Overview: How to Target Competitors Audience on Google Ads - 12 Tips
One overlooked area of competitor targeting is how much trouble it can get you in, if not handled correctly.
Back in 2019, it was reported that Google removed over 2.3 billion Adwords accounts.
In this article, we'll not only cover a multitude of low-cost and effective tactics for Google Adwords competitor targeting but how to conduct them safely.
Here's what you'll learn by the end of this post:
- What Google Adwords competitor targeting is
- The rules for competitor targeting
- How to protect your company against black-hat competitor targeting practices
- 12 proven competitor targeting practices
What Is Google AdWords Competitor Targeting?
Google Adwords competitor targeting is placing bids on the branded search keywords of the main rivals in your industry.
You can bid on their branded terms by listing the other companies in your industry that provide comparable goods and services.
However, it's more complicated than just starting a fresh campaign with their keywords.
To prevent possible legal repercussions or penalties from Google, you must be fully aware of what you're getting into.
If you're new to Google Adwords, here's our crash course on conducting effective lead-generation campaigns.
What Are the Rules of Competitor Targeting?
Competitor targeting mistakes can lead to severe fines and even legal action.
Google may penalize you for using a trademarked brand name (that isn't yours) in your advertisement.
For instance, you cannot advertise "Better Product Management Than Asana" if you are selling software as a service (SaaS).
Any unauthorized use of their trademarks will be quickly identified.
Google will then limit, eliminate, or even impose worse penalties on your ads.
In response to a complaint, Google maintains the right to delete any trademark usage on your advertising.
However, there are several exclusions to the rule.
For example, you are permitted to utilize a trademark if the owner has granted you permission to do so.
Using Trademarks to Protect Your Brand
On the flip side of the trademark and branding coin, someone could use your company name in their ads if your brand isn't copyrighted.
Therefore, your brand must be trademarked if you want to protect it.
It's a relatively easy process that only needs your time, effort, and knowledge of your company.
After filing for a trademark, keep an eye on Google for brand mentions.
If you're specifically interested in branded B2B-targeting on Google search ads, go here.
Risks Associated With Competitor Keyword Targeting
To create campaigns that adhere to the appropriate standards while producing conversions, it's essential to be aware of the rules and regulations.
In terms of bid amounts on trademarked terms, they tend to be ridiculously low.
Bidding wars can emerge seemingly out of nowhere.
However, as soon as you start to bid against rivals, you invite the competition. This jeopardizes the ideal equilibrium you've worked so hard to achieve on your own terms.
To avoid bidding wars and violating Google's rules, here are 13 effective strategies to target your rivals' keywords.
12 Google Ads Competitor Targeting Tips
How can you reach a pertinent audience that has expressed interest in your rivals?
Use these tactics to create custom audiences using URLs, keywords, and more.
Before you get started, to better understand the cost of a Google Ads campaign, go here.
1. Target High Intent Competitor Keywords in Google Search Ad Campaigns
You can identify competitor keywords in Google ads by finding keywords that contain your competitor name and have a high degree of purchase intent.
High purchase intent keywords would be keywords that contain phrases like, "pricing", "reviews", "demo", etc. Basically something somebody who is serious about buying would be searching for. An example of this would be the keywords "interteam marketing reviews". Only people who are serious about purchasing our services would be searching for that.
Once you've identified these keywords, you can create competitor tailored ad copy with headlines like, "Top Alternative to InterTeam Marketing" to tailor messaging for a lead that's already pretty interested in a competitor.
2. Creating Google Custom Audiences for People Who Searched for Competitor Keywords
Google Ads offers a feature to create custom audiences based on keywords.
You can use your competitor's keywords to give you a starting point for creating competitive ads. This allows you to reach users already aligned with specific campaign goals.
Keep in mind that only campaigns running on Google properties will show your ads to users searching for those keywords and related phrases.
Notes:
- Match types do not matter in custom search audiences, so don't worry about adding brackets or quotations. All will be treated as broad match keywords anyways.
- Make sure you choose the setting for "People who searched for any of these terms on Google" instead of the setting for "People with any of these interests or purchase intentions". The "People with any of these interests or purchase intentions" setting is much broader and brings in lower quality leads.
3. Creating Google Custom Audiences for Visitors to Competitor Websites
With the help of Google Ads, you can modify a target audience based on their interests and behaviors.
You can now target users by building an audience off of the URLs of your competitors.
That means you can target your ads at "People who browse websites similar to."
Next, include as many competition websites as you like to target particular demographics.
You have the choice to target visitors from similar websites. However, the ads won't show to individuals while they visit the selected websites.
4. Use Competitor Comparisons in Your Ad Copy
Branded searches draw users who are looking for a certain experience.
Your value proposition identifies customer pain points and positions your business as the best remedy. A good value proposition clearly explains why a user would benefit from your goods and services.
By scanning reviews and testimonials of your competitors you can optimize your value proposition to make it stand out among your competitors.
Negative reviews, in particular, clue you into the pain points that your competitors are not solving for their user base.
5. Offering Discounts That Undercut Competitors
Pricing is one of the most crucial factors in customers' decision-making at the time of purchase.
Simply outpricing your rivals is a solid method to grab some clicks from their branded searches.
6. Targeting Competitor YouTube Channels
You run your ads on your competitor's individual YouTube videos or their entire channel.
This strategy ensures that your ad reaches relevant prospects, leverages the reputation (good or bad) of your competitors, and potentially increase your product or service's market share.
7. Retargeting Visitors from Your Google Competitor Campaigns
Retargeting is a method of reaching users who have already visited your website as a result of a competitor-targeting campaign.
The vast majority of paid advertising platforms provide URL-based audiences for retargeting.
Include UTM parameters in your ad URLs whether you're targeting through search or another channel.
This method of retargeting customers can be far less expensive than carrying on with expensive competition keyword bids.
8. Competitor Targeting on YouTube
Another way to leverage YouTube is to have your ads show up in search results pages as in-feed video ads.
When customers search for a brand on YouTube, competitors can show up, taking the top spot.
However, you can get achieve even greater view rates, by focusing on ranking within Google's algorithm instead of YouTube's.
Keep in mind that you still pay for each and every view of an in-feed video. For that reason, it's recommended to create longer videos that demonstrate why you are the superior choice.
9. Competitor Targeting on LinkedIn
Although LinkedIn advertising has a reputation for being costly, this isn't always the case.
There are a number of less expensive targeting choices available besides job title or company.
Look for users who are interested in you or your competitor's services using LinkedIn membership groups.
This allows you to target people who are enthusiastic about contributing to product conversations.
Users devoted to a specific product can be more difficult to persuade. However, it also opens you up to grievances or unmet pain points to exploit.
10. Competitor Targeting Twitter
Tweets, clicks, and retweets help characterize your competitors and their audience.
Start by typing in competitor Twitter handles, then choose one at a time.
From there, you can target multiple competitor accounts to discover lookalike Twitter followers.
11. Competitor Ads on Reddit
One of the most popular websites in the world, Reddit also has a platform for advertising.
The majority of Reddit's fundamental targeting options are quite generic. However, there is one area you should focus on first.
Subreddits are sections of particular Reddit communities that are frequently used as ad targets. So, target communities for popular competitor brands.
12. Competitor Quora Ads
On Quora, you can target ads in a variety of ways, but the most granular one is to target specific questions.
That means you can assign ads to appear only for certain questions.
Topics on Quora work to categorize questions. Whenever a user is searching questions on a particular topic, your ad could up on any query within that topic.
However, individual question targeting typically lacks volume, so targeting by topic and interest should be carried out first.
Conclusion
We've given you an overview of quite a few Google Adwords competitor targeting tactics. Each one requires the finesse and creativity of an experienced advertiser if you want to execute it effectively.
If you want to discuss how InterTeam conducts competitor targeting to bring in qualified leads, schedule a free call with us.
Case Studies Where We Utilized Competitor
Want to read examples of our successful projects where we used competitor campaigns? Check out these case studies from Google Ads Projects we worked on:
- Case Study – Google Ads and Bing Ads for B2B Property Tech SaaS Solution
- Case Study – Google Ads and Bing Ads for B2B SaaS for Senior Living
- Case Study – Google Ads for B2B SaaS PR Solution
- Case Study – Google Ads for B2B Web Design Agency
FAQs For Targeting Competitors in Google Ads
Can i use competitor brand keywords in google ads? Are there risks?
- Yes, there are risks involved with using competitor brand keywords, but it is still very much allowed in Google Ads. Here are some of the things you have to be careful of:
- Risks: Competitor targeting in Google AdWords can lead to legal repercussions if trademarked brand names are used without authorization. This can result in penalties from Google, including limiting or removing ads. Additionally, engaging in bidding wars with competitors can lead to increased costs and reduced profitability.
- Mitigation: To mitigate these risks, businesses should ensure they do not use trademarked brand names without permission. They should focus on creating unique value propositions, offering discounts, and strategically placing ad content to differentiate themselves from competitors. It's also essential to monitor competitor mentions and protect their own brand through trademark registration.
How does trademark protection play a role in competitor targeting, and what steps should businesses take to ensure legal compliance?
- Role of Trademark Protection: Trademark protection prevents unauthorized use of brand names in advertising. It ensures that businesses cannot use competitors' trademarked terms in ads without permission, protecting brand identity and reducing confusion among consumers.
- Steps for Legal Compliance: Businesses should ensure their own brand is trademarked to protect against competitors using their name in ads. When targeting competitors' keywords, they should focus on creating unique ad content and value propositions rather than using trademarked terms. Obtaining permission from competitors to use their brand names in ads is another option for legal compliance.
What strategies can businesses employ to target competitor keywords effectively in Google search ad campaigns while avoiding bidding wars and Google penalties?
- Effective Strategies: Businesses can target competitor keywords effectively by focusing on high purchase intent keywords containing competitor names. Creating unique ad copy with compelling value propositions tailored to competitor audiences can attract clicks without directly mentioning competitors' names. Additionally, utilizing custom audiences and retargeting based on competitor URLs can help reach relevant users without violating Google's policies.
How can businesses leverage custom audiences in Google Ads based on competitor keywords and URLs to reach potential customers aligned with specific campaign goals?
- Leveraging Custom Audiences: Custom audiences in Google Ads allow businesses to target users based on their interests and behaviors, including competitor interactions. By creating custom audiences using competitor keywords and URLs, businesses can reach users already interested in similar products or services. This targeting method ensures ads are shown to relevant prospects aligned with specific campaign goals, increasing the likelihood of conversions.
What are some alternative platforms besides Google AdWords where businesses can engage in competitor targeting, and how do these platforms differ in terms of targeting options and effectiveness?
- Alternative Platforms: Besides Google AdWords, businesses can engage in competitor targeting on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, and Quora. Each platform offers unique targeting options and effectiveness based on the audience and advertising format. LinkedIn allows targeting based on job title or company, while Twitter enables targeting of users interested in competitor services. Reddit and Quora offer subreddit and question targeting, respectively, allowing businesses to reach users engaged in specific topics or discussions.
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