What Should I Make Sure of in My Search Terms?

Short Answer: You want to make sure that your search terms do not cause your ads or content to show up for your competitor’s brand name. This check should be part of your daily SEO maintenance, which only takes about five to ten minutes.

Full Explanation

When managing your search terms, it is crucial to avoid appearing in search results intended for your competitors’ brand names. Showing up for a competitor’s brand can lead to losing potential customers to them or wasting your marketing resources. By ensuring you do not trigger your ads or content through your competitor’s brand-related search terms, you protect your own brand’s visibility and make your marketing efforts more targeted and efficient.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Regularly review the search terms that trigger your ads or content.
Identify any terms that include competitor brand names.
Remove or adjust these terms in your campaigns or SEO strategy.
Schedule this task as a daily maintenance routine, spending five to ten minutes to keep your search terms properly refined.

Real Examples

If a competitor’s brand name appears in your search terms, your ad may show for users specifically looking for that competitor. This could mislead users or waste your budget. By filtering out these competitor-related terms, your ads reach only the most relevant audience interested in your offerings.

Common Mistakes

Ignoring competitor brand names in your search terms, leading to inefficient ad spending.
Failing to regularly update or check your search terms, causing prolonged exposure to unwanted searches.
Assuming search term maintenance is unnecessary beyond initial setup.

FAQs

Q: How often should I check my search terms?
A: Ideally, spend five to ten minutes daily to review and adjust your search terms to ensure you avoid competitor brand names.

Q: Can showing up for competitor brand names be harmful?
A: Yes, it can lead to lost conversions and wasted marketing resources.

Key Takeaways

Exclude competitor brand names from your search terms to optimize your targeting.
Make search term review a consistent, daily part of your SEO or ad maintenance routine.
This practice only requires a small daily time investment but can lead to more effective marketing results.