4 Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Launching Their Online Brand (and How To Avoid Them)

Saturday, 25 January 2025, 2:31 pm
Article: Hugh Grant

Starting an online brand is an exciting step, but it’s easy to make mistakes that can slow you down or even harm your business. Whether it’s protecting your name or securing your online presence, small oversights can lead to massive problems down the line. This guide covers four common mistakes businesses make when launching their online brand—and how you can avoid them to set yourself up for success.

Mistake 1: Neglecting trademark registration

The Issue

One of the most fundamental steps in brand protection is registering trademarks. However, it’s common for small businesses to either delay or completely overlook this process. This oversight can lead to issues where other entities use similar names or logos, causing confusion among consumers and potentially damaging your brand’s reputation and sales.

Steps to Take

To avoid this mistake, businesses should prioritize trademark registration as soon as they establish their brand. Here’s a step-by-step approach:

1. Conduct a trademark search: Before registering, ensure that your brand’s name and logo are unique and not already in use by conducting a free trademark search. This helps avoid legal disputes and potential rebranding costs.
2. Choose the right jurisdiction: Register your trademarks in all jurisdictions where you plan to do business. This is particularly important if you have an international presence or plans to expand beyond your core market.
3. Choose the right goods and services: Make sure you register your mark with relevant trademark classes, protecting your bestselling products and keeping in mind the the products you are planning to sell in the future.

Mistake 2: Failing to monitor online brand presence

The Issue

With the rise of platforms like AliExpress and Temu, it has become increasingly challenging to monitor your brand's online presence. These marketplaces often feature cheap knockoffs of legitimate brands, which can spread and flood the market, diluting your brand value and confusing consumers. Failing to take quick action can easily make the situation spiral out of control.

Steps to Take

A robust brand monitoring strategy can protect your identity and safeguard your products. Here’s how:

• Employ brand monitoring tools: Use tools free tools like Google Alerts, or a dedicated service like Trama can help you keep track of your brand name, logos, and product names across the web.
• Investigate potential issues: Regularly analyze online platforms for suspicious activity, such as takedown requests, to address such threats.

Mistake 3: Ignoring domain name protection

The Issue

Domain names are crucial assets for any online business. Failing to protect your domain name can lead to cybersquatting or domain hijacking, where unauthorized parties register your brand’s domain or similar variations. This can divert traffic, damage your brand’s credibility, and even lead to legal disputes.

Steps to Take

To safeguard your domain name, follow these practices:

1. Register multiple variations: Secure not only your primary domain name but also common misspellings, alternative top-level domains (.net, .org, etc.), and related keywords. This helps prevent competitors or cybersquatters from exploiting similar domains.
2. Use domain privacy services: Opt for domain privacy protection to keep your registration details confidential. This reduces the risk of unwanted solicitation and potential domain theft.
3. Monitor domain expiration dates: Set reminders for domain renewal dates to avoid accidental expiration. Consider using auto-renewal options to ensure your domain remains under your control.

Mistake 4: Overlooking social media security

The Issue

Social media platforms are powerful tools for brand engagement and marketing, but they also pose security risks. Many businesses neglect to implement strong security measures on their social media accounts, making them vulnerable to hacking, unauthorized access, and misuse. A compromised social media account can lead to negative publicity, loss of control over brand messaging, and damage to your brand’s reputation.

Steps to Take

Enhancing social media security involves several proactive measures:

1. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Utilize 2FA for all social media accounts to add an extra layer of security. This helps protect against unauthorized access even if login credentials are compromised.
2. Monitor account activity: Regularly review account activity and permissions. Look out for any unusual behavior or unauthorized changes and address them immediately.
3. Educate your team: Ensure that your team members understand the importance of social media security and follow best practices. Provide training on recognizing phishing attempts and other security threats.

© Scoop Media