Practical Sales Training™ > How To Get Attention > Keyword Hijacking
Keyword Hijacking
What Is It
Someone types a competitor’s brand name into Google. Your ad shows up anyway, right next to theirs.
So that’s Keyword Hijacking. A business pays to show its ad when someone searches for a rival’s brand name. Type BrandX CRM into Google. A competing CRM might bid on that exact phrase to appear above or alongside BrandX’s own listing. Instead, it’s competitive advertising built to capture traffic, visibility, and clicks from people actively looking for your rivals.
Why Does It Work
It works because branded searches show strong intent. Those people are already in the market, researching, and often close to buying. Your ad appears in that exact moment. So a stronger offer or a clearer message gives you a real chance to change their mind.
The searcher may not even notice it’s a different brand at first glance. So if your alternative is relevant and compelling, they might never go back to the brand they originally searched for.
How Can You Use It
Identify Your Competitors
Identify your top competitors first. Then bid on their brand terms in Google Ads or another PPC platform, since that’s where the intent already lives.
Position Yourself As The Alternative
Position your ad as a better, simpler, or more affordable alternative. Focus the message on what makes you different, since that’s the only reason a searcher would ever switch.
Stay On The Right Side Of The Law
Stay careful with the details. Bidding on a competitor’s name is legal. But using their trademarked name inside your own ad copy usually isn’t. So keep the wording focused on your own offer instead.
When It Works Best
This works best against a competitor with real gaps, like a higher price or a slower setup. So the searcher has an actual reason to switch once your ad catches their eye.
When It Becomes Dangerous
It becomes dangerous the moment your ad copy crosses into their trademarked terms. So a legal complaint can shut the whole campaign down overnight, and the goodwill you were chasing disappears with it.
Common Mistakes
Using Their Trademarked Name
Using the competitor’s exact brand name inside your ad text. So that’s the fastest way to turn an aggressive tactic into a legal problem.
Bidding With No Real Difference
Bidding on the keyword with no real point of difference to offer. If your product isn’t actually better or cheaper, the searcher just bounces straight back to the brand they wanted.
Not Tracking The Conversions
Forgetting to track whether the clicks convert. Keyword hijacking can burn budget fast, so watch the numbers closely rather than assuming the traffic alone means it’s working.
Keyword Hijacking – An Example
SamCart Bidding On ThriveCart
People searching for ThriveCart sometimes see an ad for SamCart instead, a direct competitor. The ad even reads the truth about ThriveCart. That single phrase plants a seed of doubt before the searcher’s even landed on either site.
That single line does a lot of work. It doesn’t attack ThriveCart outright. But it invites the searcher to pause and question the choice they were already about to make.
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