Let’s talk about one of the biggest mistakes I see inside e-commerce Google Ads accounts — agencies mixing branded and non-branded traffic together.

Branded vs. non-branded (know the difference)

• Branded traffic: People already know you. They search your name and click.

• Non-branded traffic: People search what you sell—not who you are.

You need both:

• Branded protects existing demand.

• Non-branded creates new demand.

Why mixing them is a problem?

Many agencies blend everything, show a pretty ROAS, and claim victory.
What’s really happening? You’re paying for people who would’ve found you anyway.
That inflates results and hides how well (or poorly) prospecting performs.

Here`s what to do instead:

1) Split campaigns properly

Keep branded separate from prospecting. It’s the only way to measure real growth.

2) Track with clean attribution

Avoid double-counting sales from other channels. Get conversions right from day one.

3) Prioritize prospecting efficiency

Branded is easy to win. Scale comes from new, cold audiences and high-intent queries.

Poor segmentation isn’t usually malice—it’s a process problem.
Either way, it costs brands thousands every month in wasted ad spend.

Want to see the real picture?
Get a free Google Ads audit. We’ll separate branded vs. prospecting, fix tracking, and reveal where growth actually comes from.