# Branded vs non-branded keywords: how to split them in Search Console

> Why every SEO report should separate branded and non-branded search, the regex to do it in Google Search Console, and the edge cases that make the split wrong.

Source: https://anotherseoguru.com/en/resources/branded-vs-non-branded-keywords

**Branded keywords contain your company or product name; non-branded keywords do not.** The split matters because the two behave differently: branded search measures demand you created elsewhere (ads, word of mouth, sales), while non-branded search measures what SEO actually wins. In Google Search Console you separate them with a query filter set to **Custom (regex)**, using a pattern of your brand names and their common misspellings.

## Why the split changes your conclusions

- **Brand clicks hide SEO problems.** A TV campaign can lift branded clicks while non-branded clicks fall, and the total looks fine.
- **Brand CTR distorts benchmarks.** Branded queries click at rates no CTR curve predicts, so they make every average look better than it is.
- **Brand is not what you sell in a report.** Clients and managers want to know what SEO earned. Non-branded growth is that number.

## The regex filter in Search Console

1. **Open the filter** Performance → Search results → Add filter → Query.
2. **Choose Custom (regex)** Pick **Matches regex** to see branded queries, or **Doesn't match regex** to see non-branded ones.
3. **Paste the pattern** Use one of the patterns below, adapted to your names.
4. **Check the result** Open the Queries tab and scan the first hundred rows for anything misclassified. Adjust the pattern before you trust the totals.

```regex
(?i)acme\s?books|acmebook|acme\s?bokks|akme\s?books
```

```regex
(?i)\b(acme|acme\s?books|ledgerly|invoice\s?pilot)\b
```

```regex
(?i)(ακμε|ακμή|akme|acme)
```

> **Note:** Search Console uses RE2 regex syntax, which does not support lookaheads or lookbehinds. `(?i)` makes a pattern case-insensitive. Keep patterns short and test them on the Queries tab.

## Finding the misspellings you forgot

Filter Queries with **Matches regex** and only the first three or four letters of your name, for example `(?i)acm|akm`. Sort by impressions. The variants people actually type will be near the top, and the ones you did not expect are usually the most useful to add.

## Edge cases that make the split wrong

| Case | Problem | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Your brand is a common word | “Notion” or “Apple” also match generic searches | Match the brand with a category word, such as `notion\s?templates?` |
| Brand plus category | “acme invoicing software” is branded but shows category demand | Count it as branded, and track it separately if it grows |
| Competitor brands | “acme alternative” or “vs” queries are non-branded for you but high intent | Keep them non-branded and report them as a commercial group |
| Product names | Product names may not contain the company name | Add each product name to the pattern |
| Founder names | People search the founder's name with the company | Decide once and keep it consistent across reports |

## Using the split in reporting

Report non-branded clicks and impressions as the headline SEO metric, with branded shown alongside for context. A month where branded rises and non-branded falls is a month where SEO needs attention, whatever the total says. The [SEO report template](https://anotherseoguru.com/en/resources/seo-report-template) puts both on the first page.

In AnotherSEOGuru App, brand and non-brand are quick filters on every query table, and the opportunity engine leaves brand queries out of striking-distance estimates automatically. The free [opportunity finder](https://anotherseoguru.com/en/resources/search-console-opportunity-finder) asks for your brand names for the same reason.

**What are branded keywords?**

Search queries that include your company, product or service brand name, including misspellings. People searching them already know you.

**What are non-branded keywords?**

Queries that describe a problem, product category or topic without naming you. They measure how well you compete for people who do not know you yet.

**What share of traffic should be non-branded?**

There is no universal healthy ratio; it depends on how well known the brand is and how much it advertises. Track the trend of non-branded clicks over time rather than the share.

**Is the regex filter case-sensitive?**

Start the pattern with (?i) to make it case-insensitive. Search Console stores most queries in lower case, but the flag avoids surprises.