Branded vs Non-Branded Keywords: Finding Your Real Target Audience

Dec 26, 2025

Discover why simply focusing on competitor campaigns isn't enough. Learn how general keywords can mistakenly trigger your own brand name, and why proper keyword negation is crucial. Explore the benefits of creating separate portfolios for branded and unbranded campaigns, and how to find valuable non-branded targets. Utilize broad match strategies on competitor keywords for greater reach, and evaluate the effectiveness of your ad spend. Plus, gain insights on retargeting high-value audiences to drive growth and new customer acquisition.

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ADVICE

Separate Portfolios For Branded vs Unbranded

Create separate portfolios for unbranded and branded campaigns and only negate brand terms inside the unbranded portfolio.
Use competitor research (top 1–50) and Cerebro to find non-branded keyword targets to seed broad-match campaigns.

INSIGHT

Competitor Campaigns Can Limit Reach

Relying solely on competitor campaigns limits growth when you're not the cheapest option.
Focus on what people are actually searching for using broad one- to two-word phrases in broad match.

ADVICE

Use Broad Match To Capture New Searches

Launch broad-match campaigns targeting common one- to two-word phrases that top competitors advertise on.
Ensure you index for those keywords before pitching DSP for scale.

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To continue expanding, we must focus on finding new targets instead of just competitor campaigns. This video explains how general keywords sometimes trigger a brand's own names, requiring careful negation to improve ad relevance. Understanding your search term report is crucial for effective keyword optimization and improving ad performance.

Negating branded terms too early can limit your reach, especially if your growth depends on broad or competitor traffic. This walkthrough breaks down how to structure Amazon campaigns using non-branded keywords, portfolio setup, and audience targeting. Learn how to create smarter PPC campaigns, build high-value audiences, and decide when to move into DSP for scale.

Struggling to scale beyond brand traffic? Get expert help to fix your ad setup and grow faster: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu

#AmazonAdvertising #PPCstrategy #AmazonCampaignTips #SponsoredDisplay #amazondsp

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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Why Competitor Campaigns Aren’t Enough
00:16 - Negating Brand Terms Too Early
00:45 - Using Portfolios for Better Ad Structure
01:27 - Creating Unbranded vs. Branded Campaigns
01:58 - Finding Targets with Cerebro
02:14 - How to Negate Keywords Correctly
02:30 - Broad Match Strategies with Top Competitors
03:13 - When to Pitch DSP
03:20 - Sponsored Display Results and ROI
03:39 - Targeting High-Value Audiences
04:05 - Retargeting with Added-to-Cart Viewers
04:19 - Bringing in New-to-Brand Customers
05:03 - Segmenting High-Value Category Buyers
05:38 - When to Scale to DSP Campaigns

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