When a publisher runs paid search ads on an advertiser's own brand name or trademarked terms to intercept shoppers who were already searching for that brand directly. Most program terms prohibit brand bidding because it inflates the publisher's apparent traffic value without genuinely growing sales.
A publisher bids on the search term "Kmart Australia" in Google Ads, capturing shoppers who typed the brand name directly, then claims commission on sales that Kmart would almost certainly have received anyway through its own organic listing.
Some advertisers permit limited brand bidding, such as bidding on the brand name plus a specific product or deal keyword, if explicitly stated in program terms. Most programs ban it outright by default, so publishers should check the paid search section of program terms before running any brand-related campaigns.
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