Competitor keywords broad matching to brand names

[dougmcc1]

On Google there's a website who isn't bidding on our brand name keyword, but their ad is showing because one of their keywords is broad matching to it.

Google basically said we're on our own and this website denied our request to add any negative keywords to their account that would prevent their keyword from broad matching to our brand name.

Is there anything we can do?

[Syzygy]

Many factors could be at work here.

I anticipate that the AdWords Forum [webmasterworld.com] would yield more help than here, or, of course, there's always AdWords Support [adwords.google.com].

Their policy on trademarks and advertising is explained here:

[google.com...]

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Syzygy

[netmeg]

I believe the only thing you can do is write an ad that's much more compelling and lets people know you are the original source for whatever the keyword is. My understanding is that there's no rule against showing ads for search terms on a competitors name or brand names or keywords - only on displaying a trademarked name in your ad.

[jimbeetle]

their ad is showing because one of their keywords is broad matching to it.

Google basically said we're on our own...

Ya' know, this might be kind of interesting. In this case it is not the advertiser that is generating the match with the trademark keyword, it's Google's broad matching algo that's generating the match.

The only one who can correct this is Google. Looks like your only recourse here is to go after Big G itself.

[ryanfromaustin]

There's nothing to correct here, in my view. What if you sell "product X" and someone wants to search for "alternatives to product X?" Why should that company be expected to negative match your name? Should they also be forced to add a negative match for every other trademarked name that is registered? If they are not trying to fool the public or misrepresent themselves as your brand, then neither they nor Google have done anything wrong. Why doesn't your company shell out a little a few bucks to run an ad displaying your mark? Google's algo will likely push it straight to the top if yours is the only ad containing the mark and you'll get almost all the traffic.

[cline]

Is there anything we can do?

Yes. Get over it.

[poster_boy]

If they denied your request to remove it, it sounds like they like the traffic it generates... how are you sure they aren't bidding on it?

[sem4u]

I have found a similar situation. Companies that provide a service have been broad matched to a company name kewyord that describes a product. I have e-mailed support to see what they have to say...

[ScottG13]

Ryan is perfectly right and logical. I currently do not engage in this particular tactic as I do not want any of my competitors to engage in it either. Sort of the prisoner's dilemma. If one of our competitors starts doing it seriously, then I'll release a full barrage.

[jimbeetle]

But it isn't a competitor that's doing it. It's Google.

[deep_alley]

Well they arent voilating the TO, so I dont think you will have much luck, but write to adwords support and see what they have to say. I would agree with netmeg - write a more compelling ads for that term, so you dont lose the traffic and you might cut this competitors traffic too.

Is maintaining a high position on that keyword too expensive?

[sem4u]

I got a reply from Google and they have basically said that broad match works by automatically picking out relevant terms. If the ads shown turn out to be not relevant to the search term, then in time the ads will stop showing for that term. What they don't say is how this is measured (CTR, conversions....) and what timeline is used.

[deep_alley]

Wouldnt 'relevancy' be, the CTR of the ad keyword combination?