What Is Branded Search?
Branded search is search traffic from queries that name your company, a misspelling of it, or a product or service unique to it; non-branded search is everything else.
Google's announcement of the branded queries filter gives the example of a query containing “Google”, the misspelling “Gogle”, or the product “Gmail” (Introducing the branded queries filter). Google's help adds that a branded query can include your “brand name, domain, or a brand-specific product or service”, while non-branded queries “don't include your brand name” and “are often more general” (Common tasks and use cases).
Why it matters for communications teams: Google describes branded traffic as coming from “users already familiar with your site”, and non-branded traffic as an indication of “new audience growth”. Branded search is one of the few first-party signals of whether more people are looking for a company by name, which is what media coverage, podcasts and campaigns hope to cause. It is not proof that a specific placement caused the change; our data report on whether coverage changes how customers search for a brand looks at that question, and how to measure whether placement worked covers attribution more broadly.
How to Track Branded Search at a Glance
| Step | Action | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open the Performance report (Search results) for a top-level property | Clicks and impressions for the whole site |
| 2 | Add a Query filter set to Branded, then Non-branded | Metrics limited to each group |
| 3 | Check the “Branded and non-branded traffic” card in the Insights report | A quick split of total clicks |
| 4 | Add a Custom (regex) query filter with your brand's spellings | Your own, auditable brand segment |
| 5 | Compare date ranges at weekly or monthly granularity | Trends without weekday noise |
| 6 | Calculate branded share of clicks | One percentage to track over time |
| 7 | Record monthly figures and mark campaign dates | A time series you can set against coverage |
Time: about 30 minutes to set up, 10 minutes a month after that (our estimate). Tools: Google Search Console and a spreadsheet. Cost: none. Skill level: beginner; the regex step is intermediate.
What You Need Before Starting
- A verified Search Console property at the top level of your site, ideally a Domain property. If you do not have one, see how to verify your site in Google Search Console.
- Enough search impressions for Google to offer the filter; Google does not publish the threshold.
- A list of your brand's names: company name, common misspellings, former names, product names, and (if you want a separate segment) executives' names.
- Dates of coverage, launches and campaigns you want to compare against.
Step 1: Open the Performance Report for a Top-Level Property
Open Search Console, choose the property that covers the whole site, and open the Performance report for Search results. Google says the report's default view shows “click and impression data for your site in Google Search results for the past three months” (Performance report overview).
Why the property matters: the branded filter “isn't available for sub-properties (for example, https://example.com/blog/)” (Common tasks), and the announcement adds that it is not available for subdomain properties such as developers.google.com. A Domain property such as example.com qualifies.
Expected result: the chart shows total clicks and impressions for the whole site. How to verify: the property name in the selector has no path after the domain. Common mistake: working in an old URL-prefix property for one section, which will never show the filter.
Step 2: Apply the Branded Query Filter
Add the filter. Google's instructions: “Click the filter bar and select the Query filter. Choose either Branded or Non-branded from the filter options to view your data” (Common tasks). Apply Branded first, note the totals, then switch to Non-branded.
What you get: the announcement says that, once applied, you see “metrics—such as impressions, clicks, average position, and CTR—limited specifically to the selected group”, across web, image, video and news search types. Open the Queries tab with the filter on to see which queries Google counted.
Expected result: two sets of totals. Google says branded queries “typically lead to higher-ranking pages from your site and result in higher click-through rates”, so expect a higher CTR in the Branded view. How to verify: scan the Branded query list for queries that are not about you, and the Non-branded list for ones that are. Common mistake: assuming the classification is exact. Google says “Some queries might be incorrectly identified as branded or non-branded” (Dimensions and data groupings).
Step 3: Read the Branded and Non-Branded Card in Insights
Open the Insights report and find the card Google labels “Branded and non-branded traffic”. Google describes it as showing “Traffic from users who specifically searched for your brand” versus traffic from general searches (Insights report help).
Use it for: a fast monthly read for people who will not open the Performance report. The Insights report is based on Google web search results only, so it will not match a Performance report view that includes image or news search. Google notes the card may not appear for all eligible sites “until it's fully launched”.
Classification from Google's help and announcement pages, not a measurement; read October 10, 2026
Sources: Google Search Console Help, Insights report; Google Search Central Blog, Introducing the branded queries filter in Search Console.
Bars encode inclusion. Google says the Insights report is based on Web Search results and shows image, video, news and Discover traffic separately. The Branded filter in the Performance report can be applied to web, image, video and news, so set that report to Web before comparing the two.
Expected result: a split of total clicks. How to verify: the figures are close to the Branded and Non-branded click totals in the Performance report for the same dates and the Web search type. Common mistake: reporting the card's numbers and the Performance report's numbers side by side as if they were the same scope.
Step 4: Build a Regex Filter as a Cross-Check
Create your own brand segment with a regular expression, so you have a definition you control and can explain. Google suggested exactly this use in 2021: “Segment users that already know your brand” with a regex listing “multiple variants of your company name, including misspellings” (Search Console regex filters update).
Process (Advanced filtering and comparison): click “+ Add filter”, choose Queries, choose “Custom (regex)”, enter the expression, keep “Matches regex” (or choose “Doesn't match regex” for the opposite) and click Apply. Search Console uses RE2 syntax; matching is partial and not case-sensitive by default, and Google says to separate multiple values with a vertical bar and surround the whole expression with parentheses.
(acme|acmee|acmi|acme ?corp|acmewidget|acme\.com)This matches any query containing “acme”, two misspellings, “acme corp” with or without a space, a product name and the domain. Because matching is partial, a short or common brand word will also match unrelated queries; anchor it or add context words if so.
Expected result: a regex-defined branded total to set beside Google's. How to verify: open the Queries tab with the regex applied and read the top 50 rows. Common mistake: a brand name that is also a common word. A regex for “summit” will count every query about mountains; use full phrases such as summit (bank|banking) instead.
Step 5: Compare Periods at Weekly or Monthly Granularity
Compare the current period with an earlier one, with the Branded filter still on. Open the date filter, choose Compare, pick the two ranges and click Apply; the table then shows a Difference column (Advanced filtering and comparison).
Use weekly or monthly views. Since December 2025 the chart has a granularity dropdown with Daily, Weekly and Monthly options (Search Central blog, December 10, 2025). Google's help suggests considering Weekly or Monthly when comparing two date ranges, because aggregating by week or month neutralizes the “day-of-the-week” effect (Advanced filtering and comparison). Weeks run Sunday to Saturday and all dates are in Pacific Time (Dimensions).
Expected result: a branded trend line and a period-over-period change. How to verify: the comparison chip shows both ranges. Common mistake: comparing a period that includes a seasonal peak with one that does not. Compare year over year where history allows.
Step 6: Calculate Your Branded Share of Clicks
Divide branded clicks by the sum of branded and non-branded clicks for the same period and search type. Track the share as well as the raw number, because total traffic changes for many reasons.
Accuracy note: Google says anonymized queries are “omitted from the table, but are included in the chart totals unless a query filter is applied”, and that “match” and “does not match” totals “may not add up to the unfiltered total” (Troubleshooting data discrepancies). Its beginners' guide says that for this reason you “can only approximate” branded share, and gives the calculation as queries containing a value divided by the sum of queries containing and not containing it (How are you performing on Google?).
Expected result: one percentage per month. How to verify: branded plus non-branded clicks should be close to, but may be lower than, the unfiltered total. Common mistake: dividing branded clicks by the unfiltered total, which mixes figures with and without anonymized queries.
Step 7: Record Monthly Figures and Mark Campaign Dates
Export or copy branded clicks, impressions, CTR and share each month into a sheet with a column for coverage, launches and campaigns. The Performance report holds a limited history, so a sheet keeps the series beyond it.
Options: the export button downloads chart and table data, with “~” or “-” values exported as zeros (About the data). For the fullest list of individual queries, Google points to bulk data exports, because the interface “stores and shows only the most important data rows” (Dimensions). Google's help also refers to Search Console annotations for adding context to charts, useful for marking the date a major article ran.
Expected result: a monthly table you can read against your activity. How to verify: each month's figures match the report when re-run for that month. Common mistake: crediting one article with a branded rise that coincides with a product launch, a seasonal peak or paid campaigns. Record all of them. To see which visits came from the articles themselves, use UTM-tagged links in GA4.
How Far Back the Branded Filter Goes
Google's pages give different dates, and we quote each as written rather than choose between them:
- Search Console Help, Dimensions and data groupings: “The filter provides a 16-month history of data, starting from when it was first introduced in March 2025” (Dimensions).
- Search Console Help, Common tasks and use cases: “This filter provides data starting from when it was first introduced on March 11, 2025” (Common tasks).
- Search Central blog: the post introducing the filter is dated Thursday, November 20, 2025, said it would roll out “gradually over the coming weeks”, and carries an “Update on March 11, 2026: The branded queries filter is now available to all eligible sites” (announcement).
Google does not explain the difference between the help pages' 2025 data start and the blog's November 2025 announcement. Before you compare years, set the date range to the maximum and check the earliest date for which the Branded view returns data in your property. If it is too short, use your regex segment (Step 4) for older periods, which works on all retained data.
How to Verify It Worked
- Filter applied: the filter bar shows the Branded or Non-branded query filter, and the chart totals change.
- Plausible queries: the Queries tab under Branded is dominated by your names and products.
- Totals reconcile: Branded plus Non-branded clicks are close to the unfiltered total; a small shortfall is expected.
- Regex agrees: your regex segment and Google's Branded view move in the same direction month to month, even if levels differ.
- Insights matches: the Insights card is close to the Performance report for Web search over the same dates.
How to Choose a Method
| Situation | Recommended method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Top-level property with enough traffic | Branded query filter | Catches misspellings, other languages and product names automatically |
| A quick monthly number for executives | Insights card | Ready-made split of clicks, no filters to set |
| You need a definition you can document and audit | Custom (regex) filter | You control exactly which terms count |
| Filter not offered (sub-property or low impressions) | Custom (regex) filter | Works on any property |
| History before the branded filter's data begins | Custom (regex) filter | Applies to all retained data |
| Tracking executives' names separately | A second regex segment | Google does not document whether people's names count as branded |
| Full query-level analysis or long history | Bulk data export plus your own brand list | The interface shows only the most important rows |
Common Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Branded option in the Query filter | Sub-property, subdomain property, or too few impressions | Use a top-level or Domain property; otherwise use a regex filter |
| Generic queries labelled Branded | AI-assisted classification errors, which Google acknowledges | Cross-check with regex; report trends rather than single queries |
| Regex returns unrelated queries | Partial matching on a short or common word | Use full phrases or anchors such as ^acme |
| Regex returns nothing | Syntax error, or an expression stricter than intended (for example an unwanted space or anchor) | Test one term at a time, then combine them with | |
| Branded + non-branded is less than total | Anonymized queries omitted when a query filter is applied | Expected; calculate share from the two filtered totals |
| Numbers differ from Google Analytics | Privacy filtering, Pacific Time dates, 2–3 day lag, JavaScript-only tracking in analytics | Google documents these differences; compare trends, not exact counts |
| Insights card missing | Gradual rollout or low impressions | Use the Performance report filter |
What Not to Do
- Do not report single-query movements as brand trends. Consequence: noise and misclassification read as signal. Correction: report monthly totals and shares.
- Do not compare daily charts across periods. Consequence: weekday mismatches distort the comparison. Correction: use Weekly or Monthly granularity, as Google's help suggests.
- Do not treat a branded rise as proof a placement worked. Consequence: credit goes to the wrong activity. Correction: log every launch, campaign and seasonal event alongside coverage.
- Do not change your regex without noting it. Consequence: a break in the series looks like a change in demand. Correction: version the expression in your sheet.
- Do not expect the filter to change rankings. Google says it “has no effect on how Google Search ranking works”; it is a reporting view.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a branded query in Google Search Console?
Google counts queries that include your brand name, variations or misspellings of it, your domain, and products or services unique to your brand, in any language. Everything else is non-branded.
Why can't I see the branded filter in Search Console?
Google says the filter is not available for sub-properties such as example.com/blog/, for subdomain properties, or for sites with a low number of impressions. Use a top-level or Domain property, or build a regex filter instead.
Can I change which queries Google treats as branded?
Google's documentation does not describe a way to edit the classification, which it says is made by an internal, AI-assisted system. For a definition you control, use a Custom (regex) query filter alongside it.
How far back does branded query data go?
Google's help pages say the filter provides a 16-month history of data starting from when it was introduced in March 2025 (one page gives March 11, 2025). The Search Central blog announced the filter on November 20, 2025 and said on March 11, 2026 that it is now available to all eligible sites. Check the earliest date the filter returns data in your own property.
Does the branded filter affect my Google rankings?
No. Google says the classification is for information only and has no effect on how Google Search ranking works.
Why don't branded and non-branded clicks add up to my total clicks?
When a query filter is applied, Search Console leaves out anonymized queries, which are rare queries hidden for privacy. Google says filtered totals may therefore not add up to the unfiltered total.
Can I track searches for my CEO's name?
Yes, with a regex query filter listing the name and its spellings. Google's documentation does not say whether people's names are counted as branded by its own filter, so keep executives in a separate segment.
Does Bing Webmaster Tools have a branded filter?
Bing's Search Performance help describes clicks and impressions per keyword and per page but does not document a branded and non-branded split. You can review Bing keyword data manually for your brand terms.
Is branded search the same as brand awareness?
No. Google presents the filter as a way to measure brand recognition, but it only counts searches on Google that showed your site. People who know your brand may type your URL, use other search engines or ask an AI assistant instead.
Sources and Methodology
This guide is built from Google Search Console Help, the Google Search Central blog and Bing Webmaster Tools help, read on October 8, 2026. Google's help and blog give different start dates for the branded filter's data; we report both rather than choose. We did not have access to a property with the filter for this guide, so we have not checked the labels on screen; menu names are quoted only where Google's help gives them. The regex example and time estimates are ours.
- official Google Search Central Blog, Introducing the branded queries filter in Search Console, November 20, 2025 (updated March 11, 2026). Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Performance report (Search results): Common tasks and use cases. Branded filter instructions and availability. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Performance report (Search results): Dimensions and data groupings. Anonymized queries, truncation, branded data history, dates. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Performance report (Search results): Advanced filtering and comparison. Regex filter, comparisons. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Performance report (Search results): Troubleshooting data discrepancies. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Performance report (Search results): About the data. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Performance report (Search results): Overview and basic setup. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, How are you performing on Google?. Branded share approximation. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Console Help, Insights report. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Daniel Waisberg, Google Search Central Blog, Search Console regex filters update and quick tips, June 2, 2021. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Central Blog, Introducing weekly and monthly views in Search Console, December 10, 2025. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Bing Webmaster Tools Help, Search Performance. Read October 8, 2026.