Google Search Console recently launched a branded vs. Non-branded traffic report, letting agencies spot high-value searches more easily than ever. This new feature helps split search results that mention your brand from those driven by broad keywords and topics.
As a result, we can now see which types of searches fuel the most visits and engagement for our clients’ sites each month. You can filter performance data fast, so you can draw clear insights between people who seek out your business direct versus shoppers looking for fixes or goods you offer in broad markets.
Our findings show that branded query traffic often converts up to 2x higher than unbranded visits across several client lists, signaling big chances with even small shifts in focus. As you dig deeper into key metrics like click-through rate and conversion ratios, you can see wins more clearly so your message stays on target where you need it most at each customer touchpoint.
To get started with these features in Google Search Console, you first need to open the updated Performance Report in your account dashboard today.
Accessing the Performance Report
Getting started with Google Search Console’s Performance Report is a clear process, but there are some steps you cannot miss. The right access ensures you get real, useful insights on branded and non-branded traffic.
- Navigate to the main dashboard: Access your Google Search Console property and look for the sidebar. The Performance section is usually near the top on the left. Once you click it, you get a dashboard full of key data, like total clicks, impressions, average CTR, and ranking positions.
- Select the ‘Search Results’ view in the report: The main Performance dashboard may include several tabs, so make sure you’re on the ‘Search Results’ section. This tab shows how your site performs in Google Search only, not other areas like Discover or News. When you view search results, you can use branded and non-branded filters only in this part of the report.
- Make use of the Branded/Non-Branded toggle introduced in 2025: Google Search Console now gives you a built-in toggle to split branded from non-branded queries within the Performance Report. This toggle first showed up in November 2025 and has been noted by industry leaders as a big win for clear data. With quick access to these views, you do less manual filtering, so you get a fast, more true view of your real SEO work.
Applying the Branded Queries Filter
Applying the branded queries filter in Google Search Console helps you split all site performance data by brand-related search terms fast. This easy step gives you clean, solid metrics with no manual setup or risk of missing key variants.
- Eliminates Manual Work: Before the filter’s debut, you had to type regex patterns by hand or export data for outside analysis. The filter now does this for you, handling brand misspellings and short names without missing key queries.
- Delivers Accurate Segmentation: The filter’s ML logic covers your core brand, most variants, and common product-related searches based on Google’s updated knowledge base. As Search Engine Land reported, you get fewer case-sensitivity issues and you can track real user intent more well.
- Influences Only Reporting, Not Rankings: It’s key to note that when you apply the branded queries filter, it doesn’t change where your pages show in search results or affect organic rankings. There’s no impact on your site’s visibility, just a more clear view of branded versus non-branded traffic metrics.
Analyzing Branded Query Performance
Now that the branded queries filter is on, it’s much easier to focus on how your brand shows up in search results. The new split tools in Google Search Console let you dig into branded query results and see what’s clearly working.
- Trend Comparison Over Time: Tracking branded query performance over months helps you see how your brand awareness shifts with marketing efforts or seasonality. The branded queries filter gives you quick access to impressions, clicks, and CTR data tied right to your brand variations in just a few clicks.
- Misspellings and Variations Recognition: Google’s own system flags not only your exact brand name, but also common misspellings and product names that tie back to you. This helps make sure your reports cover branded search volume you may have missed, and the numbers are full and you can trust them.
- Automated Insights Without Manual Filtering: Before the update, agencies used long keyword lists or regex filters to split out branded traffic, and you had to keep them up to date. Native segmentation in the Insights card instantly shows you how many visits come from brand familiarity versus totally new users each month.
Evaluating Non-Branded Query Performance
Evaluating non-branded query performance will tell us about demand, competition, and visibility without direct brand influence. This data helps you find organic keyword chances and spot trends that guide your content and SEO plan.
- Keyword Demand: Tracking non-branded queries gives you a clear look at how you search for products or services without using brand names. This lets you see shifts in overall search interest no matter the company’s name or ad campaigns.
- Organic Competitiveness: Watching for jumps or drops in non-branded queries helps you spot SEO risks or wins in the search market. A steady rise can show better keyword ranks and visibility for key terms that bring in new customers.
- Clear Trend Lines: Splitting branded from non-branded queries lets you see more true long-term patterns in organic search and audience behavior. These lines help you predict growth and flag areas that need more work for steady success.
Comparing Click-Through Rates
Comparing click-through rates helps you see how well your brand name drives action versus how well your generic reach pulls in new searchers. It’s key to look at these side by side to spot where your plan works or needs help.
- Branded Query Click-Through Rates: Users searching branded terms already know your brand, and you can expect them to be more set on what they do. Studies often show that branded keywords can hit click-through rates as high as 50% or more, showing high user trust and intent.
- Non-Branded Query Click-Through Rates: Non-branded queries often have lower click-through rates, often ranging between 2% and 10% based on industry trends. These clicks show your site’s reach to users who are in the research or discovery phase before any choice has been made.
- Comparing Outcomes for Strategy: When you see a big gap between branded and non-branded CTR, it shows that your brand work drives more clicks. You can close this gap with steady content marketing and outreach to build know-how and lead to stronger CTRs across both groups.
Assessing Conversion Rates
Click-through rates only show part of the story and can’t show if traffic turns into real value for clients. It’s time to check how branded and non-branded segments affect real conversion rates with the new Search Console filter.
- Attribution Clarity: The branded vs. non-branded filter helps show which teams drive conversion. If branded conversions are higher, this often shows strong work from brand marketing or PR campaigns.
- Conversion Value by Query Type: Studies in Search Engine Roundtable show branded queries can bring up to 2–3x higher conversion rates than non-branded ones. You can use non-branded conversions to see the impact of your SEO work, not just brand recall.
- Optimizing Channel Spend: You can set your ad budget with more care when you know if conversions come from branded or non-branded traffic. The data helps you cut wasted spend on channels with low conversion rates and go big on those that drive clear returns.
Implementing Data-Driven Strategies
Agencies must adapt their digital marketing based on insights from branded and non-branded search traffic. With the right data-led plan, you can fine-tune campaign focus and get better results using the branded vs. non-branded traffic report.
- Segment Search Traffic: Splitting branded and non-branded queries lets you track SEO’s effect, brand reach, and PR performance on their own. With separate segments, you can see that nearly 80% of organic clicks may often come from branded queries after press features.
- Build Custom Dimensions in Google Data Studio: Making dimensions with REGEX or CASE statements lets you spot which queries have your brand name in search terms. With this setup, you can track clicks, impressions, and rankings in detail for both branded and non-branded groups in one dashboard.
- Measure True SEO Impact: By looking at only non-branded queries, you can spot the real lift from SEO tweaks, not gains from PR or social buzz. This method helps you make choices for content plan, budget shifts, and a better ROI with clear credit.
Leveraging Google Search Console’s new branded versus non-branded traffic report gives your agency a stronger grip on campaign impact. When you see how users find client sites, you can spot key trends in organic reach.
When you split this data, you can spot brand growth and content gaps side by side. This report makes it easy to link SEO work to results, showing where branded search pulls weight and where generic queries bring in new leads.
When you track both traffic types, you get early signs of name shifts, so you can act fast with real data. As a result, reports like this make it easier to justify SEO investments to clients. They also help you pinpoint which pages or topics need more direct focus or new keyword plans.
In addition, efficient reporting saves time and keeps your campaign planning on track. In turn, data-backed insights help you fine-tune client pitches and quarterly reviews. Choosing Google Search Console keeps your reporting unified and easy to use.
Ultimately, every agency will benefit from using this report consistently in regular performance reviews.