Google Ads Competitor Targeting: Conquest Campaign Guide

Competitor targeting in Google Ads—often called conquest advertising—is one of the most debated strategies in paid search. When done right, it can systematically capture customers actively searching for alternatives to your competitors. When done poorly, it burns budget on expensive clicks that never convert. The difference lies in understanding the legal boundaries, optimizing for the unique characteristics of competitor traffic, and measuring success with the right metrics.

This guide covers everything you need to build profitable conquest campaigns, from the legal considerations that protect your business to the landing page strategies that convert competitor-aware visitors into customers.

Understanding Competitor Targeting Legality

Before launching any conquest campaign, you need to understand the legal framework. The good news: bidding on competitor brand names as keywords is legal in virtually every major market. Google explicitly allows advertisers to bid on trademarked terms as keywords. The restriction comes in ad copy—you cannot use trademarked brand names in your headlines, descriptions, or display URLs without authorization from the trademark owner.

This distinction is crucial. If a user searches for "Salesforce CRM," you can bid on that keyword and show your ad. But your ad cannot say "Better than Salesforce" or "Salesforce Alternative" using the actual trademarked name. Instead, you'd use language like "CRM Alternative" or "Switch Your CRM Today."

Regional trademark policies

Google's trademark policy varies by region. In the United States, Canada, UK, and Ireland, trademark owners can restrict ad text usage but cannot prevent keyword bidding. In other regions like Australia and some European countries, policies may differ slightly. Always check Google's current trademark policy for your target markets before launching.

• US/Canada/UK: Keyword bidding allowed; ad text restrictions apply
• EU: Generally follows US model since 2010 court rulings
• Australia: Similar to US; keyword bidding permitted
• Some Asian markets: More restrictive; check local policies

If a competitor files a trademark complaint about your ad copy, Google will review and may disapprove ads containing the trademark. This doesn't affect your keyword bidding—only your ad text. Build your campaigns with compliant ad copy from the start to avoid disruptions.

Setting Up Competitor Targeting Campaigns

Effective competitor campaigns require dedicated structure separate from your other search campaigns. The economics and optimization strategies differ significantly from generic keyword campaigns, and mixing them creates reporting confusion and optimization challenges. Create a separate campaign specifically for competitor targeting.

Campaign structure for conquest advertising

Start by creating a dedicated campaign named clearly for competitor targeting. Within this campaign, organize ad groups by individual competitors or competitor categories. This structure allows you to set different bids, write tailored ad copy, and track performance by competitor.

• Campaign level: Competitor Conquest - Search
• Ad Group 1: [Competitor A] - brand terms and variations
• Ad Group 2: [Competitor B] - brand terms and variations
• Ad Group 3: [Competitor C] - brand terms and variations

For each competitor ad group, include their brand name, common misspellings, product names, and branded phrases like "[Competitor] pricing" or "[Competitor] reviews." Use phrase match and exact match to maintain control—broad match on competitor terms can waste budget on irrelevant queries quickly.

Keyword research for competitor campaigns

Use Auction Insights to identify which competitors are already bidding on your keywords—these are your primary targets. They're actively competing for your audience, making them relevant conquest targets. Additionally, research competitors mentioned in your sales team's competitive intelligence.

Keywords containing "alternative," "vs," "compared to," and "switch from" indicate users actively evaluating options. These typically convert better than pure brand searches because the user has already signaled openness to alternatives.

Ad Copy Strategies That Convert

Writing ad copy for competitor campaigns requires balancing legal compliance with compelling differentiation. You cannot mention competitor names, but you can clearly position yourself as the better alternative. The key is understanding what drives users to search for competitors and addressing those motivations directly.

Compliant messaging frameworks

Focus your messaging on three angles: differentiation, migration ease, and value proposition. Each headline and description should give searchers a reason to click while staying trademark-compliant.

• Differentiation: "The CRM Built for Modern Teams" "Finally, Software That Actually Works"
• Migration: "Switch in Under 24 Hours" "Free Data Migration Included"
• Value: "50% Less Than Enterprise Solutions" "No Per-User Fees Ever"

Responsive Search Ad structure

For Responsive Search Ads, create headlines that work in any combination while maintaining your competitive positioning. Include at least 3 headlines focused on switching benefits, 3 on differentiation, and 3 on offers or social proof.

Pin your strongest differentiation headline to position 1 to ensure it always shows. This guarantees users immediately see why you're worth considering over their original search target.

Landing Page Optimization for Conquest Traffic

Generic landing pages fail for competitor traffic. Users searching for a specific competitor have different needs than users searching for category terms. They already know what they want—they're evaluating whether your solution meets those same needs better. Your landing page optimization strategy must address this directly.

Dedicated conquest landing pages

Create landing pages specifically for competitor traffic that acknowledge the comparison context without naming competitors (for trademark compliance). These pages should immediately address why someone searching for alternatives would choose you.

• Above the fold: Clear value proposition as an alternative
• Comparison section: Feature comparison without naming competitors
• Migration content: How easy it is to switch
• Social proof: Testimonials from customers who switched
• Offer: Switching incentive or extended trial

Conversion elements for switchers

Conquest visitors need different conversion paths than cold traffic. They're further along in their decision process and often want to compare features, see pricing, or understand the switching process before committing. Provide multiple engagement options.

Include exit-intent offers specifically for conquest traffic. If someone is leaving without converting, offer a detailed comparison guide or extended trial. These users are valuable— they're already in-market and considering alternatives.

Budget Allocation and Bidding Strategy

Competitor campaigns require different budget expectations than your core search campaigns. CPCs will be higher because Quality Scores are naturally lower for competitor keywords—your ads and landing pages aren't directly relevant to branded search intent. Plan for this reality in your budget management.

Setting realistic budget expectations

Start conquest campaigns with 10-15% of your total search budget. This allocation lets you test viability without over-investing before you understand performance. Expect CPCs 2-5x higher than your average non-branded terms, and conversion rates typically 30-50% lower.

These numbers vary significantly by industry and competitor. Well-known competitors with strong brand loyalty will have lower conversion rates. Lesser-known competitors or those with poor reputations may convert better. Test and measure for your specific situation.

Bidding strategy selection

For new conquest campaigns, start with Manual CPC or Maximize Clicks to gather data. Once you have 30+ conversions, consider Target CPA or Target ROAS bidding. Be aware that automated bidding strategies may struggle with the lower conversion volumes typical of competitor campaigns.

• Launch phase: Manual CPC with aggressive bids to establish presence
• Learning phase: Maximize Clicks to gather conversion data
• Optimization phase: Target CPA once you have sufficient conversion history
• Scale phase: Target ROAS if volume supports automated optimization

Use bid adjustments strategically. Increase bids for high-value competitor terms (those with "alternative" or "pricing" modifiers) and decrease for pure brand terms that may have lower conversion intent.

Measuring Conquest Campaign ROI

Standard ROAS and CPA metrics don't tell the full story for conquest campaigns. These campaigns serve multiple purposes: direct acquisition, brand awareness, and competitive positioning. Measure each dimension to understand true ROI.

Primary performance metrics

Track these metrics at the campaign, ad group, and keyword level to understand which competitors and keyword types drive value:

• Direct conversions: Users who convert immediately from conquest clicks
• Assisted conversions: Conquest clicks that contribute to later conversions
• View-through conversions: Users who saw ads and converted later
• Impression share: Your visibility on competitor terms
• Search lost IS (budget): Opportunities missed due to budget

Attribution considerations

Conquest traffic often converts through longer paths than branded or generic search traffic. Users may click your ad, visit your site, then return later through another channel to convert. Use Google Ads' attribution reporting in attribution analysis to understand the full picture.

Compare customer lifetime value between conquest-acquired customers and other acquisition channels. Some businesses find conquest customers have higher LTV because they made an active choice to switch. Others find lower retention because these customers are more prone to switching in general.

Advanced Conquest Tactics

Once your basic conquest campaigns are running profitably, consider these advanced strategies to expand impact and efficiency.

Competitive intelligence integration

Use tools like those covered in our ad spy tools guide to monitor competitor messaging and positioning. When competitors change their value propositions or pricing, adjust your conquest messaging accordingly. If a competitor faces negative PR or product issues, this creates opportunities for increased conquest spending.

Remarketing for conquest abandoners

Create remarketing audiences specifically for users who clicked conquest ads but didn't convert. These users showed interest by clicking but need additional nurturing. Target them with display and video ads that reinforce your differentiation and switching benefits.

• Audience: Clicked conquest ad, visited landing page, no conversion
• Messaging: Extended trial offer, migration support emphasis
• Duration: 30-60 days based on typical sales cycle
• Frequency cap: 3-5 impressions per week

Seasonal and event-based conquest

Increase conquest budgets during competitor vulnerability periods: contract renewal seasons, price increases, product sunset announcements, or negative news cycles. Monitor competitor press releases and industry news to identify these opportunities. When competitors raise prices, your "switch and save" messaging becomes especially compelling.

Common Conquest Campaign Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors that undermine conquest campaign performance:

• Using competitor names in ad copy: Triggers trademark complaints and ad disapprovals
• Broad match on competitor terms: Wastes budget on irrelevant queries
• Generic landing pages: Fails to address switcher-specific needs
• Unrealistic CPA targets: Leads to underbidding and lost impression share
• Ignoring assisted conversions: Undervalues campaign contribution
• Targeting too many competitors: Spreads budget too thin to optimize effectively

Start with 3-5 priority competitors rather than every alternative in your market. This concentration allows you to gather meaningful data, optimize effectively, and understand which competitor audiences convert best before expanding.

Ethical Considerations and Best Practices

While competitor targeting is legal and widely practiced, maintain ethical standards that protect your brand reputation. Avoid misleading claims, false comparisons, or aggressive negative advertising. Focus on legitimate differentiation rather than competitor disparagement.

Ethical conquest guidelines

• Factual claims only: Every differentiation claim should be verifiable
• No false implications: Don't imply partnership or endorsement
• Respect user intent: Provide value to users comparing options
• Transparent landing pages: Clearly identify yourself as an alternative

Remember that users searching for competitors may become your customers—first impressions matter. If your conquest experience feels deceptive or aggressive, you've damaged potential customer relationships before they begin.

Building Your Conquest Strategy

Successful competitor targeting requires patience and continuous optimization. Start with a focused campaign targeting your most direct competitors, build dedicated landing pages, and measure with appropriate attribution. As you understand what works, expand to additional competitors and keyword types.

Benly can help streamline your competitive intelligence, identifying when competitors change their messaging and alerting you to conquest opportunities. Combined with the strategies in this guide, you'll be equipped to capture customers actively evaluating your competition.