{"id":20853,"date":"2025-08-19T07:22:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T07:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/blog\/how-to-exclude-brand-from-performance-max\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T18:20:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T18:20:21","slug":"how-to-exclude-brand-from-performance-max","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/how-to-exclude-brand-from-performance-max\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Deal with Branded Traffic in Performance Max"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block has-link-color wp-elements-b49bda54d98153c3781f808ee2eb4ffa\" id=\"rank-math-toc\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li ><a href=\"#1-the-challenge-of-branded-searches-in-p-max\">1. The Challenge of Branded Searches in PMax<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#2-brand-exclusions-vs-brand-restrictions\">2. Brand Exclusions vs Brand Restrictions<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#3-how-to-exclude-brand-from-performance-max-step-by-step\">3. How to Exclude Brand from Performance Max (Step-by-Step)<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#4-how-to-run-brand-only-p-max-when-you-actually-want-it\">4. How to Run Brand-Only PMax (When You Actually Want It)<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#5-keep-branded-search-separate-and-why-you-still-need-it\">5. Keep Branded Search Separate (and Why You Still Need It)<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#6-shopping-keeping-brand-queries-out-of-generic-performance\">6. Shopping: Keeping Brand Queries Out of Generic Performance<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#7-verify-it-worked-reporting-diagnostics\">7. Verify It Worked: Reporting &amp; Diagnostics<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#8-bright-bid-tools-for-brand-protection\">8. BrightBid Tools for Brand Protection<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#9-faq-branded-traffic-in-performance-max\">9. FAQ: Branded Traffic in Performance Max<\/a><ul><li ><a href=\"#does-p-max-automatically-use-my-brand-keywords\">Does PMax automatically use my brand keywords?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#will-brand-exclusions-also-block-branded-shopping-queries\">Will Brand Exclusions also block branded Shopping queries?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#should-i-pause-branded-search-after-i-set-up-brand-restrictions\">Should I pause Branded Search after I set up Brand Restrictions?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#why-did-my-cpl-rise-after-excluding-brand\">Why did my CPL rise after excluding brand?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#can-i-stop-p-max-promoting-certain-sk-us-while-i-sort-brand-issues\">Can I stop PMax promoting certain SKUs while I sort brand issues?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li ><a href=\"#10-final-take\">10. Final Take<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-62177c0ce7e6dfd10a4d0e18bc543a05\">Performance Max (PMax) reaches people across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Discover, and Maps using Google\u2019s automation. It\u2019s powerful\u2014but it blurs control over keywords, which makes it hard to separate branded from non-branded traffic. If you don\u2019t manage that split, your reports inflate and your budget priorities drift. For a deeper read on interpreting PMax data, see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/how-to-analyze-performance-max-campaigns\/\">analyzing PMax campaigns<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Branded traffic<\/em> = queries that include your brand or product names. Manage it separately to see true non-brand performance and allocate spend rationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>TL;DR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-2acf43ece7fe0f1e621221be11f729ae\">\n<li>Use <strong>Brand Exclusions<\/strong> to keep non-brand PMax clean; use <strong>Brand Restrictions<\/strong> only when you want a <strong>brand-only<\/strong> PMax.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep <strong>Branded Search<\/strong> as a separate campaign for control, defense, and clean reporting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For Shopping, segment inventory and titles so brand queries don\u2019t leak into generic performance\u2014start with our <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/google-shopping-ads-best-practices-guide\/\">Google Shopping best practices<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Judge success on <strong>non-brand CPL\/tROAS<\/strong> and pipeline quality\u2014not blended averages. If value modelling is new to you, see <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/google-conversion-value-rules-explained\/\">Conversion Value Rules explained<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-f9d5b2c4519cc04f2977d5f3261f59e7\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/brightbid-revisjon\/\">Get a Free Ad Audit \u2014 Try Now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-the-challenge-of-branded-searches-in-p-max\">1. The Challenge of Branded Searches in PMax<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-bf5d6b755367f1b7150010ef33cf15ae\">PMax optimizes toward the highest probability of conversion. That naturally pulls in branded queries\u2014great intent, low CPC, easy wins. The downside: blended metrics look \u201camazing\u201d while hiding whether you can profitably win <em>new<\/em> demand on non-brand. Start by learning what reports matter in our <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/how-to-analyze-performance-max-campaigns\/\">PMax analysis guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fix is simple in principle: <strong>separate brand from non-brand<\/strong> so budgets, optimization, and reporting reflect reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-brand-exclusions-vs-brand-restrictions\">2. Brand Exclusions vs Brand Restrictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Brand Exclusions<\/strong>: Prevent your ads from showing on branded search queries inside PMax. Use this for <strong>non-brand PMax<\/strong> so you measure true prospecting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Restrictions<\/strong>: Allow <strong>only<\/strong> your brand queries in a PMax campaign. Use this when you explicitly want a <strong>brand-only PMax<\/strong> for coverage or creative testing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search Themes<\/strong>: Helpful hints for Search coverage, but <strong>not<\/strong> a control for brand inclusion\/exclusion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Negatives<\/strong>: Limited in PMax. Use for specific non-brand blocks; for brand, rely on Exclusions\/Restrictions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-how-to-exclude-brand-from-performance-max-step-by-step\">3. How to Exclude Brand from Performance Max (Step-by-Step)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-963cb1a762d1d05a70377930fed9c129\">\n<li>Open the target <strong>PMax campaign \u2192 Settings \u2192 Additional settings \u2192 Brand exclusions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create or select a <strong>Brand List<\/strong> (include brand, product lines, common misspellings\/concats).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your brand isn\u2019t available yet, <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/14453044?hl=en\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">submit a request<\/a> and apply once approved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apply this list to all <strong>non-brand<\/strong> PMax campaigns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review <strong>Search Term Insights<\/strong> regularly and expand your list as new variants appear.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-d2b688a3560be87b4ddf4075451da722\">If PMax is also pulling products you don\u2019t want to promote, see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/how-to-exclude-products-from-performance-max-campaigns-and-why\/\">exclude products from PMax (and why)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-how-to-run-brand-only-p-max-when-you-actually-want-it\">4. How to Run Brand-Only PMax (When You Actually Want It)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-b78ed9d0b827010d8c65d90702de6c9f\">\n<li>Spin up a <strong>brand-only PMax<\/strong> and apply <strong>Brand Restrictions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cap its budget so it doesn\u2019t cannibalize Branded Search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use it to test creatives across YouTube\/Discover\/Gmail while Search defends conversions efficiently. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/10-tips-for-optimizing-google-performance-max-shopping-campaigns\/\">PMax optimization tips<\/a> can help refine assets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-keep-branded-search-separate-and-why-you-still-need-it\">5. Keep Branded Search Separate (and Why You Still Need It)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Run a dedicated <strong>Branded Search<\/strong> campaign:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-a82cafb9b94d07e7d6854117620ce6c0\">\n<li>Exact\/phrase on core brand terms; sitelinks for pricing, support, login, and top actions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain defense when competitors bid on your brand (monitor infringements in <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/maksimer-resultater-med-smartere-annonseoptimalisering\/\">All Features<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clear, granular reporting on brand health without polluting PMax prospecting data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-shopping-keeping-brand-queries-out-of-generic-performance\">6. Shopping: Keeping Brand Queries Out of Generic Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-dc2c8142069cf2fba365a52f0df57ec5\">\n<li>Label products by <strong>brand vs generic<\/strong> and by margin tiers; segment campaigns accordingly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make feed signals unambiguous: <strong>Brand, GTIN, MPN, clear titles<\/strong>. For fundamentals, revisit <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/google-shopping-ads-best-practices-guide\/\">Shopping best practices<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If needed, use a <strong>Standard Shopping<\/strong> campaign to isolate brand-intent traffic and keep PMax focused on category\/generic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-verify-it-worked-reporting-diagnostics\">7. Verify It Worked: Reporting &amp; Diagnostics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-c6fbc87db3655399fd474d1bd3e0cb90\">\n<li><strong>PMax \u2192 Search Term Insights:<\/strong> brand share should drop to ~0% on non-brand PMax.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insights \u2192 Demand:<\/strong> non-brand (category) should dominate for prospecting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Analytics:<\/strong> track <strong>brand vs non-brand<\/strong> in reporting so CPL\/tROAS targets match reality. For value modelling, see <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/google-conversion-value-rules-explained\/\">Conversion Value Rules explained<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compare <strong>pre\/post<\/strong> on non-brand CPL, tROAS, and pipeline quality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-bright-bid-tools-for-brand-protection\">8. BrightBid Tools for Brand Protection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Infringement Detector<\/strong> \u2013 always-on monitoring for unauthorized brand use; alerts and streamlined reporting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Competitor Monitoring<\/strong> \u2013 see who bids on your brand, how often, and where they rank.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Smart Activation<\/strong> \u2013 pauses branded campaigns when no one competes; resumes when they do.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyword Autopilot<\/strong> \u2013 adds\/removes\/adjusts keywords based on outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-238514add8f2a0dc38b822441752ad0f\">Explore everything in one place: <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/maksimer-resultater-med-smartere-annonseoptimalisering\/\">All Features<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-faq-branded-traffic-in-performance-max\">9. FAQ: Branded Traffic in Performance Max<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-link-color wp-elements-26776d3f14ec265ded8453ef6d6a2bf2\" id=\"does-p-max-automatically-use-my-brand-keywords\">Does PMax automatically use my brand keywords?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-e53a800b24eaad1bcb92727cc05a74da\">Yes\u2014unless you limit it. Use <strong>Brand Exclusions<\/strong> for non-brand PMax, or <strong>Brand Restrictions<\/strong> to create brand-only PMax. For setup nuances, see <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/how-to-analyze-performance-max-campaigns\/\">How to analyze PMax campaigns<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-link-color wp-elements-4f57cb2c8a69a3abf33f72195c399445\" id=\"will-brand-exclusions-also-block-branded-shopping-queries\">Will Brand Exclusions also block branded Shopping queries?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-81876aabb99d312b63e2e79778faff12\">They control Search within PMax. For Shopping, rely on clean feed signals, labels, and campaign splits. Start with <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/google-shopping-ads-best-practices-guide\/\">Shopping best practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-link-color wp-elements-d48ea95f1925f1de1e5a5c7e84542e2d\" id=\"should-i-pause-branded-search-after-i-set-up-brand-restrictions\">Should I pause Branded Search after I set up Brand Restrictions?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-8d57747f53a131c6d00cb84b21dd11c3\">No. Keep Branded Search for cost control and defense. If competitors are abusing your terms, monitor and act via <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/maksimer-resultater-med-smartere-annonseoptimalisering\/\">All Features<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-link-color wp-elements-1f223dcb00c281318805bdf65b8172f3\" id=\"why-did-my-cpl-rise-after-excluding-brand\">Why did my CPL rise after excluding brand?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-f5267b03b40352965c34422aa7086679\">You\u2019re now measuring <strong>true non-brand<\/strong>. Evaluate by non-brand CPL\/tROAS and downstream pipeline quality\u2014not blended averages. If you optimize to value, read <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/google-conversion-value-rules-explained\/\">Conversion Value Rules explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-link-color wp-elements-e26099af1b77ae14944d41b3a641cfdd\" id=\"can-i-stop-p-max-promoting-certain-sk-us-while-i-sort-brand-issues\">Can I stop PMax promoting certain SKUs while I sort brand issues?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-f03593b2ce60354503ce626ff28ef335\">Yes\u2014exclude items or segment inventory. Here\u2019s the how-to: <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/blog\/how-to-exclude-products-from-performance-max-campaigns-and-why\/\">Exclude products from PMax<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10-final-take\">10. Final Take<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>PMax is excellent at finding easy wins\u2014often branded ones. If you let that blend, you\u2019ll overspend on the wrong audience and misread the results. Segment brand from non-brand, keep Shopping signals clean, verify with Search Term Insights, and judge success on <strong>non-brand economics<\/strong>. That\u2019s how you turn PMax from \u201clooks great on paper\u201d into sustained, profitable growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-f9d5b2c4519cc04f2977d5f3261f59e7\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/brightbid-revisjon\/\">Get a Free Ad Audit \u2014 Try Now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1414\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max.png\" alt=\"How to Deal with Branded Searches in Performance Max\" class=\"wp-image-20330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max.png 1414w, https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max-724x1024.png 724w, https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max-768x1086.png 768w, https:\/\/brightbid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/How-to-Deal-with-Branded-Searches-in-Performance-Max-1086x1536.png 1086w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1414px) 100vw, 1414px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-style-default has-border-color has-secondary-400-border-color has-primary-400-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-width:10px;padding-top:20px;padding-right:50px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:50px\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-400-color has-text-color\" id=\"get-a-free-ad-audit\">Get a <em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-600-color\">Free <\/mark><\/em>Ad Audit <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-color has-secondary-600-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/brightbid-revisjon\/prov-revisjon\/\">Try Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to manage branded traffic in Performance Max campaigns, exclude brand terms effectively, and optimize your results using the latest tools and strategies from BrightBid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":20328,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","class_list":["post-20853","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/20853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/20853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30016,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/20853\/revisions\/30016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/no\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}