Google Adwords Trademark Policy Changes

Google is now allowing advertisers to use trademark terms in their PPC ad text in the United States. Previously, advertisers were only allowed to bid on trademark keywords and not use them in their ad text. This made it very difficult for advertisers looking to sell a specific product and weren’t able to write the brand name of the product in the ad text.

Google has outlined the following guidelines describing the ways in which the trademark terms can now be used:

-Ads which use the term in a descriptive or generic way, and not in reference to the trademark owner or the goods or services corresponding to the trademark term.

-Ads which use the trademark in a nominative manner to refer to the trademark or its owner, specifically:

• Resale of the trademarked goods or services: The advertiser’s site must sell (or clearly facilitate the sale of) the goods or services corresponding to a trademark term. The landing page of the ad must clearly demonstrate that a user is able to purchase the goods or services corresponding to a trademark from the advertiser.

• Sale of components, replacement parts or compatible products corresponding to a trademark: The advertiser’s site must sell (or clearly facilitate the sale of) the components, replacement parts or compatible products relating to the goods or services of the trademark. The advertiser’s landing page must clearly demonstrate that a user is able to purchase the components, parts or compatible products corresponding to the trademark term from the advertiser.

• Informational sites: The primary purpose of the advertiser’s site must be to provide non-competitive and informative details about the goods or services corresponding to the trademark term. Additionally, the advertiser may not sell or facilitate the sale of the goods or services of a competitor of the trademark owner.

If you adjust your ads based on this new policy, the ads will not show until June 15th. For more information, visit Google Adwords Support.