Google Ads Brand Guidelines: Simplifying Advertising and Reducing Fraud
Inputting your company’s brand name and logo for each campaign in a Google Ads account has never made sense to me. There are a few reasons that advertisers have traditionally done this, but fraud is at the top of the list.
Starting in March, advertisers will no longer have the option to change brand details at the campaign level… and I’m here for it.
In this blog, we’ll run through how this change will benefit advertisers by simplifying processes and reducing fraud.
Brand Guidelines Will Simplify Your Life
Instead of implementing a business name and logo for each individual campaign, Google Ads will now streamline the process by applying your one unified name and logo to the account. While some testing (Brand Name vs. Brand Name™) will be lost, this will save the majority of people time, allowing you to focus on other more important tasks.
One Brand in an Account Will Cut Fraud
In my opinion, the biggest benefit of this change is its potential to reduce fraud. When you can change a brand name for different ads within a campaign or across different campaigns in an account, it opens the door for advertisers to spin up different names within that one account.
Google is pushing for more verification across the platform, and with this new system, each brand added will need its own account and verification.
This additional layer of friction should help prevent the use of fake brands.
You May Soon Need a Manager Account (MCC)
Many advertisers may find themselves needing new accounts set up. For example, you could previously create a “Brand Name Country” within one account.
Now, in order to achieve the same level of specificity, separate accounts will be required. SMBs with multiple brands may also no longer be able to advertise out of a single account, which is actually a best practice anyway.
Overall, I think these changes will be beneficial to users as fraud and deception will drop.
Have concerns about this change or need a strategy for your brand moving forward? Reach out for a free PPC Audit.
Meet the Author
Greg Finn
Greg is the Head of Performance and Innovation for Cypress North's digital marketing team and one of the founders of our agency. In 2010, he and Matt Mombrea started Cypress North in Buffalo. Greg oversaw the opening of our second office in 2022, located in his hometown of Rochester.
As Head of Performance and Innovation, Greg co-manages our digital marketing department and works closely with our team to ensure all our clients achieve the best possible results. He is always looking for ways to test new digital marketing techniques and technology, and oversees all teaching and training efforts to ensure our agency stays ahead of the curve.
Greg is also a co-host of our weekly Marketing O'Clock podcast, where he and the team provide updates, insights, and hot takes on the latest SEO, PPC, and social media marketing news. In addition to weekly news shows, Greg hosts our Marketing O'Torial digital marketing tutorials and often co-hosts bonus Marketing O'Talk episodes that bring together panels of digital marketing experts.
With nearly two decades of experience, Greg is a known and trusted voice in the digital marketing community. He’s a contributor for Search Engine Land, a member of the Search Marketing Expo (SMX) programming team, and has been a featured speaker at some of the largest search engine conferences, including SMX, eSummit, and Pubcon.
When he’s not working or staying updated on the latest trends, Greg enjoys watching his kids play sports and coaching their soccer team. He’s been named the runner-up “Greg of the Year” on Marketing O’Clock’s annual Clockscars Awards four years in a row. While the coveted award has evaded him for many years, Keanu Reeves has not. Greg once saw him at Gabriel's Gate tavern in Buffalo (and noted he was very tall.)
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