One of your business’s most important assets is its online reputation. From small business owners to industry leaders, it is essential to keep a good reputation for people to trust you and to trust that you can make their life easier or better. But what about controlling your business’s online reputation?
This blog post is going to break down key tactics like monitoring tools, dealing with negative, building a proactive image, and featuring some real-life examples to get you pumped. Let’s get started.
Importance of Online Reputation Management
Your business can succeed or fail largely based on what is written about you online. Research says: 93% of consumers read online reviews before purchasing a product. One negative review or social share can damage your reputation if not acted upon.
Online reputation monitoring is about understanding how your business is being perceived online, dealing with negative complaints, and generating a positive narrative.
But it’s not just about dodging bad press that reputation management is concerned with. It’s all about building trust, claiming authority in your industry, and developing excellent customer loyalty in the long run. A good ORM strategy might have returns in terms of credibility & customer acquisition.
Methods and Means of Monitoring Your Online Reputation
One of the first steps to taking control of your company’s online reputation is finding out what people are saying about you. Luckily, many tools and tips can help keep you informed.
Use Online Monitoring Tools
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Google Alerts
Put Google Alerts in place for your company name, main products, or services. You get notified when your brand is mentioned online so that you never miss any high-impact conversations. -
Review Monitoring Platforms
Platforms like Reputation.com, Yelp for Business, and Trustpilot provide tools to monitor reviews and ratings on the biggest platforms. You can use these to track customer comments as they occur in real time. -
Social Listening Tools
Social media listening tools like Hootsuite, BuzzSumo, and Brand24 enable you to listen in on conversations about your brand on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. -
Regularly Search Online
Manually check your business name on the main search engines such as Google or Bing. You can also take a look at popular industry forums for conversations surrounding your brand. -
Review Sites – Keep an Eye On Them
Monitor such platforms as Google My Business, TripAdvisor, and Glassdoor frequently. Most customers leave feedback on products in Amazon, and proactive approaches can provide you with the opportunity to engage or resolve if necessary.
How to Respond to Alternate Opinions Wisely
Bad reviews bum you out, but they’re also a chance to prove how professional and customer-focused you can be. How you react can have a big effect on your reputation.
How to Respond to a Bad Customer Review in 3 Simple Steps
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Stay Calm and Professional
Never respond in anger. Breathe in and out in order to calm down and recenter yourself. Remind yourself that you’re going to show it to someone else. -
Acknowledge the Issue
It helps to empathize, right off the bat, given the customer’s experience. You could, for instance, write:
“Thanks for your input. We’re sorry to learn that you didn’t have a great experience.” -
Offer a Solution
Offering a set of good, practical solutions to the problem. Whether it’s a refund, a replacement product, or even just an appointment or a call, be sure your customer feels you’re dedicated to making all the pieces fall into place.
Take the Conversation Offline
When responding to grievances, offer to dialogue in detail in private, through email, or over the phone. This avoids dragging out public conversations that could further damage your reputation.
Learn and Adapt
And last, you listen to criticism to see where you are falling short. It lets people know you value constructive feedback and are committed to growth.
Example Response
“Thanks for telling us, [Customer Name]. We’re sorry to hear that you didn’t have a great experience. You know, we’d like to make it right. Please contact our customer service team at [email address/phone number], and we will address the issue. Your input helps us improve!”
Proactive Reputation Building
The only way to battle bad experiences is by providing a sheer abundance of good content and experiences for your visitors. This is where proactive reputation building becomes proactive.
Encourage Positive Reviews
Encourage customers who are happy with your service to leave reviews on Yelp, Google, or other appropriate channels for your industry. Good reviews all by themselves will help to neutralize the effect of some dissatisfied clients.
Make it easy for them (in particular post-purchase) to leave a review by emailing them an at-sourcing email with links directly to review profiles.
Deliver Outstanding Customer Service
Satisfied customers spark positive word-of-mouth. Educate your employees on delivering a great service and exceeding customer satisfaction.
Build Your Online Presence
Content Marketing
Develop useful blog posts, tutorials, and videos that portray your business as a thought leader in your industry. For example, a coffee house might write articles about brewing methods.
Social Media Engagement
Keep yourself active in social networks by answering comments and sharing cool stuff. On platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn, you get a chance to show the human face of your brand and connect with your audience on a more personal level.
Thought Leadership
Disseminate business case studies and insights on industry-specific regions. This solidifies your authority and raises your chances to get a good media mention.
Online Reputation Management Long-Term Plan
Repurposing the internet can’t be done in a day. It’s something that takes practice and a lot of checking in. Here are some lasting tactics for looking good online:
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Audit Regularly
Run regular reputation audits to determine what is working and what is not. -
Train Your Team
Turn reputation management into a company-wide mission and train your staff on the brand and customer service delivery. -
Invest in SEO
You want your positive information to appear near the top when anyone searches for you so the good times show before the bad ones. -
Partner with Influencers
Work with industry influencers to have good words said about your brand. -
Be Transparent
Quickly own up to mistakes and be transparent. Honesty fosters trust.
Get in Charge of Your Online Reputation Now
Your Online Reputation is the way in which customers, clients, employees, partners, and direct competitors perceive your business online. You can protect and enhance your brand’s reputation by actively listening and responding to reviews and by creating a proactive image.
Remember: managing your company’s online reputation is a marathon, not a sprint. With the tactics provided here, you can prepare for anything and leave the best impression.
Begin Reaping the Benefits of Reputation Management Today.
Add this guide to your bookmarks, put these tactics in action, and see your business booming online.
