What is your online reputation and how do you manage it?
For this blog we’ll dive into what online reputation is, why it’s important, how to manage it, and three key tips to consider for the future. So, what is an online reputation? Well, it’s what you might guess, your online reputation is the perception people have of your brand, business, or personal identity based on information they find online. This includes customer reviews, social media mentions or tags, website content, news articles, and employee feedback.
Why is it Important:
Your online influence can have a deceivingly large influence on trust. Recent studies have shown that about 88% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. As such your online reputation can have a significant impact on the decision-making process of consumers. A strong reputation can attract customers, while a negative one can drive them away. Another benefit of having a strong online reputation is the boost it provides to search engine optimization (SEO). Positive mentions and reviews help your business rank higher in search results.
How to Manage Your Online Reputation:
The first step in effectively managing your online presence is to consistently monitor it. This can be done by using tools such as Google Alerts, Social Mention, or Brand24 to track mentions of your business. Additionally, regularly searching for your business name to see what’s being said can give you insight into your consumer base.
When monitoring your online reputation, you will likely run into reviews about your business. Don’t avoid these reviews as it’s important to respond to them whether they’re good or bad and take it as feedback to improve. When responding to positive reviews you should thank customers for their kind words and encourage more reviews. Negative reviews must also be addressed politely and promptly to show your business is committed to improving. An example of how you might respond to a negative review would be as follows: “We’re sorry to hear about your experience. Please contact us directly so we can make things right.” To reiterate, reviews are not a scary thing that should be avoided, and businesses should encourage customers to provide reviews. Asking satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google or Yelp helps improve the public image of your business.
A great way to build your online reputation is through high-quality content creation. Sharing valuable and consistent content on your website and social media pages builds credibility and attracts positive attention. To get more eyes on your content it is important to optimize it for SEO as much as possible. A quick tip for this is to focus on incorporating keywords into your content that highlight your strengths (e.g. “best [industry] service in [city]). In addition, building a strong social media presence by posting regularly and engaging with your audience shows that you care about your consumers and can be a significant factor in driving them to your business. You can also increase your business’s perception of reliability through social media by addressing questions, comments, or concerns quickly.
The final aspect of managing your online reputation I’d like to share in this blog is the importance of knowing when you need help. There is nothing wrong with hiring a professional to help you manage your business’s online reputation, especially if doing so begins to feel overwhelming. Many firms and individuals specialize in doing this and would be more than happy to help you and your business.
Key Tips:
Be proactive: Build a positive reputation before issues arise.
Stay consistent: Engage regularly with your audience to keep your brand fresh in their minds.
Learn from criticism: Use feedback as a chance to improve.
I hope this blog has helped you all gain a better understanding of what online reputation is, why it’s important, and different ways to manage it. As always, if you have any questions or topics, you’d like me to cover in the future please don’t be shy to reach out to me through the contact form on my website. Best of luck in all your endeavors and look forward to seeing you in the next blog.
