Keywords

Should I bid on competitor brand names in Google Ads for B2B?

By The Tofu team ·

You can, and Google allows it: its trademark policy doesn't restrict trademarks as keywords. If the trademark owner complains, though, Google can restrict a direct competitor from using the name in its ads. The bigger problem is cost. Your ad is a weak match for a search on a rival's name, so expect low Quality Scores, higher prices per click and few demos. It's worth a small, separate test aimed at people comparing options ("[rival] alternative", "[rival] pricing"), with a comparison page, judged on pipeline. Fund your core keywords first.

As of October 2026.

Is it allowed to bid on a competitor's brand name in Google Ads?

Yes, as a keyword. Google's Trademarks policy lists "Using trademarks as keywords" among the things Google Ads will not restrict. The policy is about the trademark appearing in your ad.

Where the competitor's name appearsWhat Google's policy says
Your keywordsNot restricted
Your ad itselfGoogle restricts "Using trademarks in an ad from a direct competitor" when the trademark owner complains and Google reviews it
Only your landing pageNot covered: the trademark "must be used in the ad, not only on the ad's landing page"
Any ad that uses the name "in a confusing, deceptive, or misleading way"Restricted
Ads from resellers and informational sitesNot restricted when the landing page mainly sells or gives information about that product, and the ad and page make clear which kind of site it is

What that means in practice:

  • Restrictions follow a complaint. Google accepts complaints only against specific advertisers, identified by their URLs, in the countries and industries where the owner has shown trademark rights. Once Google restricts a name, the restriction generally applies, on an ongoing basis, to every ad with the same second-level domain in its final URL.
  • Watch keyword insertion. It writes the keyword that triggered your ad into the ad text, so a {KeyWord:...} headline in a competitor ad group puts their name in your ad. Google says inserted text must still follow its policies.
  • You get a warning before any suspension. Google says it issues one at least 7 days before suspending an account under this policy. If you think a restriction is wrong, you appeal through the notifications on the restricted ads.
  • Google's policy isn't the law. Google says it abides by local trademark laws. If you're unsure about naming a rival anywhere, ask a lawyer.

Why is my Quality Score 1/10 on competitor keywords?

Because Google compares your ad with other advertisers' ads for that exact search, and people searching a brand mostly want that brand. Quality Score runs from 1 to 10 for each keyword and combines three parts, each rated "Above average", "Average" or "Below average" against other advertisers whose ads showed for the exact same search over the last 90 days.

PartWhy it's low on a rival's name
Expected clickthrough rateThe rival's own ad is the one most searchers came for
Ad relevanceYour ad is about you, not about the brand in the search
Landing page experienceA general home page doesn't answer "how do you compare?"

Google says Quality Score is a diagnostic tool and "not an input in the ad auction." But Ad Rank does use your ad quality at auction time, including expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance and landing page experience. So a weak ad needs a higher bid to show, and you can pay more per click. A low score here is normal. You can raise it somewhat, not to the brand owner's level:

  • Give each competitor its own ad group. For low ad relevance, Google suggests splitting ad groups so each one matches the searches better.
  • Write the ad about the choice the searcher is making: your main difference, your price, how switching works.
  • Send the click to a page built for that comparison, not your home page.

Which competitor searches are worth paying for?

The ones where the searcher is still choosing. In B2B, someone typing a rival's name plus "login" or "support" is usually already its customer.

SearchWorth testing?
"[rival] alternative", "[rival] vs [you]", "[rival] competitors"Yes: they are comparing
"[rival] pricing", "[rival] reviews"Often: they are evaluating
"[rival]" on its ownMaybe, at a low bid: mixed intent
"[rival] login", "[rival] support", "[rival] careers"No: add them as negatives

Before you start, check Keyword Planner's top of page bid range for each name in your target country. Google describes the low and high range as roughly the 20th and 80th percentile of what advertisers paid for a top of page position in the last 30 days. Treat it as a rough guide, because the brand owner's ads score better on those searches than yours will.

Run the test as its own campaign with its own budget, so competitor clicks can't drain the keywords that already work. Bid on a lead-specific goal, such as a qualified lead, which Google says turns on invalid traffic protections built for lead generation. Then check pipeline from the campaign in your CRM, and set a date to decide. If it hasn't produced qualified pipeline by then, stop.

How do I keep my other campaigns off competitor searches?

Look for rival names in the search terms report, then block them. Broad match and AI Max search term matching can show your ads on searches beyond your exact keywords, and that can include a competitor's name.

  • Negative keywords. Add rival names as negatives in every campaign that shouldn't run on them, or put them in a negative keyword list and apply it to those campaigns. Google says negatives don't match close variants, so add synonyms and singular or plural forms yourself. Casing and misspellings are covered automatically.
  • Brand exclusions. They keep a campaign from serving on searches associated with the brands you list, and they work in Performance Max and, through AI Max settings, in Search. Brand lists cover spelling variants and other languages for you. If a campaign has both exclusions and inclusions, Google gives the exclusions priority.
  • Brand inclusions do the opposite. With AI Max on, they limit a Search campaign to searches related to the brands you list, which can suit a dedicated competitor campaign. Google notes they stop ads on any search that doesn't contain a brand name.

What happens if the competitor complains or bids back?

If they complain and Google restricts their name in your ads, edit those ads or appeal. Google warns that if you create new ads that break the policy after an appeal, restrictions will generally stay in place.

They can also bid on your name, and Google won't stop that either. Before you start a competitor campaign, make sure your own name is covered; see whether to bid on your own brand name.

Is there a tool to see which keywords my competitors bid on?

Not from Google. Google's own tools show who you compete with and which ads they run, but not their keywords. Third-party tools estimate keywords from their own data.

ToolWhat it showsLimit
Auction insights (in Google Ads)The advertisers in the same auctions as you, with impression share, overlap rate, outranking share, position above rate, top of page rate and absolute top of page rateOnly auctions you entered; no data when your impression share is under 10%
Ads Transparency Center (Google)The ads an advertiser has served on Search, Display, Gmail and YouTube, searchable by advertiser or website name and filterable by date and locationShows ads, not the keywords or bids behind them
SpyFuSays you can "See every keyword they've ever bought on Google and every ad test they've run," with 18+ years of historyEstimates, not data from Google; paid membership from $33 a month
Semrush Advertising ToolkitSays it uncovers "competitors' ad strategies, budgets, and top keywords" across Google and MetaEstimates, not data from Google; its own subscription, $99 a month (Base) or $220 (Pro), with a 7-day free trial

Neither third-party tool can see a competitor's Google Ads account, so treat their keyword lists and spend figures as estimates and check the ones you care about in Keyword Planner.

Where Tofu fits

Tofu Ads Agent (our product) builds Google Search campaigns: keyword research from your site, CRM deals and account history, checked against Keyword Planner; themed ad groups; responsive search ads; bidding and budgets; and negative keywords from your search terms, which is where unwanted searches on rival names show up. It doesn't show which keywords competitors bid on, doesn't watch Auction insights, and doesn't judge trademark questions or handle complaints. Campaigns are staged in your account switched off until a person turns them on. It costs a flat $2,500 per month.

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