Branded vs. Non-Branded PPC: What’s Worth the Spend for Home Service Businesses?

If you're running Google Ads for your home service business, you're probably wondering: should I bid on my own name?

That’s the heart of the branded vs. non-branded PPC debate. Branded ads (targeting your company name) often feel redundant. After all, you already rank organically, right?

In this post, we’ll break down the difference, when to run each type, and how to make them work together.

What Are Branded vs. Non-Branded Ads?

Branded PPC: You bid on keywords that include your business name.

Examples: "Superior Heating & Cooling", "John’s Plumbing Atlanta"

Non-Branded PPC: You bid on keywords related to the service, not your brand.

Examples: "furnace repair near me", "licensed electrician Roswell"

Why Branded Ads Still Matter

Even if you rank #1 organically, branded ads help you:

• Own more real estate on the search page (ads + organic)
• Block competitors from stealing clicks by bidding on your name
• Control the message (special offers, reviews, service areas)
• Drive better conversion rates from high-intent searchers

These are often your cheapest, highest-quality leads.

When to Run Branded Search Ads

• You have strong brand awareness or word-of-mouth referrals
• You’re running offline ads (yard signs, TV, radio, vans)
• Competitors are bidding on your name
• You want to promote special offers or new services

Pro tip: Use ad extensions to highlight your reviews, phone number, and service area directly in the search results.

When Not to Prioritize Branded Campaigns

• You’re just launching and nobody knows your business name yet
• Your entire budget is <$500/month and you need quick demand capture
• You’re in a market with low competition and high organic dominance

In these cases, it’s better to invest in non-branded campaigns first and circle back to branded later.

Non-Branded Ads: The Volume Engine

Non-branded campaigns target people who don’t know you yet — they just need a service.

These keywords:

• Drive more volume
• Are more expensive per click
• Require better targeting, copy, and landing pages

Goal: Get in front of customers at the exact moment they need you, even if they’ve never heard of your brand.

How to Use Both Together

The smartest strategy isn’t branded or non-branded. It’s both.

Here's why:

• Branded ads defend your turf and convert bottom-of-funnel leads
• Non-branded ads grow awareness and bring in new traffic

Run branded campaigns at a small budget to control your name. Use non-branded to scale.

Conclusion

Branded PPC is like putting a fence around your front yard. Non-branded is like knocking on doors down the street.

You need both to grow.

Start by protecting your name, then build campaigns that bring in people searching for your services. Track the ROI of each and adjust budgets as your strategy evolves.