In the competitive world of digital advertising, few tactics generate as much conversation as conquesting through Google Ads. Conquesting involves bidding on a competitor’s branded keywords to capture their potential customers. When done strategically, it can be highly effective, but it also comes with substantial risks that require careful consideration. At Zozimus, all of our clients consistently exceed their performance goals because we utilize careful planning, data science, our proprietary Zozimus Predict platform, and collaborate closely with our client partners. This is why we’re confident enough to offer a Performance Guarantee. Below, we explore the pros and cons of conquesting, how it works, and why a strategic, data-driven approach is key.
The Pros of Conquesting with Search Ads
- Capturing Bottom-Funnel Customers
One of the significant advantages of conquesting is that it targets users who are already at the bottom of the funnel. These potential customers are ready to make a purchase—they’ve done their research, identified a brand, and are now close to making a decision. By presenting a compelling competing offer at the point of action, you can capitalize on your competitor’s funnel work and potentially convert their customers. - Leveraging Competitor Brand Awareness
For smaller or newer brands, conquesting provides an opportunity to piggyback on the brand awareness that established competitors have spent years building. If your product is genuinely superior (or perceived to be so), you can present it as a better alternative right when a user is ready to buy. This tactic is particularly effective when the challenger brand offers clear, unique advantages that stand out against the competition. - Use Cases Where Conquesting Makes Sense
There are specific scenarios where conquesting shines. For instance, a disruptive startup entering a mature market can use conquesting to break into the conversation by bidding on competitor terms. Another example is when your product has unique features that directly address pain points that the competitor’s offering does not. In such cases, presenting a differentiated message at a critical moment in the purchase journey can lead to meaningful gains.
The Mechanics: How Conquesting Works in Google Ads
Conquesting relies on a live auction system where ad positioning is determined by a combination of bid amount and Quality Score. Quality Score is influenced by factors like ad relevance and expected click-through rates, and it significantly impacts how efficiently your ads can compete. When bidding on a competitor’s branded terms, you’re often at a disadvantage because your ad will likely have a lower Quality Score due to its lower relevance. This means you might need to bid 3-10X more than the competitor to secure a comparable position.
The Cons of Conquesting: Why It Can Be Costly
- Quality Score Disadvantage
One of the biggest challenges in conquesting is the inherent Quality Score asymmetry. Google prioritizes ads that closely align with what users are searching for. When you bid on a competitor’s branded term, your ad naturally appears less relevant because it’s not directly related to the user’s intended brand search. The competitor’s ad, landing page, and brand alignment are likely to result in a Quality Score of 8-10, while your ad might struggle to reach a score of 1-3. This gap drives up your costs and makes it harder to compete effectively. - Increased Costs
With a lower Quality Score, the cost-per-click (CPC) for conquesting ads tends to be significantly higher. In many cases, the inflated costs don’t justify the return on investment, especially if your competitor is an entrenched brand with strong loyalty. This is why conquesting is often seen as a high-risk, high-reward strategy that only makes sense in specific contexts. - Limited Data and Algorithm Challenges
For automated bidding strategies to perform optimally, they need a robust data set. If your campaign lacks enough conversions—typically under 20-30 per month—the system may struggle to optimize efficiently. This can result in inconsistent ad performance, further driving up costs as the algorithm learns what works. Without substantial data, conquesting campaigns can feel like more of a gamble.
The Role of Branded Search: Protecting Your Brand and Beyond
While conquesting can be an effective tactic in certain situations, protecting your brand against competitors using similar strategies is equally important. That’s where branded search comes into play. At Zozimus, branded search is not just a defensive maneuver—it’s a core component of a holistic paid search strategy.
- Blocking Competitors
By consistently bidding on your branded keywords, you maintain a strong presence at the top of search results, effectively blocking competitors from poaching your traffic. Competitors looking to target your brand will face the same Quality Score disadvantage discussed earlier, making it much more expensive for them to outrank you. By securing this space, you prevent competitors from siphoning off your customers at a critical moment in their buying journey. - Reinforcing Brand Loyalty and Trust
Branded search also serves as a way to reinforce your brand message. When users search specifically for your brand, showing up consistently in the top spot not only ensures that they find you quickly but also reinforces the perception that you’re the go-to choice in your category. It’s a subtle but effective way to build trust and keep your brand top-of-mind. - Complementing Other Strategies
Branded search isn’t our primary focus at Zozimus, but it’s an important tactic alongside others in our comprehensive strategy. While conquesting is about capitalizing on competitor brand equity, branded search is about protecting your own. We leverage branded search to ensure your competitors can’t easily chip away at the audience you’ve worked hard to build. - Efficient Spend Management
Given that branded keywords typically come with lower CPCs and higher Quality Scores, they offer an efficient way to manage ad spend. You’re paying less to achieve a higher position, making branded search one of the most cost-effective tactics in the paid search toolkit.
The Zozimus Approach: Finding the Right Balance
At Zozimus, we believe in using the right tactics for the right goals. Conquesting is just one tool in our extensive arsenal, and while it can be effective, it’s not always the best move. If your campaign is already exceeding goals—and all of ours do—adding conquesting could introduce unnecessary complexity and cost. We focus on maximizing ROI for every client, and in many cases, a more holistic approach yields better results. We incorporate tactics like branded search alongside our broader strategy to protect against competitors targeting our clients’ branded terms. By maintaining a dominant presence on your own brand keywords, you can block out competitors and preserve your market share.
Is Conquesting Right for You?
Conquesting with search ads can be a powerful tool when executed correctly, but it’s not for everyone. It requires a keen understanding of your competitive landscape, a clear value proposition, and a superior product offering. At Zozimus, we evaluate each client’s goals and competitive environment to determine whether conquesting is the right approach. If the risks and costs outweigh the potential rewards, we focus on strategies that deliver a better return on investment. Our data-driven methodology, combined with our Zozimus Predict platform, ensures that every campaign is optimized for success.
Whether you’re considering conquesting or looking to enhance your current search efforts, the key is to stay strategic, agile, and data-driven—qualities that define the Zozimus approach to digital marketing.
BOSTON, MARS
