What if competitors advertise on your brand name?

1. Is it legal? Usually yes. Is it smart? Not always.

Google generally allows advertising on another company’s brand name, as long as you don’t misuse a protected trademark in the ad copy itself.

So yes, your competitor is allowed to advertise on your name.
But that doesn’t mean you should strike back the same way.

Because brand bidding is rarely sustainable:

• It drives up cost per click for both sides
• It often leads to low conversions (users were searching for you, not them)
• It creates irritation (for you and your audience)

2. What are your options?

If you notice competitors advertising on your brand name, you have several options:

• Claim your own brand position with branded ads: Make sure you appear at the top for your own brand name. Branded campaigns are inexpensive, highly relevant, and ensure that your message is the one people see.
• Optimize your organic results: Your brand should ideally already rank first organically. But also look at your sitelinks, structured snippets, and rich content on your website. This visually pushes down ad space, even if you’re not the first ad result.
• Monitor and document: Check auction insights to see whether competitors are actually bidding on your brand name and identify who they are.
• Consider dialogue or legal action: In some cases, it’s worth contacting the advertiser directly — especially in smaller markets or niche sectors. If a protected trademark is being used in the ad text itself, a formal complaint can be filed.

3. Should you advertise on their brand name too?

Sometimes yes. But often not. Brand bidding as retaliation can lead to a vicious cycle of rising CPCs and falling ROI. Ask yourself:

• Is the competitor truly relevant to your audience?
• Can you win them over on their own brand name, or will that seem opportunistic?
• What does it say about your own brand positioning?

The strongest move? Be rock-solid on your own name — and guide customers to convert through your brand presence.

Conclusion: Don’t get dragged in — take action

It’s annoying when others piggyback on your brand awareness. But it’s not a reason to panic — it’s a reason to act.
Claim your brand position. Monitor what’s happening. Improve your visibility. And most importantly, keep investing in a strong brand that customers consciously choose — regardless of which ad appears above it.