Published on April 19th, 2020 | by Christopher Porteus

How To Protect Your Online Brand

Every business owner knows that the internet is an essential part of modern commercial success; companies that try to earn a profit without the assistance of a website, social media presence, and other digital tools will generally find themselves having a hard go of things. It’s nevertheless more obvious than ever before that many brands have no idea how to behave online, especially since so many keep trying to reach out to consumers but only end up embarrassing themselves or causing controversy.

Protecting your online brand begins with being authentic and can only be accomplished if you avoid pairing yourself to uncontrollable and risky influencers.

Try to be funny – but know your limits

There are many things that brands can do on the internet to ensure customers end up coming back to give you more business. Being funny on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter has become increasingly popular in recent years because going viral can lead to a surge in transactions. Nevertheless, it’s important to know your limits when trying to be funny on social media, as some boring brands have tried too hard to connect with digital users and earned a consumer backlash for their misguided efforts.

Using humor to humanize a corporate Twitter account is an established practice now that Wendy’s has accrued millions of followers by hilariously interacting with its fan-followers. That doesn’t mean it can be easily done by just anyone; try to make a joke, and you may end up insulting somebody. Brands that try to be funny on social media platforms should know that it’s full of promise but also inherently risky. In other words, have dedicated social media specialists ready to put out any fires which may be ignited by your misguided marketing efforts.

There are other important steps which must be taken to protect your online brand. Companies that fail to invest in legal expertise and trademark attorneys will find their valuable marketing content being copied by others, for instance. As others have pointed out, the ability to control your brand in an era of social media connectivity is questionable. Users and competitors alike can freely rip off your content and you may not even know about it. For example, protecting popular hashtags which are unique to your company is a bit of advice that many entrepreneurs wish they received earlier.

Hire the right people

Protecting your online brand necessitates hiring the right people. This is true regardless of whether you’re hiring a trademark attorney or a social media content specialist who will ensure you go viral for good reasons instead of embarrassing ones. Ensure that they have a strong grasp on your company’s mission and the professional skills needed to defuse online encounters that can quickly spiral out of control.

Above all else, know that a company’s owner can embarrass or endanger their business by posting foolish things online. In other words, protecting your online brand often begins by protecting yourself and being wise and responsible online, even when you think you’re on a personal account. Keep that in mind, and your business and its digital brand will be in a better position in no time.

Tags: branding, trademakrs

About the Author

Christopher Porteus Chris Porteous is a veteran in the tech space, founding Framestr and writing about his experiences scaling startups. When he's not working, he's writing about the latest tech products and providing insights on how to utilize technology to improve your life.