If you care about what people say about your brand online, and you’re tired of feeling left out of the conversation (or ambushed by surprise mentions), this guide is for you. We’ll break down—step by step—how to actually monitor and improve your brand mentions using SEMrush Brand Monitoring. No fluff, no jargon, just what works and what doesn’t.
Why Monitor Brand Mentions Anyway?
Let’s be real: people talk about your brand whether you see it or not. That chatter can help—or hurt—you. Tracking mentions helps you:
- Catch negative press early, before it spirals.
- Find out who’s genuinely recommending you (and maybe thank them).
- Spot missed opportunities for backlinks (hello, SEO boost).
- Measure how much your brand pops up compared to competitors.
Not monitoring means missing blind spots you can’t afford—simple as that.
Step 1: Set Up SEMrush Brand Monitoring
First, you need access to the Brand Monitoring tool in SEMrush. If you don’t have an account, yes, you’ll need to sign up; there’s a free trial, but some features are behind a paywall.
To get started: 1. Log in to SEMrush and find “Brand Monitoring” under the Social Media toolkit. 2. Click Create New Project. 3. Enter your brand name. Be specific—if your name is generic (“Apple”), you’ll get a mess of irrelevant results. 4. Add keywords, including common misspellings and product names. If your brand is often confused with something else, use negative keywords to filter out junk. 5. Enter your website. This helps SEMrush spot unlinked brand mentions. 6. Set your target location and language if you care about certain markets.
Pro tip: Don’t just add your official name. Think about how real people refer to you—nicknames, abbreviations, even old names you wish would go away.
Step 2: Filter Out the Noise
Expect a flood of results at first—most of it useless. SEMrush pulls mentions from news, blogs, forums, and even some social media (not all—more on that later).
How to avoid drowning in irrelevant mentions: - Use negative keywords (“-fruit” if you’re not selling apples the fruit). - Set up domain exclusions for sites that always mention you in irrelevant contexts. - If you’re only interested in certain types of coverage, filter by source type (news, blogs, forums).
Honest take: SEMrush’s filtering is good but not perfect. You’ll probably need to tweak your settings a few times as you see what comes in.
Step 3: Analyze Your Mentions
Now you’ve got a cleaner feed. Time to look for patterns.
- Sentiment: SEMrush tries to guess if a mention is positive, negative, or neutral. It’s not foolproof—sarcasm and nuance trip it up—but it’s a start.
- Reach and Authority: Pay more attention to mentions from high-traffic or authoritative sites. One blog post on a top industry site is worth more than ten random forum comments.
- Unlinked Mentions: These are gold for SEO. If someone mentions your brand without linking, it’s a chance to reach out and ask for a link.
What to ignore: Don’t get obsessed with every single mention. Focus on trends, spikes, and mentions that actually move the needle.
Step 4: Respond and Engage
Monitoring without action is pointless.
- Positive mentions: Thank people, share their content, and nurture those relationships.
- Negative mentions: Respond calmly if a response makes sense. Don’t pick fights in public. Sometimes, silence is smarter.
- Questions or misinformation: Set the record straight, but avoid sounding defensive.
Pro tip: Set up alerts so you don’t have to live in the dashboard. SEMrush can email you new mentions daily or weekly.
Step 5: Turn Unlinked Mentions into Backlinks
This is where brand monitoring pays off for SEO.
- Use SEMrush’s filter to show only unlinked mentions.
- Make a list of the best opportunities (sites with real traffic and relevance).
- Reach out—politely. Say thanks for the mention and ask if they’d consider adding a link.
What works: Being brief and personal. No mass emails. Point out how the link helps their readers, not just your rankings.
What doesn’t: Hard-selling or guilt-tripping. If they say no, move on.
Step 6: Track Progress Over Time
Don’t just look at raw numbers. Watch for:
- Trends: Are mentions up after a campaign or product launch?
- Sentiment shifts: Did your new policy or ad backfire?
- Share of voice: How do you stack up against competitors? SEMrush lets you add competing brands to compare.
Caution: Don’t obsess over daily swings. Look at weekly or monthly trends. Online chatter is noisy and unpredictable.
What SEMrush Brand Monitoring Does Well (and Where It Falls Short)
Good: - Finds most public web mentions (news, blogs, some forums). - Strong filtering and customization. - Tracks unlinked mentions for link-building.
Not great: - Social media coverage is limited (especially Facebook, Instagram, TikTok). Twitter/X is hit-or-miss. - Sentiment analysis is basic. Don’t trust it blindly. - Some results are still junk, no matter how many filters you add.
If you need deep social listening, you’ll need a dedicated tool for that. But for web-based brand mentions and basic trends, SEMrush gets the job done.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Brand monitoring doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with a few basic keywords, watch what comes in, and adjust. Focus on trends, not every blip. Use what you learn to respond, improve, and build real relationships—not just chase numbers.
If you’re using SEMrush, set aside 10–15 minutes a week to check your mentions and act on the best opportunities. That’s enough to catch the big stuff without getting buried in busywork.