Intro
Find branded searches that include action-oriented or research modifiers such as pricing, support, login, and reviews.
Use this regex to isolate branded queries with clear modifiers so you can understand what existing brand demand is actually trying to do.
The Regex
How This Regex Works (Explained Simply)
()
Parentheses group terms together so GSC treats them as one unit. That is what lets one regex cover several query variants in a single filter.
|
The pipe means OR. GSC will match any term on either side of the pipe, which is useful for variants, modifiers, or alternative phrases.
.*
Dot-star means any characters can appear here. In GSC it is commonly used when you want to allow extra words before or after a core phrase.
^
The caret anchors the regex to the start of the query. Use it when you want to match terms only if they appear first in GSC.
?
The question mark usually makes the previous character or group optional. That is handy when a query modifier appears inconsistently.
+
The plus sign means one or more of the previous token. It helps when a term can repeat but still needs to be present at least once.
\s
Backslash-s matches a whitespace character. It is useful when spacing can vary between query formats.
\b
Backslash-b marks a word boundary. It helps stop short terms from matching inside longer words in GSC queries.
GSC regex is case-insensitive by default, so capital letters do not need separate variants. GSC also uses partial matching by default, so the regex can match part of a longer query unless you anchor it with ^ or $.
What This Regex Does
- Matches branded searches only when they include a modifier after the brand.
- Separates intent-rich branded demand from generic brand searches.
- Helps teams analyse what users want once they already know the brand.
What it does not match
- spicy metrics - This is a pure brand query with no trailing modifier.
- seo dashboard pricing - Contains pricing intent, but it is not branded.
Edge Cases
- This pattern expects the modifier after the brand. Queries where the modifier comes first will need a different variation.
- If you need exact two-word brand-plus-modifier matching, add a trailing $ anchor.
Example Matches Table
| Query | Match | Why |
|---|---|---|
| spicy metrics pricing | Match | Starts with the brand and follows with a pricing modifier. |
| spicymetrics login | Match | Starts with the joined brand and includes a login modifier. |
| spicemetrics reviews | Match | Uses the misspelt brand variant plus a review modifier. |
| spicy metrics | No | This is a pure brand query with no trailing modifier. |
| seo dashboard pricing | No | Contains pricing intent, but it is not branded. |
How to Use This in Google Search Console
- Open Performance and go to Search results.
- Click Add filter and choose Query.
- Select Custom (regex).
- Paste the regex and click Apply.
When to Use This
- Split generic brand demand from action-oriented branded demand.
- See which modifier themes are strongest around your brand.
- Identify branded intents that deserve dedicated landing pages.
Pro Tips
- Compare pricing, login, and support modifiers separately if one workflow matters more than the others.
- Use an anchored brand at the start to stop mid-query brand mentions from polluting the segment.
- Export the matched queries and cluster them into modifier themes before reporting.
Variations
Add comparison intent
Broadens the modifier list so the segment also captures comparison-led branded demand.
Focus on core account actions
Useful when you only care about the most operational branded modifiers.
Related Regex Recipes
Regex for Brand Queries
Use this regex to isolate branded demand in GSC when users search for your brand with or without spaces.
Regex for Brand + Pricing Queries
Use this regex to isolate branded pricing demand in GSC when users already know the brand and want commercial information.
Regex for Brand + Login Queries
Use this regex to isolate branded account-access intent and keep it separate from support or pricing demand.
CTA
Building query segments manually in GSC works for one-off checks, but it breaks down across multiple sites and stakeholders. Spicy Metrics keeps those segments organised and easy to monitor.
Scale segmentation in Spicy Metrics