How to use the new branded queries filter

The quick answer

You can now measure your branded vs. non-branded search traffic directly in Google Search Console. Follow these five steps to use the new filter:

1. Navigate to the Performance report in your Google Search Console property.
2. Click the "+ New" button above the graph to add a filter.
3. Select "Query" from the dropdown menu.
4. In the new dialog, choose the "Branded" or "Non-branded" option from the dropdown that appears.
5. Click "Apply" to see your performance metrics for that specific query type.

What is the Google Search Console branded queries filter?

Google is rolling out a new filter in Search Console that automatically separates your search queries into two categories: branded and non-branded. This lets you analyze your website's performance for users who are searching for you by name versus those who are discovering you through generic keyword searches.

Previously, this analysis required manual work using complex regular expressions (regex) or exporting data to a third-party tool. The new feature builds this capability directly into the Performance report, making it faster and more accurate.

Google automatically determines which search terms count as your brand. This includes your specific brand name, common variations, and misspellings. This is a gradual rollout, as detailed in the original article from searchengine land, so it may not be available in all accounts immediately.

Why separating branded and non-branded queries matters

Understanding the difference between these two traffic sources is critical for measuring your marketing effectiveness. Each type tells a different story about your audience.

Branded queries are searches that include your brand name. This traffic reflects brand awareness and loyalty. These users already know who you are and are often further down the sales funnel, showing higher intent to convert.

Non-branded queries are generic searches related to your products or services. This traffic represents your ability to attract a new audience that has not yet heard of your brand. Growth in non-branded search is a direct indicator of your SEO success.

How to use the branded queries filter in 4 steps

Follow this process to get clear insights on your brand's search performance. The filter allows you to see clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position for each query type.

Step 1: Access the Performance report

Log in to Google Search Console and select your website property. In the left-hand navigation menu, click on "Performance". This is where you find all data related to how your site performs in Google Search.

Step 2: Apply the branded vs. non-branded filter

At the top of the Performance report, click the "+ New" button and choose the "Query" filter. A popup will appear. Click the dropdown that says "Queries containing" and you will see new options for "Branded" and "Non-branded". Select one and click "Apply".

The report will now only show data for the query type you selected. You can also use the "Compare" tab within the filter to see branded and non-branded data side-by-side on the same chart.

Step 3: Analyze your branded query performance

With the "Branded" filter applied, analyze your metrics. You should expect to see a very high average position and a high CTR. Clicks on branded terms are a strong signal of brand health and recall.

Monitor your branded impressions over time. An upward trend suggests your marketing and PR efforts are successfully increasing brand awareness.

Step 4: Analyze your non-branded query performance

Now, switch the filter to "Non-branded". This data shows the true impact of your organic search marketing. Growth here means you are reaching new potential customers.

Look for the non-branded keywords driving the most impressions and clicks. This tells you which topics your audience is interested in and confirms your a strong SEO content strategy is working. A drop in this area can be an early warning sign that a competitor is gaining ground or that an algorithm update has impacted your rankings.

Go deeper with new Query Group Insights

Alongside the new filter, Google also launched a feature called Query Groups within Search Console Insights. This is an AI-powered tool that provides a more thematic view of your search performance.

What are Query Groups?

Query Groups automatically cluster thousands of similar search queries into topics. Instead of just seeing individual keywords, you see the performance of entire themes, such as "branded queries" or "website design costs".

This helps you understand user intent at a higher level. The report groups together near-duplicate queries and variations, giving you a cleaner view of what topics are driving traffic to your site.

How to use Query Groups for your content strategy

Query Groups are highly actionable. You can expand each group to see the representative queries, the pages earning clicks for that topic, and trend data.

Use this information to guide your SEO efforts:

• Identify Content Gaps: Find topics that get impressions but few clicks. This may indicate you need to create new, more relevant content for that theme.
• Prioritize High-Performers: See which topics are trending up and double down on them. Reinforce your high-performing pages with more internal links or updated content.
• Fix Keyword Cannibalization: If multiple pages are competing for the same Query Group, it could be a sign of cannibalization. Consolidate your content or clarify the focus of each page.

A simple framework for monthly brand reporting

The new branded queries filter makes it easy to add powerful insights to your monthly marketing reports. You can now clearly separate performance driven by brand recognition from performance driven by new audience discovery.

This distinction provides clear proof of ROI for both brand-building activities and specific SEO campaigns.

Your monthly brand vs. non-branded checklist

Use this checklist each month to track your brand's performance in search:

• Track Branded Volume: Is your total number of branded impressions and clicks trending up or down? This is a key metric for overall brand health.
• Track Non-Branded Reach: Is your non-branded impression and click volume growing? This validates the success of your SEO and content marketing.
• Identify Top Non-Branded Topics: Note the top 3-5 non-branded Query Groups driving traffic. Are these aligned with your business priorities?
• Monitor CTRs: Compare the CTR for branded vs. non-branded queries. Branded CTR should be significantly higher. A low non-branded CTR might signal that your page titles and meta descriptions need improvement.
• Spot New Branded Variations: Review the specific queries within your branded filter. Are customers searching for you in new ways? This can inform your marketing copy.