In the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, staying informed about policy changes and adapting your strategy is crucial for brand success. 

Google Ads recently announced significant updates to its Trademark policy, set to take effect on July 24, 2023, which may impact your brand’s advertising efforts. 

Let’s dive into what the policy shift means and how you can leverage Adthena’s search intelligence to navigate these changes effectively.

Understanding the policy shift

Under the new policy, Google Ads will process trademark complaints against specific ads or advertisers, rather than targeting entire industries. This shift signifies a more targeted approach to address trademark infringements, allowing your brand to take action against individual infringers instead of tackling the entire competitive landscape. While you’ll still have the freedom to bid on trademarked keywords, the use of competitor trademarks in ad copy remains prohibited.

Anticipating challenges

It’s worth noting that the new policy may introduce some additional administrative work. You will need to file complaints against individual infringers rather than relying on a broader industry-wide approach. While this change may require more effort, it also presents the opportunity for you to protect your trademarks with precision. 

Adthena recommendation: you should proactively monitor your trademark usage within ad copy and address any infringements to ensure brand integrity and reputation.

Phased implementation and gradual phase-out

To ensure a smooth transition, Google Ads plans to gradually implement the new trademark policy. The migration period will occur over time as new trademark complaints are filed. For most advertisers, any trademark restrictions implemented before July 24, 2023 will be gradually phased out within the next 12-18 months. 

The good news about this phased approach is that it allows you to adapt your strategies and align with the policy, while minimizing disruptions to your ongoing campaigns.

How can you leverage Adthena’s search intelligence?

Our combination of advanced technology and team of experts can help you gain a clear view of your paid search landscape, optimize your advertising spend, increase ROI, and effectively protect your trademarks.  

  • Whole Market View provides insights into your competitors’ strategies, keyword performance, and market share, enabling you to craft winning campaigns. 
  • Auto Takedown feature is an innovative solution designed to protect your brand by automatically monitoring trademark violations on Google Ads. It detects unauthorized trademark infringements and generates reports sent directly to Google. This swift and streamlined process can save you up to 20 hours a month, giving you more freedom to focus on your strategy. 

Taking strategic action

To thrive in this new landscape, you should adopt a proactive approach. We recommend the following steps:

  1. Take legal action against infringers to safeguard brand trademarks.
  2. Utilize Adthena’s Smart Monitor to detect threats or opportunities in real time.
  3. Leverage Adthena’s Infringement Tracker to identify unauthorized trademark usage. One Adthena customer identified almost 90,000 infringements. Identifying and stopping those infringements resulted in a 75% reduction in CPC. 
  4. Utilize Auto Takedown from Adthena. This manual tedious process often results in incorrect information being submitted to Google often causing delays. Now that you have to submit for each individual infringer, why not let Adthena handle it for you in bulk. Saving you up to 20 hours each month. 
  5. Harness Adthena’s Local View to understand local search behavior and tailor campaigns for regional markets.
  6. Stay updated on industry trends and policy changes through trusted sources and experts.

Google Ads trademark changes means you must adapt your advertising strategies to maintain your competitive edge. By leveraging our search intelligence, you can protect your trademark, optimize your advertising spend, and drive ROI.

Want to learn more on how to navigate these changes successfully with strategic insights? Request a demo today.