Definition
Branded search refers to search campaigns targeting your brand terms. It often shows very high ROAS but can overlap with organic demand.
How to use it
- Branded search is often closer to demand capture than demand creation.
- Validate incrementality before scaling aggressively (organic cannibalization risk).
Measured as
Measure Branded Search with a fixed attribution window, conversion event, and spend basis before comparing campaigns or creative tests.
Operator takeaway
- Branded search is often closer to demand capture than demand creation.
- Validate incrementality before scaling aggressively (organic cannibalization risk).
- Use Branded Search only inside a stable attribution rule, conversion definition, and time window so campaign comparisons stay honest.
- If performance changes, check whether the metric moved for a real business reason or because the measurement setup changed underneath you.
Next decision
- Read Attribution vs incrementality: what to trust, when, and how to test if the decision depends on interpretation, policy, or trade-offs beyond the raw formula.
- Decide which report owns Branded Search before comparing campaigns, channels, or creative tests.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Guides
- Attribution vs incrementality: what to trust, when, and how to test: A practical guide to attribution vs incrementality: common attribution models, window pitfalls, how MER/marginal ROAS fit in, and how to run holdout/geo tests.
- UTM + GA4 attribution: practical tracking for paid ads (without lying to yourself): A practical guide to UTMs and GA4: consistent source/medium/campaign tagging, conversion deduplication, and common attribution traps.