Brand Protection SEO: The Ultimate Guide
Protect your brand from online scammers! In our Brand Protection guide, you will find several ways to not only take care of and improve your brand’s reputation online but also to maximize ROI, with SEO and PPC (Pay-per-click) strategies.
In the digital age, a brand’s value is defined not only by what it offers but also by its reputation. In fact, with the world being so competitive, it makes sense to not only strengthen the user experience but to invest in protecting your brand. Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about SEO Brand Protection and our experts’ advice on how to create an effective strategy to help protect your brand online.
What is Brand Protection?
Why is Brand Protection SEO important?
What Risks Is Your Brand Exposed to on the Internet?
How to Assess Your Brand's Vulnerability
How to create an effective Brand Protection strategy?
Additional Things to Consider in your Brand Protection Strategy
Industries that Need Brand Protection in Search Engines
FAQs about Brand Protection SEO & PPC
What is Brand Protection?
In simple words, Brand Protection means directing efforts toward safeguarding the identity, reputation, and visibility of your brand in search engines. Whether by applying SEO techniques or doing Brand Protection PPC, this practice requires precise strategies that help your brand to be correctly positioned in the SERP, taking into account not only the search intentions of your potential clients or users but also as many search result categories as possible.
In this sense, paid SEO Brand Protection strategies aim to prevent competitors, potential scammers, or affiliate websites from using your brand to exploit or leverage it. If they do, they will be able to obtain traffic thanks to their positioning, leaving your brand relegated in the search engine results.
Brand Protection therefore becomes a force field that prevents your users or leads from finding your product or service quickly and safely. It also provides an important boost to the visibility and value of your brand in the market by positioning it at the top of search engine results.
A brand loses around 236 thousand clicks thanks to its competitors.
Why is Brand Protection SEO important?
Did you know that, on average, a brand loses around 236 thousand clicks thanks to its competitors? Well, these were the results obtained by Adthena, after analyzing the text ads of more than 450 companies located in the United States of America, the European Union, and Australia, considering both brand and generic search terms.
Based on this information, it must be acknowledged that Brand Protection PPC and organic Brand Protection techniques are vital for online businesses for multiple reasons. In particular, because it is a highly competitive market. The different spaces that the Internet offers can contribute to generating confusion among consumers thanks to improper or even prohibited use of a brand name.
This does not only translate into losing a potential customer but also into losses that can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars per month. In addition, the brand can be affected in terms of credibility and reliability, as well as its ability to generate sales. Therefore, a good Brand Protection strategy increases the probability that consumers perceive your brand with higher levels of trust, translating into higher conversion rates and taking a greater advantage in the market.
In essence, launching a brand’s online presence or strengthening it through Brand Protection SEO or PPC is both a defensive and proactive strategy that will have a significant impact on its success and longevity.
What Risks Is Your Brand Exposed to on the Internet?
As we have mentioned before, the high competition of online businesses has made Brand Protection a necessity. Nowadays, some practices have emerged that are considered malicious for the image of your brand, putting it in a situation of constant vulnerability.
Two of these practices that have become more common are affiliate ad hijacking and trademark infringement in paid search. We detail each below along with the most relevant risks associated with them.
Do you offer any kind of affiliate system to reward commissions to those who help you promote your brand? Well, pay close attention because one of the ways your brand can be affected is through affiliate ad hijacking.
This practice involves fraudulent affiliates using your brand to create fake ads that are similar to yours. They also use highly relevant search terms, thereby driving more traffic to these affiliates’ websites.
Where does the trick happen? Well, affiliates manage to modify the UTM parameters of their redirect URLs to obtain higher commissions (or all of them), even if the user has landed on their brand’s official website or, even worse, on a fraudulent website that is using their brand to steal data and money from potential customers.
Therefore, this practice carries several risks for which it is worth considering establishing Brand Protection PPC strategies and tactics:
- Additional advertising spend: You are forced to pay more to have your brand appear above fraudulent sites in search results, consuming more of your advertising budget and negatively impacting the effectiveness of your campaigns.
- Lower traffic and fewer sales: Pirate ads that rank higher than your brand’s ads drive more traffic to their websites than to your own. This also results in a lower click-through rate, impacting the relevance of your brand’s official website.
- Brand damage: It’s easy for fraudulent affiliates to create ad copy to impersonate your brand. As a result, customers can become confused and defrauded, affecting your business’ reputation and creating distrust in your brand.
Another way that Brand Protection PP plays a key role is in preventing your business from engaging in trademark infringement in paid search. This occurs when competitors or advertisers make use of your registered (and legally protected) trademark. As a result, some customers may be confused because they do not know the source of the product or service offered.
How can others use a trademark? When you develop a paid positioning strategy, competitors or fraudsters can use your business’s trademark in two ways:
- Bidding on your branded terms: Or, in other words, using your brand name or keywords related to your brand in advertising campaigns.
- Trademark in the ad copy: During the generation of sales copy, they deliberately include your trademark in the ad copy. This creates false expectations by giving the impression that it is a collaboration or that the business or service you offer is affiliated or linked to the advertiser.
Because of this, most platforms that function as search engines establish policies that seek to avoid or mitigate the risk of advertisers misusing trademarks that may mislead users.
Among the risks involved in this practice, we can mention the most relevant ones:
- Brand damage: When a customer clicks on an ad that is misusing your brand, it can negatively impact your brand’s reputation.
- Impact on ROI: Similar to ad hijacking, trademark misuse forces your business to invest even more in marketing efforts, but also results in lost sales, which decreases ROI.
How to Assess Your Brand's Vulnerability
To identify the potential risks and threats surrounding your brand, it is important to take a strategic and meticulous approach. There are several ways in which you can find out how vulnerable your brand is, how its online presence may be affected, and which aspects you should attack first with a robust Brand Protection strategy.
Conducting a comprehensive audit that allows you to deeply analyze your brand’s online presence is a starting point for identifying cases of unauthorized use. That’s why we’ve outlined some of the areas you should pay attention to below.
Analysis of the digital environment
One of the first ways you can start is by monitoring online mentions of your brand. To do this, our experts rely on different tools that allow them to track mentions of your brand on different websites, forums, social networks, and review platforms.
Our team also conducts further analysis looking for fraudulent websites that imitate your website perfectly or make use of your brand’s visual identity. Potential customers who are misled by these imitations may fall victim to phishing or purchase counterfeit products.
Competence assessment
Another way to analyze your brand’s digital environment is by reviewing your competitors’ use of keywords related to your brand. This can be a starting point to determine if traffic is being diverted to other sites or if search results are being manipulated to prevent your brand from ranking.
Our team will also review and compare the digital marketing strategies that competitors are using. This way, we can discover if any of these tactics are based on brand hijacking practices or the misuse of your brand identity. In addition, we will draw up a strategy that will allow you to be one step ahead of the rest.
Social media reputation monitoring
Social media, forums, and review sites are digital environments where your brand can be indirectly present, thanks to the comments of your customers or users. But they are also places where some actors can threaten the integrity and reputation of your brand.
For your peace of mind, our experts will regularly review the most relevant social networks to detect the existence of possible fake profiles that are impersonating your brand. We will also be responsible for identifying fake reviews or smear campaigns that are circulating on the web and may affect the public’s perception of your business, products, or services.
How to Create an Effective Brand Protection Strategy?
Based on the above, it is necessary to design a solid and comprehensive Brand Protection SEO strategy that becomes a force field against the potential risks and vulnerabilities of your brand.
Our panel of experts in the field will determine the best action plan to protect your business. To do so, they rely on three key pillars that, managed correctly, will complement each other harmoniously to provide you with the best possible Brand Protection strategy.
One of the keys to having a solid Brand Protection strategy is to pay due attention to SEO. Search engine optimization, better known as SEO, is a digital marketing technique used to improve the visibility and positioning of your website in search engines like Google.
Building an effective Brand Protection SEO strategy involves thorough keyword research focused on the search intent of your target audience. These should not be just any term or phrase, but rather those words that potential users use when searching for products or services that are related to your brand.
Therefore, the list resulting from the analysis of the most relevant keywords must be integrated into the content, meta titles, meta descriptions, headers, and alternative texts of the images of your website. The above is the process known as On-Page SEO, and these are techniques and modifications that are necessary to ensure that your brand’s website obtains a very good position in searches and is relevant to users.
On-Page SEO, there is also Off-Page SEO. These techniques are also essential to having a solid Brand Protection SEO strategy. As its name indicates, Off-Page SEO requires optimization activities, but outside the page.
This is where strategies such as Link Building come into play, which consists of creating backlinks from authoritative websites, such as local media and digital press. Activities related to online reputation management, as well as boosting audience engagement on social networks, are also considered for Off-Page SEO.
On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO complement each other to improve the authority and trust of your business website, both in the perception of users and the SERPs. With this integration of SEO techniques, Brand Protection is built from the ground up to make your brand relevant in the digital environment.
Paid search campaigns, also known as Search Search Engine Marketing (SEM) or Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns can also have a positive impact on your Brand Protection strategy. These involve bidding on keywords related to your brand that are highly relevant to potential buyers. This way, when these users search for specific terms about your brand, they will find your official content as the first search result.
Brand Protection PPC campaigns ensure that your target audience finds the right messages when searching for your brand. That is why, in this case, it is important to have content with advertising text that is not only persuasive but also reinforces both the identity and values of your brand.
Now, we know that this involves a bigger investment, but as a result, your brand will have greater exposure, which translates into more targeted traffic and increases the chances of conversion by attracting more potential customers. Still, a good Brand Protection plan for paid searches can be executed with a modest investment. In these cases, our experts choose keywords exclusive to the brand and exclude those that are more competitive within the industry, guaranteeing good results.
With your brand’s official website optimized for both organic and paid searches, it’s time to create auxiliary websites. These are a crucial part of your Brand Protection strategy, as they function as online resources that complement the information available on your official website.
However, it is important to note that these auxiliary websites should be created for specific purposes. For example, they can present informative content about your brand, provide a detailed review of your products or services, or, more specifically, employ canonical tags to strengthen your brand’s digital presence.
Companies that operate in multiple markets and multiple languages can develop highly customized brand websites tailored to the specific needs of each region.
What is the advantage of creating other brand websites? Not only do they strengthen your brand presence in the SERPs, but they also act as a protective wall against potential brand hijacking and reinforce your brand’s dominance and authority. On the other hand, they help eliminate or make less relevant those results that are potentially harmful to the brand’s reputation, increasing user trust.
Additional Things to Consider in Your Brand Protection Strategy
In addition to all the tips and actions we have suggested throughout this content, Brand Protection strategies will be further strengthened if you put the following into practice.
Legal advice or legal actions
One of the first tasks to strengthen your Brand Protection strategies occurs outside of digital marketing. At this point, we want to highlight how important it is for your brand or business to have the necessary legal advice, as a resource available to protect itself against any situation that warrants it.
For example, when unauthorized entities cause trademark infringements, or your brand’s intellectual property is being violated, it is imperative to take legal action. Having the advice of lawyers and other legal experts will not only allow you to know what the most favorable actions to take, are but also ensure that these are properly aligned with the legal or regulatory framework for online businesses in your country.
Monitoring and regular updates
Another aspect you should consider is monitoring your brand’s online presence constantly. To do this, you can assign monitoring and supervision tasks to someone on your team to carry out every week or, ideally, daily.
Whoever is in charge can carry out this task with the help of monitoring tools available online. In particular, thanks to the fact that most of these have functions that can be automated, which would save you a lot of work. In addition, it will make it easier for you to prepare reports and have the information always up to date and available. So, if you want to take a look at it to make decisions and adapt the Brand Protection strategy to the threats and opportunities that are constantly evolving.
Industries that Need Brand Protection in Search Engines
Nowadays, Brand Protection SEO and PPC strategies have become a more than necessary resource for most brands that have a presence in highly competitive digital industries or niches. To name a few: online casino and sports betting companies (also known as iGaming brands), eSports, Fintech, Edtech, SaaS, Blockchain and cryptocurrencies, and many more.
For these companies, it is more than imperative to protect both the identity and reputation of their brand, since their long-term success depends on it. In addition, as an added value, a correct Brand Protection strategy will also contribute to obtaining additional traffic organically and sustainably.
It is worth highlighting that properly planned Brand Protection SEO efforts are particularly effective within highly competitive niches, where there are already established companies and brands.
These companies have huge budgets for digital marketing, but they tend to focus on techniques that give short-term results instead of opting for others with a longer projection in the future. For example, they usually promote affiliate marketing before SEO. SEO is not immediate but requires several months to start giving results.
Brand Protection in iGaming Search Engines
One of the most competitive markets in the digital age is iGaming platforms. Online casino operators, poker sites, bookmakers, and the like invest huge amounts of money and do not stop their marketing efforts, whose budgets easily reach millions of dollars.
This fierce competition has resulted in increased visibility for brands that operate in this industry. However, it has also been a free pass for those competitors who want to take advantage by applying techniques that help them divert traffic from your brand.
Those online casino and betting site operators who have enough budget and experience are the ones who will resort to the most audacious tactics to snatch potential customers from you. Given that this market is aggressively competitive, having the right Brand Protection strategy becomes a fundamental pillar to ensure that your brand has the proper prominence in the search engine results pages (SERP).
How to protect your iGaming brand in the SERPs
Your goal as an iGaming brand is to be the king of search results for the terms or keywords your potential customers are using. Consequently, you must draw up a strategic and operational plan so that your brand name is crowned at the top of the results, leaving the competition with as little space as possible.
This plan, while not rocket science, requires a properly executed SEO strategy that, when integrated with precise Brand Protection tactics, will translate into highly favorable results for your brand. For example, not only reaching the first page of results but also the top positions on the list.
Ultimately, by implementing a comprehensive Brand Protection strategy, iGaming companies not only strengthen their online presence but also protect their reputation from potential threats such as misuse of their brand or unfair tactics from competitors. Furthermore, this strategy helps build trust with users, improves visibility in search engines, and encourages sustainable traffic growth in a highly competitive environment.
Brand Protection FAQ
Brand Protection in search engines involves implementing strategies to ensure your brand has a prominent and trusted presence in search results. This includes monitoring the use of keywords related to your brand, preventing misuse by competitors, and ensuring your official content is visible against malicious threats that could damage your reputation.
The main goal of Brand Protection in SEO is to protect your digital identity by ensuring that your website and official channels maintain a strong position in search results. This includes preventing unfair use of your brand by third parties, safeguarding user trust, and reinforcing your online reputation against potential threats.
Although Brand Protection strategies are effective in minimizing risks, they do not guarantee the complete elimination of abuse. However, they act as a first line of defense to identify and mitigate threats, such as impersonations or unfair campaigns. These tactics allow you to react quickly and effectively, significantly reducing the negative impact on your brand’s reputation.
It is recommended to conduct brand audits at least once every three months. These regular assessments help to identify potential threats, ensure that digital assets are protected, and maintain a consistent online image. A regular audit also allows you to react quickly to any changes in the market or tactics employed by competitors that may affect your digital presence.
When you detect an infringement, you can take legal action such as sending cease and desist letters, filing lawsuits for misuse of your trademark, or resorting to specialized arbitration. These measures allow you to protect your digital identity and limit the damage to your reputation. Having professional legal advice is crucial to act quickly and effectively.
No, Brand Protection is essential for businesses of all sizes. Small and medium-sized businesses are equally vulnerable to abuse such as misuse of their name or online reputation. Protecting your business identity not only improves your visibility but also ensures that your customers trust you and find your official channels easily.
A strong brand protection strategy ensures that users quickly find your company’s official resources, such as your website or verified social media. This prevents confusion and ensures a positive user experience by minimizing the risk of landing on fraudulent sites or unauthorized content that can damage trust and loyalty toward your brand.
Misuse of keywords by competitors or third parties can divert valuable traffic from your brand to unauthorized sites. Not only does this affect search engine visibility, but it can also negatively impact your revenue and brand perception. Protecting these keywords is key to maintaining control over your digital identity.
Constant monitoring is essential to identify potential threats, such as the appearance of fake websites, unauthorized use of your logos, or misleading advertising campaigns. Using analytics and tracking tools, you can quickly detect problems and take corrective action, ensuring your brand maintains a trusted and professional presence online.
Yes, some tools and platforms automate key processes, such as detecting unauthorized brand mentions, monitoring keywords, and identifying unfairly competing ads. These solutions do not eliminate the need for human oversight, but they simplify management, allowing you to act more quickly and efficiently against potential threats.
When customers perceive that your brand is protected and that you offer a safe experience, they are more likely to trust you and remain loyal. Protecting your brand reinforces the perception of professionalism and care towards your users, helping to build long-term relationships that are essential for the sustained growth of your business.
A brand without a protection strategy is at risk of abuse such as phishing, traffic diversion, or loss of online visibility to competitors. These issues can lead to a decrease in customer trust, a reduction in revenue, and significant reputational damage that can be difficult to repair.
The iGaming sector is highly competitive, with players constantly looking to gain more users. Brand Protection ensures that users find your official services rather than those of competitors who may use unfair tactics, such as redirecting searches related to your brand. Implementing a robust SEO and Brand Protection strategy ensures that your business maintains a competitive advantage.
With many years of experience in SEO and digital marketing, our team is qualified to protect your brand in search engines. We specialize in the iGaming sector, helping to optimize the online presence of brands, reduce abuse risks, and maximize ROI in various markets and languages. If you need to protect your brand and strengthen your digital strategy, contact us today!
About the Author
José Ramón G.
I work like SEO freelance expert , I'm in love with SEO, I like to follow SEO trend and stay up-to-date with news tools and practices, My main skill are and tasks are related to writing search engine optimized copy, optimizing current copy on a client's website (page titles, Meta descriptions, h1s, alts, anchor text, etc.), blog writing, blacklining, keyword research, rank analysis, content marketing strategy analysis, to monitor the competition, evaluate affiliate pages etc ) Google ads (certificated) and Google analytics (certificated).
