What’s the best way to monitor brand mentions across social platforms?

Hey everyone, I manage social media for a small brand and lately I’ve been wondering how other people track when their brand gets mentioned online.

I’m not talking about analytics or follower growth, more like when someone mentions your brand name on Reddit, X (Twitter), or other sites. I’d love to know what tools or methods you all use to stay on top of that without spending too much....

Do you rely on Google Alerts, social listening tools, or something else entirely? Curious what’s been working for you.