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In the cutthroat environment of New York City business, sometimes the best way to get a customer is to steal them right from your rival's doorstep. This strategy is known as "Competitor Conquesting" or "Brand Bidding." It involves bidding on the brand names of your direct competitors as keywords in your Google Ads campaigns. When a user searches for "Acme Corp NYC," your ad appears at the top, offering a compelling alternative.

This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy. It is perfectly legal (provided you follow trademark rules in ad copy), but it can be expensive and aggressive. It targets users who are already brand-aware and likely in the buying phase. Executing this tactic effectively requires nuance to avoid a bidding war and to ensure high quality scores. A skilled pay per click management agency in NYC can help you navigate the rules of engagement, turning your competitor's brand equity into your lead generation source.

The Trademark Rules: What You Can and Can't Do

Google’s policy regarding trademarks is specific. You can bid on a trademarked keyword (like a competitor's name). However, you generally cannot use that trademark in your ad text. You cannot write "Better than Acme Corp" in your headline if "Acme Corp" is trademarked.

This restriction forces you to be creative. You must write ad copy that speaks to the weaknesses of the competitor without naming them. If your competitor is known for being expensive, your headline might be "The Affordable Alternative for [Service]." If they are known for slow support, your ad might highlight "24/7 Instant Support." You are pivoting the user's intent from navigation (finding them) to consideration (comparing you).

Targeting Dissatisfied Customers

The best time to conquest is when a user is unhappy. Keywords like "cancel [Competitor Name]" or "[Competitor Name] reviews" or "[Competitor Name] login" are goldmines. A user searching for "cancel" is actively looking for a way out.

Showing an ad that says "Switch and Save 20% Today" to someone trying to cancel their current service is incredibly effective. It solves their problem immediately. Similarly, targeting "reviews" captures users who are doing due diligence and are likely looking for red flags. By appearing there with a 5-star rating and a "Compare Us" offer, you inject doubt into their decision-making process and offer a safer path.

The "High Cost" Warning

Conquesting is expensive. Your Quality Score for your competitor's name will always be low because your landing page is not about them. This means you will pay a higher Cost-Per-Click (CPC) than you would for your own keywords. In the expensive NYC market, this can drain a budget quickly if not monitored.

Therefore, this strategy should be reserved for competitors where you have a distinct, provable advantage. It works best when you have a better offer, a lower price, or a clearly superior product. You are paying a premium for the click, so your conversion rate needs to be high to justify the cost. It is not a vanity play; it is a math play.

Defending Your Own Brand

If you are attacking, expect to be attacked. If you start bidding on your competitor, they will likely notice and start bidding on you. This drives up the cost of your own brand keywords.

A comprehensive strategy includes "Brand Defense." You must bid on your own name to ensure you always hold the top spot. Even though you rank #1 organically, if a competitor buys an ad above you, they can syphon off up to 30% of your traffic. Allocating a portion of your budget to defend your own territory is essential insurance in a conquesting war. It ensures that when someone looks for you, they find you.

Conclusion

Competitor conquesting is not for the faint of heart, but in a saturated market like NYC, it is a powerful tool for growth. It puts your brand in the consideration set at the exact moment a customer is evaluating their options. With careful copywriting and strict budget management, you can leverage your competitor's marketing spend to fuel your own acquisition pipeline.

Call to Action Ready to capture market share from the competition? Let’s build a strategic conquesting campaign that wins.

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