Branded vs. Non-Branded Traffic: Measuring the Difference in Google Search Console

One thing I always like to highlight with websites and Google Search Console is that sometimes, the data you see can be slightly misleading. 

When we’re looking in Google Search Console, it’s all the keyword data your site ranks for, whether branded or non-branded.

From most websites I’ve seen, branded clicks are almost always the primary driver of traffic to the website. 

Definitions and Differences

Branded traffic is any visitor source that includes your exact brand name in the query.

Think of it as a sign you’re already on their radar.

Non-branded traffic, on the other hand, comes from broader terms with no reference to your name.

This signals potential new interest.

Knowing which is which is critical so you can shape your strategies for both retention and discovery.

How Branded vs. Non-Branded Clicks Can Be Misleading in Google Search Console

So when you’re looking in Google Search Console, depending if you’re a well-known brand or even if you’re not and haven’t invested in SEO yet, I’ve seen that brands are probably, in some cases, getting like 95% of their traffic specifically from branded traffic. 

This isn’t an issue, but it can be misleading, mainly if you use keyword clicks to measure SEO performance.

You may be misled by the number of branded clicks on the website if you report total clicks.

If I’m a well-known brand hosting conferences and events, and my company name is well-known, this can affect your total click volume. Again, that’s not bad, but when you’re reporting specifically SEO, it can be misleading when you’re going by clicks.

Whereas if you look at non-branded clicks as well, if you can separate them – branded versus non-branded – you can at least put aside outside factors that can influence how your SEO is performing. 

With non-branded, it’s easier to measure if you capture new visitors with your content. So, as I said, it can be very misleading if you are, and even in some cases with a homepage, that will be the primary driver of traffic. 

Separating Branded vs Non-Branded Clicks in Google Search Console

So, if you’re in Google Search Console, you’ll want to add your brand name as a query filter. 

Make sure to set the filter to “queries not containing.”

You can see in this case that your clicks will drop by quite a bit. It will be primarily branded traffic. 

So, it will be much lower when I put that filter in to remove those queries. 

Example of a Website With High Branded Clicks and Low Non-Branded Clicks

So, using the example below, total clicks are 4.57K, and non-branded clicks are just 55. 

You can see how that can be misleading when you are reporting on SEO, and if you want to show off wins and show what you’ve been able to accomplish, the thing that you do want to focus on is non-branded traffic.

But even if you focus on branded traffic, which isn’t an issue anyway, and honestly speaking from experience, branded traffic typically has the most conversion potential. 

You do want to meet users from where they’re searching for your brand, whether that’s a pricing page, questions they have about your brand, or, honestly, just researching your brand itself. 

But speaking from a specific SEO perspective, it can be misleading because outside factors can influence brand awareness, and it’s not a direct measurement of your SEO performance. 

So when it comes to tracking with SEO, really non-branded is going to be the metric that shows the value of your work.

Additional Ways to Measure Branded vs Non-Branded Traffic Outside of Google Search Console

Don’t stop at Google Search Console. Jump into GA4 or tools like SEMrush for deeper segmentation.

GA4 lets you categorize traffic by specific events or pages, so you can see how new users arrive.

You can also use regular expressions (regex) to precisely filter out brand names, ensuring your data is airtight.

This will help you decide whether your non-branded segment is expanding over time.

Why You Should Balance Both Non-Branded and Branded Traffic

Balance your two traffic streams.

Heavy branded traffic is reassuring—it means your marketing or offline presence is strong.

But you also want non-branded escalations to find fresh customers.

Growing non-branded clicks usually requires dedicated content on terms that don’t involve your brand.

That might include how-to posts, comparative pieces, or specialized long-tail queries.

By blending both, you’ll capture out on high intent branded searches while capturing new audiences not familiar with your brand yet.

Wrapping Up

Non-branded clicks often reveal more about your SEO health than you think.

That’s where the real battle for new attention is won.

Keep branded traffic in perspective—it’s usually high-intent.

But if you’re serious about growth, watch that non-branded line.

Differentiate carefully, refine your content, and keep your pipeline full of fresh leads.

That’s when your SEO strategy starts driving real results.