---
name: kostja94/brand-monitoring
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/kostja94-brand-monitoring@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: e2b98e29cfb0
---

# Strategies: Brand Monitoring

Guides ongoing brand monitoring—detecting impersonation, trademark infringement, counterfeit products, and brand abuse before they cause harm. Complements **brand-protection** (reactive: report, takedown); this skill covers proactive monitoring setup and tool selection.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read for brand name, official domain, and key assets.

Identify:
1. **Scope**: Domain, social, marketplaces, paid search, dark web
2. **Budget**: Manual vs automated; DIY vs vendor
3. **Risk level**: High-value brand, prior incidents, or preventive

## What to Monitor

| Channel | Threats |
|---------|---------|
| **Domains** | Typosquatting, brand+ai, brand+app, impersonation sites |
| **Social media** | Fake accounts, impersonation, unauthorized use |
| **Marketplaces** | Counterfeit products, unauthorized sellers (Amazon, eBay, Temu) |
| **Paid search** | Competitors bidding on brand terms; impersonator ads |
| **App stores** | Fake apps, trademark misuse |
| **Web** | Phishing sites, spoofed pages |

## Manual Monitoring (Low Cost)

| Method | Frequency |
|--------|-----------|
| **Search** | Brand name + variants (brand+ai, brand+app, brand+official) |
| **Google Alerts** | Brand name, product names |
| **Social search** | X, LinkedIn, Instagram for brand mentions |
| **Marketplace search** | Amazon, eBay for counterfeit listings |

**Tip**: Document findings; escalate to **brand-protection** for takedown when infringement is confirmed.

## Automated Tools (Scale)

| Capability | Description |
|------------|-------------|
| **AI detection** | Machine learning, image recognition, NLP to detect abuse across channels |
| **Multi-channel** | Domains, social, marketplaces, paid search, dark web |
| **Enforcement** | Case management, takedown workflows, platform integrations |
| **Trademark watch** | USPTO, trademark office monitoring; litigation insights |

**Vendor types**: BrandShield, Tracer Protect, CompuMark, CounterFind—evaluate by coverage, enforcement rate, and budget.

## Monitoring Cadence

| Level | Cadence | Use |
|-------|---------|-----|
| **Basic** | Weekly search; Google Alerts | Low-risk; preventive |
| **Standard** | Daily alerts; monthly marketplace check | Moderate risk |
| **Enterprise** | Real-time monitoring; dedicated vendor | High-value brand; prior incidents |

## Output Format

- **Monitoring plan** (channels, cadence, tools)
- **Search queries** (brand + variants for manual check)
- **Alert setup** (Google Alerts, social)
- **Escalation path** (when to use brand-protection for takedown)

## Related Skills

- **brand-protection**: Report, takedown, evidence collection—use when infringement is found
- **domain-selection**: Defensive registration; brand variants
- **branding**: Brand asset consistency; what to protect