SEO and analytics
How to Separate Branded and Non-Branded Queries in Google Search Console
List your brand name and relevant spelling variants, then compare queries that include selected terms with those that do not, using the same dates and report settings. Treat the result as an estimate: Google omits some queries when query data is filtered.
To separate branded and non-branded queries in Google Search Console, decide which names and spelling variants count as branded, then compare clicks and impressions for queries that include those terms with queries that do not. Use the same dates and report settings for both views. The result shows how the visible data is divided; it is not a complete count, because Google omits some queries when query data is filtered.
What the split tells you
A branded query includes a company name, product name or another term you have defined as part of your brand. A non-branded query does not include the selected name. This is a way to group query rows in a report, not to establish a searcher’s intent: someone searching for a company by name may be looking for support, an address or a particular product.
The split answers a specific reporting question: how do visible clicks and impressions divide between queries that mention your brand and other queries? It does not show how many enquiries or sales followed, or why the figures changed. Google Search Console reports impressions, clicks, average position and queries associated with search appearances. These measures describe performance in Google Search; they do not prove a business outcome or identify the cause of a change. Google explains the Search Console performance measures.
Define your brand terms first
Write down your rule before comparing figures. Start with the official company or product name, then add only variants that people may genuinely use when searching for your brand.
- Main name: the official name of the business or product.
- Spelling variants: established abbreviations, transliterations or joined and separated spellings.
- Ambiguous terms: words that could refer to other businesses, products or subjects. Check the query rows before including them.
For example, your report note might say: “Branded queries include the company name and these two verified spelling variants.” Apply the same rule in your next review. Otherwise, a difference may reflect a change in your definition rather than a change in search activity.
If your business has several distinct product brands, review each one separately first. A single combined figure could hide different changes across those products.
Filter queries in Google Search Console
- Open the Performance report for Search results. Check that you have selected the right property. Choose the search type you want to review; Web is a useful starting point for a general assessment of Google Search results.
- Set the dates. Choose the period you want to review. For a comparison, use periods of the same length and account for seasonality. A seasonal business, for example, may compare the same calendar month in different years. The report’s date filter includes a comparison option. Google’s guide explains the report and date comparisons.
- Open the Queries tab. Add a filter for queries containing your main brand name. Review the rows to check that they fit your definition.
- Check important spelling variants separately. Apply a filter for each variant and review the rows. Do not add the results of separate filters together: a query may match more than one variant.
- Review queries without the main name. Apply a filter that excludes that name, then check whether other known brand variants remain in the table. If they do, do not describe this result as a complete non-branded segment.
Control labels vary with the language of the interface. Check the query rows as well as the totals: the rows show which terms the filter has included. If the brand has several variants, a filter for the main name gives a useful split for that name only. Separate checks for other variants can help with diagnosis, but their results cannot simply be added to make a total. Google lets you explore queries and apply filters; some query data is not shown. Google documents this limitation.
Compare the groups on equal terms
Use the same property, search type, dates and other report settings for both views. Compare clicks with clicks and impressions with impressions. Review average position separately as a report measure, not as a business outcome.
| Measure | What it helps you see | What it cannot establish on its own |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks | How visible clicks are divided between the selected query groups | How many clicks led to enquiries or sales, or why the number changed |
| Impressions | How often pages appeared for visible queries in each group | How many enquiries or sales followed |
| Change between periods | How the reported measures differ under the selected filters and dates | Whether SEO work caused the difference |
If your rule creates two distinct groups with no overlap, you can calculate the branded share of visible clicks: divide branded clicks by the total of branded and non-branded clicks, then multiply by 100%. Label this as a share of the visible data under the selected filters. If the groups overlap, or known variants remain in the group without the main name, the calculation does not represent the full share of branded queries.
Keep the dates, search type, property, brand terms and filter settings with your figures. Use the same conditions in your next review so you can identify what has changed.
Why filtered figures are not a complete count
Google omits some anonymised queries when query data is filtered. The visible branded and non-branded figures may therefore not add up to the overall report total. Google says that this split provides only an approximation. See Google’s guidance on this limitation.
A query missing from the table is not proof that nobody searched for it. Use the report to compare available data consistently, not to claim a complete measure of demand for your brand.
Describe changes without claiming a cause
If clicks for visible branded queries increase, you can report that the figure rose for the selected filter and period. Those data alone do not show that SEO increased brand awareness: Search Console does not identify the cause of the change.
If non-branded impressions increase, check the Queries and Pages tabs to see which visible terms and pages are associated with the change. This can help you decide what to investigate next. Hidden queries will not appear in the table, so it is not a complete picture of search demand.
To assess enquiries or sales, review your web analytics and enquiry records separately. Search Console helps describe visibility and clicks in Google Search; it does not replace the measurement of business outcomes.
Checklist for your next review
- Write down your definition of a branded query before comparing figures.
- Include relevant name variants and check ambiguous terms against the query rows.
- Use the same dates, search type, property and report settings for both views.
- Compare the same measure in each group: clicks with clicks and impressions with impressions.
- Do not add overlapping filter results as if they were separate groups.
- Label figures as estimates based on visible query data, not as a complete count of search demand.
- Describe changes without claiming that the report proves their cause or a resulting business outcome.
A branded and non-branded split can help you review Google Search Console data when you keep the definition and report settings consistent. For a broader guide to measuring SEO, read How to measure SEO results: metrics and reporting. To learn how we support search visibility, visit our SEO service.
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