Google’s latest ad safety update may have made headlines, but it hasn’t solved the real problem.
With buzzwords like “transparency,” “cleaner search ads,” and “policy enforcement,” the May 2025 update sounded like a promise. But while the PR narrative got sharper, brand bidding abuse only got more precise.
It’s time to stop mistaking policy changes for actual protection.
When Brand Equity Gets Hijacked
You’ve built your brand with care — through years of campaigns, influencer tie-ups, loyalty programs, and crores spent in media to earn customer trust.
But when someone types your name into Google?
You’re not the first result.
An “affiliate” is.
They’ve bid on your own brand keyword. They’ve cloned your ad copy. They’re siphoning traffic meant for you — and worse, charging you commission for it.
This isn’t performance marketing. It’s affiliate abuse in plain sight.
According to mFilterIt, over 38% of brand traffic in affiliate networks is exposed to keyword bidding, impersonation, and last-click hijacking — often masked as legitimate support.
These actors aren’t helping you grow.
They’re exploiting your brand equity — and eating away at the organic demand you’ve already earned.
Here’s What the Data Shows
In a recent case with a major online travel portal, mFilterIt uncovered the scale of the problem:
- 64% of brand keyword hours across cities showed white spaces
- ₹1.77 million was saved in just 20 days by identifying and reclaiming these gaps.
- CPC dropped by 52.47%, and cost per conversion fell by 46.15%
- Meanwhile, organic bookings jumped 86.1%
All because of one trigger:
mFilterIt’s brand keyword and white space detection system caught what no platform tool flagged.
Why Google’s Policy Isn’t Enough
Google’s update focuses on impersonation — but brand bidding doesn’t need a disguise.
It works in the gray areas:
- Tweaked match types
- Vague copy
- Legal but misleading tactics
By the time a violation is caught, the damage is already done.
You can’t rely on platform policing after the fact.
You need real-time Affiliate monitoring that sees what Google doesn’t.
mFilterIt Fills the Gap Google Leaves
Here’s what we do (and what platforms can’t):
- Detect brand bidding violations in real-time
- Identify unauthorized affiliates hijacking your brand traffic Map white space
- opportunities city-by-city, hour-by-hour
- Plug CPC leaks before they burn through budgets
Don’t Just Trust the Platform. Protect Your Brand.
Google may promise clean ads, but visibility still needs verification.
Before assuming your campaigns are safe, ask yourself:
Are you measuring true presence or just platform delivery?
Curious how brand bidding could be bleeding your paid search?
Explore mFilterIt’s Ad Fraud Solution
