Google Ads adds ‘Branded Searches’ as new conversion metric

Google's latest conversion metric lets advertisers track the brand buzz their ads generate across Search and YouTube.Google's latest conversion metric lets advertisers track the brand buzz their ads generate across Search and YouTube.Google is rolling out a new way to measure upper-funnel impact. Branded Searches — a conversion type first teased at Google Marketing Live 2025 – is now live. Why it matters. Advertisers can now quantify how many users searched for their brand on Google or YouTube after seeing an ad – a powerful signal of brand lift previously hard to capture. How it works. Branded Searches track users who, within 30 days of viewing your ad (view-through window), searched for your brand on: Google Search YouTube Search Campaign types supported: YouTube Performance Max (YouTube, Discover, Gmail) Demand Gen (YouTube, Discover Feed, Gmail) What to know: Attribution: 30-day view-through Optimization: Not currently available, but Google suggests it could be added in the future Brand Mapping: Must be properly configured for accurate tracking Google’s help page — Measuring branded searches — outlines benefits, eligibility, and how to set it up. First seen. This update was spotted on PPC News Feed, who credited Web Marketing Consultant Dario Zannoni for sharing it on LinkedIn. Bottom line. This metric offers a new lens to assess brand influence from upper-funnel activity – a long-awaited bridge between awareness and action.

Google is rolling out a new way to measure upper-funnel impact. Branded Searches — a conversion type first teased at Google Marketing Live 2025 – is now live.

Why it matters. Advertisers can now quantify how many users searched for their brand on Google or YouTube after seeing an ad – a powerful signal of brand lift previously hard to capture.

How it works. Branded Searches track users who, within 30 days of viewing your ad (view-through window), searched for your brand on:

• Google Search
• YouTube Search

Campaign types supported:

• YouTube
• Performance Max (YouTube, Discover, Gmail)
• Demand Gen (YouTube, Discover Feed, Gmail)

What to know:

• Attribution: 30-day view-through
• Optimization: Not currently available, but Google suggests it could be added in the future
• Brand Mapping: Must be properly configured for accurate tracking

Google’s help page — Measuring branded searches — outlines benefits, eligibility, and how to set it up.

First seen. This update was spotted on PPC News Feed, who credited Web Marketing Consultant Dario Zannoni for sharing it on LinkedIn.

Bottom line. This metric offers a new lens to assess brand influence from upper-funnel activity – a long-awaited bridge between awareness and action.

Google's latest conversion metric lets advertisers track the brand buzz their ads generate across Search and YouTube.