Guide to Brand Monitoring & Tools You Can Use | 2023
It’s time to talk about something super important: brand monitoring.
But first…let’s tell a story.
Picture this: You’re the captain of a ship sailing through rough and unpredictable waters.
The winds are strong, the waves are high, and you can’t see what’s coming next.
Suddenly, you hear a loud crash and feel the ship shake beneath your feet.
You quickly realize that you’ve hit an unexpected reef – one that could cause serious damage to your vessel.
Just like navigating a ship through unpredictable waters, monitoring your brand online can feel like a daunting task.
The internet is vast, ever-changing, and full of potential threats.
Without the right tools and strategies, your brand could hit an unexpected reef – one that could cause serious damage to your reputation and bottom line.
Not only will monitoring help you stay on top of what people are saying about your brand, but it can also help you stay ahead of the competition.
So, don’t worry – we’re here to help you navigate the wild west of the internet.
In this post, we’ll break down what brand monitoring is, what you should be monitoring, and which tools you can use to make your life easier.
What Is Online Brand Monitoring?
Online brand monitoring is the act of tracking and analyzing what people are saying about your brand on the internet.
The importance of brand monitoring lies in its ability to help you stay on top of your online reputation, address negative comments or reviews, and improve your customer experience.
It also allows you to keep an eye on the competition, find potential brand ambassadors or influencers, and identify trends and topics for targeted marketing campaigns.
What Should You Monitor?
When it comes to brand monitoring, there are several things that you should be keeping an eye on.
These include
- shout-outs,
- mentions of your brand and products,
- influencers and creator partnerships,
- critical keywords,
- industry conversation,
- inbound links, etc.
First Up, Shout-Outs!
If someone takes the time to give your brand a shout-out on social media or in a blog post, it’s important to take notice.
These shout-outs can help spread the word about your brand and reach new audiences.
By monitoring them, you can engage with the people who are sharing your brand and thank them for their support.
Next, Mentions of Your Brand and Products
This one is pretty self-explanatory – it’s important to know when people are talking about your brand and products online.
By monitoring these mentions, you can get a better idea of how people perceive your brand and address any negative comments or reviews.
You can also engage with people who are sharing positive feedback and encourage them to become brand ambassadors.
Influencers and Creator Partnerships
These are other important things to monitor.
If you’re working with influencers or other creators to promote your brand, it’s important to keep tabs on what they’re saying and how their followers are responding.
By monitoring these partnerships, you can ensure that they’re aligned with your brand values and that the content they’re creating resonates with your target audience.
Critical Keywords and Industry Conversation
By monitoring critical keywords related to your industry or brand, you can identify trends and topics that your target audience is interested in.
This information can then be used to create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with YOUR audience or community.
Similarly, monitoring industry conversations can help you stay on top of emerging trends and new developments in your field.
Last But Not Least, Inbound Links
Inbound links are links from other websites that lead to your website.
By monitoring these links, you can get a better idea of which websites are referring traffic to your site and how people are finding you online.
This information can be used to inform your SEO strategy and identify areas where you may want to focus your outreach efforts.
Brand Monitoring Tools
Here are just a few of the main tools you can use to get started.
Try which one you think will help you more before committing:
- Hootsuite
- Google Alerts
- SEMRush
- Ahref
- Mentionlytics
- BuzzSumo
- Social Mention
- TweetDeck
- Keyhole
- Brandwatch
To Wrap It Up!
We’ve covered the ins and outs of online brand monitoring, from shout-outs to inbound links and everything in between.
Now that you know what to keep an eye on and what brand monitoring tools to use, you can take control of your online reputation and make the most of your marketing efforts.
Remember, online brand monitoring is all about staying ahead of the game and being proactive when it comes to your brand.
By monitoring what people are saying about you and your competitors, you can identify trends, stay on top of emerging developments, and engage with your audience in a meaningful way.
