trademark issues seriously.
5. Outcome – What to Expect: If your complaint is accepted (and assuming everything was in order with your trademark), Google will flag the offending ads/advertisers and remove or restrict those ads. Essentially, any ad that violates the policy will stop running. Google will also generally put your trademark on a sort of protected list for that region, meaning in the future if an advertiser (including the same one or a new one) tries to run an ad using that term, it will likely be disapproved. Your competitors “will no longer be able to use your brand name in their ad copy in that territory” going forward. This is a big win – it strips them of the biggest weapon they had (using your name to boost their ads).
However, remember: this doesn’t automatically apply worldwide. If you operate in multiple countries, you’ll need to file a complaint for each country’s Google Ads as needed. Also, Google’s action is limited to its ads system – you might still need to watch for other misuse (like in search results or on websites, which involve different processes like DMCA or trademark lawsuits). But for ads, this process is highly effective.
6. Follow-Up: In most cases, once the protection is in place, you’re done. But keep monitoring occasionally. If you see a new competitor using your name in ads, you might have to file another complaint (especially if it’s in a new region or the first was only targeting specific advertisers and a new one pops up). Google’s 2023 policy update requires more granular complaints, meaning you might have to report each offender rather than a blanket ban in some cases. So the job of protecting your brand in ads is ongoing. The good news is, once a competitor knows you have a trademark and are willing to enforce it, they’ll usually back off.
Bonus Tips: Additional Steps to Protect Your Brand in Search
Filing the Google trademark complaint is the primary way to stop competitors from abusing your name in ads. But comprehensive brand protection on Google involves a few more proactive measures. Here are some extra tips, beyond the formal complaint process:
• Run Your Own Branded Ads: It might sound ironic to pay for ads on your own name, but many companies do this to ensure they occupy the very top of the page. By running a simple Google Ads campaign on your brand keyword, you can often appear above any competitor ads (since your quality score for your own brand should be high). This way, even if a competitor is bidding, your ad and your organic result will box them out. Plus, it’s better to have two spots on the page (paid + organic) than to let a competitor have one. Consider it a defensive SEO/SEM strategy.
• Monitor Your Brand Keywords: Don’t assume that once protected, you’re forever safe. Set up Google Alerts for your brand name, and do periodic incognito searches for your brand on Google. This will help catch any new misuse quickly – whether it’s in ads or organic content. There are also paid tools that can alert you if someone starts bidding on your terms in search ads.
• Secure Social and Other Ad Platforms: Google is one battleground, but competitors might try similar tactics on Bing Ads, or even social media ads. The good news is Bing (Microsoft Advertising) has similar trademark complaint processes, and often if you handle Google, the problem might not be as big elsewhere. Still, consider registering your trademark with Bing’s process as well (the HawkSEM folks note that Bing allows bidding on competitors’ names too, so you’ll want to protect your name there in ad copy similarly).
• Send a Cease-and-Desist (if necessary): If a particular competitor is aggressively using your brand in ways beyond just Google Ads (say, in their website text or other marketing), a friendly but firm legal letter from your attorney can reinforce the message. Often, once you’ve gone through the effort of trademarking, just pointing out “Hey, you’re using our registered trademark, please stop” will do the trick, without escalating to court.
• Keep Your Trademark Valid and Updated: This may sound obvious, but ensure you maintain your trademark (renew it as required, etc.). If you launch new product names or logos that become important, consider protecting them too. The stronger your IP portfolio, the more armor you have against various infringements.
• Educate Your Team and Partners: Make sure anyone managing your marketing knows your stance on brand protection. For example, if you have an agency running your Google Ads, inform them that you have a trademark and have filed complaints, so they don’t accidentally authorize another advertiser or get confused by disapproved ads. Similarly, if you work with affiliates, set guidelines: they shouldn’t bid on your brand either (some affiliate programs explicitly forbid it). Since you can authorize certain advertisers in Google’s form, keep a list of who is allowed to use your brand (e.g., maybe a trusted reseller) and communicate that clearly.
Startup Brand Protection Checklist ✅
To wrap up, here’s a quick checklist for startups and small businesses to protect their brand online, especially on search engines:
• ✔️ Register Your Trademark: Secure your brand name (and logo/tagline if relevant) with the appropriate trademark authorities as early as possible. Without a registered trademark, your options to stop brand abuse in Google Ads are limited.
• ✔️ Claim Your Domain and Social Handles: Grab the .com (or relevant domain) for your brand and use your brand name on social media. Consistent presence deters others from creating confusingly similar accounts or sites.
• ✔️ Monitor Brand Mentions and Ads: Regularly search for your own brand on Google and other search engines. Set up alerts for new mentions. Keep an eye on who’s advertising on your brand keywords.
• ✔️ File Google Trademark Complaints: If you see competitors using your name in ads, use the Google Ads trademark complaint form to request removal. Provide all needed info (trademark details, screenshots of offending ads). Repeat for each region or new incident as needed.
• ✔️ Consider Bidding on Your Brand: Run your own Google Ads for your brand name to occupy prime real estate and make it less attractive for others to bid. It’s usually inexpensive and high ROI to capture those high-intent clicks.
• ✔️ Enforce Your Rights Externally: Should you find your brand name used in a competitor’s website content, meta tags, or elsewhere in a misleading way, don’t be afraid to send a polite but firm notice of trademark infringement. Often, problems can be resolved without a fight if you assert your rights.
• ✔️ Protect Other Channels: If you operate on marketplaces (Amazon, App Stores, etc.), enroll in brand registry programs if available. These can prevent others from using your name in product listings or apps.
• ✔️ Keep Documentation: Maintain a file of your trademark certificates, application info, and any evidence of infringement you’ve encountered. This makes filing complaints or taking action faster, since you have all proof ready to go.
By following this checklist, you create multiple layers of defense for your brand. Think of it as locking all the doors and windows of your house – don’t leave an easy opening for competitors to sneak in and capitalize on your hard-earned reputation.
Stay Proactive and Vigilant
Building a strong brand is hard work, and unfortunately that success can attract a bit of opportunism from competitors. The key takeaway is that you are not powerless. By leveraging your trademarks and utilizing Google’s policies, you can stop competitors from using your brand in Google Ads and protect the integrity of your name online. The process is accessible even for small businesses and startups: a few forms, a bit of monitoring, and you’ve effectively put a moat around your brand on the world’s biggest search engine.
Remember, brand protection in Google Ads is an ongoing effort. Registering your trademark and filing a complaint isn’t a one-and-done task to forget about. Make it a routine part of your marketing management to watch for any new threats. The good news is that once competitors realize you will actively defend your brand (and that Google will back you up), they’ll think twice about encroaching on your territory. Most would rather spend their budget on their own name or generic terms than fight a losing battle over your trademark.
In the end, protecting your brand online isn’t just about avoiding lost clicks – it’s about maintaining the trust and clarity you’ve built with your audience. When someone searches your name, they should find you, not confusion. With the steps and strategies outlined above, you can ensure that your startup’s brand remains solid, credible, and solely yours in the eyes of customers and search engines alike. Trademark your brand, stay vigilant, and turn your hard-won brand recognition into a lasting competitive advantage, both in SEO and in the marketplace. Happy branding, and good luck!