There’s no such thing as bad publicity, right? Wrong. Just ask anyone who’s ever had their business reputation tarnished online. From false reviews to angry customers venting their frustration, the internet can be a minefield for businesses.
So how do you protect your business against negative online activity? The first step is understanding what could potentially damage your business reputation online. Then, you should have a reputation management strategy to tackle the situation.
Reputation management is an ongoing process that helps you monitor your brand’s public image and take action to mitigate any negative situations as they come up.
A positive online reputation can inspire customer loyalty and help drive revenue and growth. A negative reputation can damage sales and customer retention. Still, it can also give you insight into what customers like or don’t like, which can help you improve your business processes to better meet consumer needs.
What is business online reputation?
Business online reputation is the perception of your business shaped by what is said about you online. It includes online reviews, social media mentions, NPS (net promoter score), and other feedback forms.
Most customers will research a business online before deciding to buy from them, so it’s essential to ensure that your online reputation is positive. You can do this by monitoring what is said about you online and responding positively to negative reviews or feedback.
There are many ways to improve your business’s online reputation, but some of the most effective include:
- Responding to negative reviews and feedback in a positive way
- Asking happy customers to leave reviews on your behalf
- Managing your social media presence actively
- Creating informative and keyword-rich content on your website
Why is online reputation important for a business?
There are many advantages to having an excellent online reputation for businesses. For example, customers increasingly use the internet to research potential purchases, and a bad online reputation can dissuade them from doing business with a company. In addition, bad reviews can spread quickly online, potentially damaging a brand’s online reputation management services.
There are a few simple ways to improve and protect your brand’s online reputation:
- Make sure you have a strong presence on social media and encourage customers to leave reviews on your products or services.
- You can also use Google Alerts to track what is being said about your company online and respond quickly to any negative comments.
- Finally, make sure you are regularly monitoring your brand’s online reputation so that you can address any issues quickly and effectively.
What affects online reputation?
Your company’s online reputation is everything. Today, most consumers research a company online before doing business with them. According to a study done by BrightLocal, “98% of people at least ‘occasionally’ read online reviews for local businesses.”
Because of this, it’s more important than ever to have a good reputation online.
But what exactly affects your company’s online reputation?
Search Engine Results
One of the first things potential customers will see when they search for your company is your search engine results. This includes your website, articles or news stories about your company, and online reviews. In addition, the brands should have a search engine optimization strategy.
Ensure your website is up-to-date and informative and that any news stories about your company are positive. As for reviews, try to get as many positive reviews as possible (on multiple platforms), and respond quickly and professionally to any negative reviews.
Social Media
Social media is also a significant factor when it comes to reputation management. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow customers to publicly voice their opinion about your company. Make sure you are active on social media, responding quickly and professionally to any concerns or questions posted.
Online Reviews
In addition to search engine results and social media posts, online reviews can significantly impact your reputation. For example, review sites like Google My Business, Yelp, Angie’s List, etc., allow customers to leave detailed reviews about their experience with your company. Positive reviews can help attract new customers, while negative ones can damage your business.
Respond quickly and professionally to positive and negative reviews to show that you care about your customers’ experiences.
How to prevent an online reputation crisis
To prevent an online reputation crisis, it is crucial to take proactive steps such as engaging in online reputation management services.
These services can help you monitor and control what is being said about your company online. Additionally, online reputation management companies can help you take steps to improve your company’s online reputation.
After you have selected an online reputation management company, there are a few things that you can do to improve your company’s online reputation. First, you should make sure that your website is up-to-date and looks professional.
You should also ensure that all your social media accounts are active and regularly post relevant and engaging content to your audience.
Additionally, it is crucial to respond quickly and professionally to any negative reviews or comments that are left about your company online.
Taking these proactive steps can help prevent an online reputation crisis.
How do you keep an excellent online reputation?
Having your brand’s good reputation dip because of a lousy online review is one of the worst feelings for a business owner.
Luckily, nine easy tips can help keep any business’ reputation in great shape.
Be transparent
The first step to having an excellent online reputation is being transparent. A business must have its terms and policies easily visible and available to customers.
This includes things like refund policies, shipping methods, etc. Being upfront with your customers will help to build trust and credibility.
Respond to every review
Every review counts, both positive and negative. Responding to each one shows that you are taking the time to listen to your customers and take their feedback seriously.
If you receive a negative review, try to respond calmly and professionally. This will show other potential customers that you are willing to work to resolve any issues that may arise.
Respond to negative reviews the right way
As discussed in the above paragraph, negative reviews are critical to your business and should be responded to accordingly.
When responding to a negative review, always remain professional. Be sure to thank the customer for their feedback and take responsibility for any issues that may have occurred.
Additionally, try to offer a solution to the problem. This will show other customers that you are committed to resolving any issues that may come up.
Collect as many reviews as possible
Encourage your customers to leave reviews, both positive and negative. The more reviews you have, the more credible your business will appear.
Make it easy for customers to leave a review by including links on your website and social media accounts. You can also send follow-up emails after a purchase has been made, asking customers to leave a review of their experience.
Don't pay for what you can get for free
Don’t try to “buy” your way to an excellent reputation by paying for positive reviews. This is unethical and against the terms of service for most review platforms.
Additionally, potential customers will be able to see through this, and it will likely do more harm than good.
Protect the people that are associated with your company
One of the most ignored factors in any business is to think about the people associated with your company.
For example, your employees, contractors, and even vendors. If someone associated with your company leaves a bad review, it will still reflect poorly on your business.
Therefore, it’s vital to protect the people associated with your company by having clear policies and procedures in place.
Stay professional and do not engage in online arguments
As a brand or company, you should not behave inappropriately or unprofessionally online. This includes getting into arguments with other users, using profanity, or engaging in any other type of negativity.
Doing so will damage your reputation and make you look unprofessional. If you are being attacked online, the best action is to ignore the troll and move on.
Make an apology when necessary
There will be times when an apology is warranted, such as if you make a mistake or there is a problem with your product or service.
When this happens, taking responsibility and issuing a sincere apology are essential. This will show your customers that you are willing to own up to your mistakes and make things right.
Run a blog
If you are ever in a position where you need to address accusations about your business, having a blog allows you to do so on your platform. Moreover, blogging is also an excellent way to rank higher on search engines and connect with consumers most likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
Why is protecting online reputation important?
It’s no secret that what people say about your business matters, which can result in good or sometimes bad marketing for your company; this is why ORM is an essential aspect of any brand.
But what exactly is online reputation management (ORM)? ORM is the process of shaping and influencing public perception of businesses by monitoring and managing their online presence. This can be done in several ways. For example, it often includes monitoring search engine results and social media mentions, responding to negative reviews, and proactively managing customer feedback.
There are several reasons why ORM is so important for businesses. First, 89% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, so bad reviews can seriously impact your bottom line. Additionally, “82% of consumers will research products online before going in-store to make a purchase.“
But it’s not just about avoiding negative reviews — it’s about proactively managing your online presence. More and more consumers are researching online before making purchasing decisions, so it’s essential to ensure your business is putting its best foot forward. A strong ORM strategy can help you do just that.
Most Effective Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation
Pay attention to what's being said about you online.
Be proactive in managing your online reputation.
Make sure your website and social media profiles are up-to-date and complete.
Your website and social media profiles are often the first places potential customers will go to learn more about your business.
Make sure these platforms are up-to-date with the correct information about your business, such as your contact information, hours of operation, and Services offered.
You should also use social media marketing to update content on these platforms to keep potential customers informed about what’s going on with your business.
Using the right tool to manage the Online Reputation of your business
There are some different ways to manage your online reputation. But with so many options, selecting the best online business reputation management service can be challenging. This is where Maven HQ comes in. Maven HQ is an online reputation management tool that can help you take control of your online presence and protect your business from negative feedback and comments.
To manage your brand online, it’s essential to have a strategy to manage your online reputation. By monitoring what is said about your business online and proactively managing your customer feedback, you can ensure your business is putting its best foot forward.
Maven HQ is the only marketing & sales automation platform you’ll need to improve the entire customer journey, from generating leads to completing a sale, increasing customer loyalty, and more. This tool can help you generate leads and manage online reviews all in one place. If you’re tired of using multiple software or spreadsheets, it’s time to start using a powerful all-in-one solution like Maven HQ.
What you should do now
Whenever you’re ready… here are 3 ways we can help you grow your business:
- Book a Free Demo Session. If you want to generate demand, increase customer loyalty, and become the obvious choice – look no further. Maven HQ is a powerful marketing & sales automation CRM that can help you increase online visibility, collect reviews, generate leads, book more appointments, and tons more. Book your FREE Demo Session to see how Maven HQ can grow your business fast. First, one of our growth experts will understand your current marketing challenges, then we’ll show you how Maven HQ can solve those problems and help you grow fast.
- If you’d like to learn the exact demand, loyalty, and reputation strategies we use for free, go to our blog or visit our resources section, where you can download playbooks, templates, and tutorials we use for our most successful clients.
- If you know another CMO, entrepreneur, or business owner who’d enjoy reading this page, share it with them via email, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook using the buttons below.
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