media update’s Nakedi Phala touches on some elements that are important to remember in keeping your brand safe online. 

Something brands often miss is being responsive to audiences. How do you do this? You build a strong presence by being consistent in responding to customers. Why? Because ignoring your customers can dent your brand’s credibility, making it vulnerable.

So, to keep your brand safe you have to be responsive. 

Let’s dive in and see how you can keep your brand safe on social media streets: 

Update your social media policy 

Social media policies protect both the brand and user. That’s why social platforms are always improving and adding new features. Here is a list of things you should update:

Legal aspects

Especially on material that requires usage rights. For example, many brands jumped on the ‘Jerusalema challenge’, sharing video clips on social media with the song playing in the background with their brand logos appearing prominently. But it could easily go wrong with a hefty bill. 


Before using songs, jingles and resharing commercial content, conduct a bit of research on their copyright and usage rights. 

Info and privacy

Social media has some grey areas when it comes to what is approved and disapproved of. Take, for example, a company’s social media account that tags employees in an image.

There could be some risks to this; people following the company’s account could easily click on the people’s names and go to their personal accounts, gaining access to confidential information — and vice versa. 

For example, employees could take pictures or videos with the company’s branding visible, and the content could contradict the brand’s messaging. 

That’s why there’s a need to revisit social media policies to educate those sharing content on the brand’s platforms and on their personal platforms. This is also done to understand what they shouldn't share if they have named the brand as their employer on their social media accounts. 

Get verified on all platforms 

When a brand’s social media platforms are verified, it gives audiences and other brands a perception of authenticity. 

Sometimes, a fake account can look just as genuine as the real one, which makes it challenging for audiences to spot the fake from the authentic account. A good example was May 2020 when the police ministry picked up social media accounts posing as Police Minister Bheki Cele. 

These accounts aren’t verified but due to the voice and style of communication — and a huge following — one could easily fall prey to these fake accounts. If you’re ever worried about this happening to your brand, there are professionals available to help you track down these fake accounts or data, such as Newsclip.

The insights this service can offer you will allow you to know what type of content they share as well as how many there are. Using these insights, you could then have them reported. 

When there are cloned accounts posing as your brand on social media, users may end up sharing confidential information under the impression that it is the legitimate page. At times, you could also miss out on fruitful engagement if this is the case.

Update your passwords 

For the safety and reputation of your brand, it’s key to change passwords regularly. These can prevent strangers hacking your accounts — especially with remote working being the norm. This means employees have brought their work home, making company information more vulnerable. 

Scenario: A former employee with an axe to grind could cause serious damage if they have access to this information.

Changing passwords is a way to keep the brand-safe from those who could gain access and steal valuable data — and those who are looking to settle scores with the company. 

So, ideally, update your passwords at least once a year. And if you’re receiving messages that someone from X place is trying to log in on the company’s page — change the password immediately! 

Keeping your brand safe on social media is a must. What other tips can you think of? Let us know in the comments section below. 

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