Why might someone click away from an ad that is created around a competitor’s name?

Short Answer: When a person is searching for a specific company but ends up on an ad for a different company, they are unlikely to stay and will probably click away. This mismatch can lead to high bounce rates on that ad’s landing page.

Full Explanation

People who search using a competitor’s name usually have a clear intention of finding that particular company. If they are redirected to an ad promoting a different business entirely, it creates a disconnect. This disconnect causes confusion or dissatisfaction, prompting them to leave the page quickly.

This behavior signals that the ad did not meet their expectations, and the visitor did not find what they were specifically looking for. As a result, the bounce rate—the measure of visitors who leave without interacting further—increases significantly.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

User searches for a specific company by name.
They see an ad that is created using the competitor’s company name as a keyword.
They click on the ad but land on a promotional page for a different company.
Expectations are not met, leading to confusion or frustration.
User clicks away quickly, causing a high bounce rate for the ad.

Real Examples

If a person searches for “Company A” and clicks on an ad promoting “Company B” that used “Company A” as a keyword, they will likely realize the mismatch immediately. As a result, they will exit the website to try again to find the right company.

Common Mistakes

Creating ads optimized solely around competitor names without offering relevant content to the visitor.
Failing to ensure the landing page matches the expectation set by the ad keyword.
Ignoring visitor intent, which can lead to higher bounce rates and wasted ad spend.

FAQs

Q: Why does high bounce rate matter?

A: A high bounce rate indicates that visitors are not finding what they expected, reducing the effectiveness of the ad and potentially increasing advertising costs.

Q: Can using competitor names in ads hurt my campaign?

A: Yes, if the ad and landing page do not align with the visitor’s intent, it may cause them to click away quickly.

Key Takeaways

Visitors searching for a specific competitor have a clear intent to find that competitor’s site.
If an ad created around a competitor’s name redirects to a different company, visitors are likely to leave immediately.
This mismatch results in high bounce rates, negatively affecting ad performance.
Understanding user intent and aligning ads with it is crucial to keep visitors engaged.