Securing Your Brand’s Digital Presence: What Every Founder Needs to Know
You’ve chosen your name. You’re dreaming up the visuals. You can see your brand coming
to life.
But before you rush to book a designer or announce your business to the world…
Pause.
And protect your foundation.
Because in the excitement of starting or scaling a brand, it’s easy to overlook one major thing:
Securing your digital presence.
From domain names to social handles, trademarks to future expansion this step isn’t glamorous, but it’s crucial. And skipping it? That can cost you time, money, and hard-earned momentum.
✅ 1. Check your domain availability early
Your business name means nothing if your audience can’t find you online. Before you commit, search for:
• yourbusinessname.com (or .co.uk, depending on your market)
• slight variations or common misspellings
• what comes up when you Google it
Real life:
A recent client went through a name change and after trademarking their new name, I found out the domain hadn’t been secured. You can imagine the panic, a full visual identity ready, but nowhere to build the website.
Luckily, it was still available. But had someone else snapped it up? We’d have lost money, momentum, and needed a full pivot.
✅ 2. Secure matching (or close) social handles
Even if you’re not ready to post, claim your space on the major platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok.
Think of it like buying land. You might not build the house yet, but you don’t want someone else setting up shop on your corner.
✨ Note: You don’t have to actively use every platform. For example, I personally stepped away from TikTok because it didn’t align with how I want to show up. But claiming your handle can still be a smart move, it gives you the option without the pressure.
✅ 3. Claim your Google Business listing
Especially if you have a physical location, studio, or offer local services, this is a quick win. It boosts your visibility in search results, adds credibility, and gives potential clients a way to find and contact you.
✅ 4. Trademark with intention (and don’t assume it’s a done deal)
I’m not a legal expert, but I’ve seen enough behind the scenes to know: this step can make or break a brand’s future.
Real life:
• A fashion brand I worked with were confident their name would be approved in Dubai. They pushed ahead with the full brand identity before the trademark came through, despite my (many gentle) nudges to wait. It was rejected. Everything had to be scrapped and redone no refunds, no recourse, just regret.
•Another client had trademarked their name in the UK and secured the .co.uk, but didn’t claim the .com. Later, a similarly named business popped up internationally and became a threat. Even worse due to a US trademark review loophole, their original application expired mid-process, forcing them to reapply (and repay). A costly, stressful lesson.
✅ 5. Plan for future growth
Even if your business feels small now, ask yourself:
• Will I launch a podcast, product, or course under this name?
• Could I create sub-brands or spin-offs?
• Do I want the option to expand globally later?
Grabbing relevant domains and handles now means you’re setting your future self up with more freedom, not fewer options.
🚫 Don’t skip this step.
Whether you’re just starting out or rebranding for the second (or fifth) time, take this seriously.
Protect the brand you’re building. Don’t leave it open to copycats, confusion, or unexpected costs.
You deserve a brand that’s legit, secure, and built to last.
If you’re not sure what applies to your situation or you want support mapping this all out
before we dive into visuals, I offer Clarity Calls and full Brand Strategy Intensives to help
you build smart.
💬 DM me or [click here] to book, I’ve got 1–2 spaces for July/August.
You’ve got the vision.
Let’s build the foundation to match.
The Inky Giraffe® is a registered UK trademark, filed in 2021 under Classes 16 and 42. Our name and original brand mark are protected, because we believe in building brands that last and securing them from the start.
