Brand Protection Alert! Black Friday & Cyber Monday Raise Threat Level
Two of the year’s busiest shopping days—Black Friday (Nov. 28) and Cyber Monday (Dec. 1)—are just around the corner. These days are a goldmine for consumers seeking deals from some of the biggest brands online. Unfortunately, they are also prime opportunities for cybercriminals to target unsuspecting buyers and damage brands.
Protect Your Brand with BrandShield
With online shopping reaching its peak during these events, having a robust online brand protection strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential. Tools like BrandShield empower businesses to monitor, analyze, and manage online risks effectively, safeguarding their reputation and credibility.
Consumers scammed while shopping for your brand may not only lose money but also lose trust in your business. That’s why protecting your brand online should be a top priority.
Key Considerations for Choosing an Online Brand Protection Tool
As a brand marketer, it’s critical to understand the threats your brand faces in the digital space. Start by creating a clear picture of these risks and prioritize them accordingly. Some threats, like traffic diversion from violating PPC ads, may significantly impact your revenue, while others, like a negative review on a small blog, might have less influence.
The Growing Cost of Online Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting has reached unprecedented levels, with intellectual property theft costing the U.S. economy over $300 billion annually, according to the FBI. More than half of this staggering amount stems from counterfeit goods, underscoring the urgent need for online brand protection.
Adding to the complexity, the release of over 1,400 new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) has amplified trademark and brand infringement risks. For example, a scammer could register a domain like vintageaddidas.com to impersonate a legitimate site such as vintageadidas.com, redirecting traffic and damaging your brand’s reputation. Without a sophisticated brand protection tool, monitoring and mitigating these threats can be nearly impossible.
Quantify the Cost of Cyber Threats to Your Brand
Understanding the financial impact of cyber scams on your brand is essential. Counterfeit sites and domain squatters can divert traffic and sales, eroding both your revenue and the trust of your customers. Online brand protection tools help you stay one step ahead by identifying and eliminating these threats before they cause significant damage.
The Role of Digital Asset Management
To effectively protect your brand, you need a comprehensive overview of your digital assets, including your website and social media profiles. While smaller brands might attempt to monitor threats using free tools like Google Alerts, this approach often falls short. The sheer volume of threats and the speed at which the internet operates mean you could easily miss a critical issue.
Why You Need a Brand Protection Strategy
Whether it’s domain squatting, phishing scams, or counterfeit goods, the threats to your brand are constant. Events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday may heighten these risks, but they are present year-round, targeting high-income demographics and prominent brands.
A robust online brand protection strategy ensures that your business is safeguarded against these risks. It’s not just a “nice-to-have” but a critical component of your overall brand management strategy.
Final Thoughts
Investing in a reliable online brand protection tool like BrandShield is one of the most effective ways to protect your reputation, revenue, and customers. Don’t wait for a scam to damage your business—act now to secure your brand in the ever-evolving digital landscape.