Brand bidding cost calculator
How much does it cost you when competitors, affiliates or lead resellers advertise on your brand name? Put in your own numbers for a rough estimate of customers lost and extra ad spend each month.
The calculator
A rough estimate from your own inputs, not a measurement. The default numbers are only examples; replace them with yours.
Where to find your numbers
- Brand searches: Google Ads Keyword Planner (search volume for your brand terms), or Google Search Console (impressions on brand queries).
- How often others show: sample your brand searches from several cities and devices; Auction Insights in your brand campaign also shows competitors' overlap rate. The free check below gives one sample.
- How many click the other ad: hard to measure directly. A competitor ad that's clearly about them takes a small share; one that uses your name, or looks official, takes much more.
- Conversion rate and customer value: from your analytics or CRM.
- Extra CPC: compare your brand CPC before and after competitors appeared. See why brand CPCs go up.
Costs the calculator leaves out
- Affiliate commissions paid on brand traffic you'd have had anyway. See affiliates bidding on your brand.
- Lead fees when resellers capture your searchers and sell them back to you or your competitors.
- Support costs and lost trust when customers call the wrong number or buy from the wrong site.
To bring the number down, see how to stop competitors bidding on your brand.
Questions
How much does brand bidding cost me?
It depends on how often others show on your brand searches, how many searchers click them instead of you, your conversion rate and customer value, plus any increase in your own brand CPC. The calculator on this page gives a rough estimate.
How many people click a competitor's ad on my brand search?
Usually a small share, but it rises sharply when the ad uses your name or looks like your official site. Use your own data where you can.
Free check: see the ads on your brand right now
One live Google search for your brand from the US city and device you choose. Free, no account, about five seconds.