With the Internet being a major source of information, it is also becoming the go-to place
for sharing feedback and reviews about almost anything. Now, more than ever, customers are
flocking online to share their latest experiences with businesses whose products and services
they have tried.
This can either work for your business or against it, depending on where it stands in the
eyes of consumers. Customer comments such as this can literally cripple a company’s ability
to generate new customers – especially if there are multiple negative comments and hardly
any positive comments…
“Whatever you do, DON’T go there!” or “I will NEVER go back to that place again!”
You obviously don’t want to see these comments about your business floating around online.
Any prospective customer that hasn’t tried your business will run the other way. This is
why protecting your online reputation is absolutely critical. Online Reputation Management
has emerged as an effective marketing tactic for businesses to ensure that their online
reputations are intact and helping them generate more sales – instead of scaring their
potential customers away.
As a small business owner, you’ve probably wondered if you should be actively monitoring
and managing your online reputation – well… the answer is definitely “yes.” Even if you
do not currently have a negative online reputation, you should still work towards building
your brand and monitoring what is being said about your company; all so you can avoid
any future damage.
Let’s take a look at 10 of the most common questions most small
businesses have about online reputation management:
1. What is Online Reputation Management?
Online reputation management is exactly what the name implies; the ability to manage
your online reputation. But what does this really mean? These days, every single piece
of information, every single review, and every single comment written about your business
online can be seen by others. In fact, everything ever written about your business online
is accessible to anyone via what is known as your ‘digital footprint.’
2. Why is Online Reputation Management so important?
You may be thinking, “Do our potential customers really care about what is being said
about us online?” The simple answer is, of course they do. In life, and especially in
business, first impressions mean everything. In particular, if someone is searching
Google looking for a product or service, at first glance they are open to all
businesses that a Google search presents them with. However, when they start
looking in greater detail, one or more bad reviews could mean an instant rejection
off your business, and move them onto looking at others instead.
3. How do we monitor what is being said about us Online?
It’s all about research. Knowledge is power and the more you know regarding what
is being said about your business online the better. Knowing where you stand is the
best starting point; as in knowing if there’s anything that needs to be improved in
order for your online reputation to be the best it can be.
4. What if we already have some negative comments or reviews?
If you know there are already some negative comments or reviews out there, to be honest,
there isn’t much you can do about the reviews themselves. You can’t necessarily change
anything that was written about your business in the past but there is A LOT that you
can change regarding how you want your online reputation to be seen in the future.
5. Is Online Reputation Management only about negativity?
Not at all. Online reputation management is also about taking a proactive approach to
how your business is viewed by others, namely potential customers. It’s also about
spreading the word about your brand, thereby resulting in creating an excellent
reputation amongst your customers and growing your existing customer base.
6. How do we take control and protect our Online Reputation?
If you don’t take control and protect your online reputation, then you’re letting
other people do it for you. Remember, this is your business and you need to take
a proactive approach so potential customers or clients find more of what you want
them to read about your company and less of what you don’t. If you aren’t actively
promoting the positive points about your business and pushing away the negative,
then you are essentially letting other people’s comments and reviews
control the way that new potential customers are viewing your business.
7. What will happen if we ignore our Online Reputation?
These days, competition between businesses for new customers is more intense
than ever. Ignoring your online reputation would be a critical mistake and basically
handing your competitors the lead.
8. What if negative comments about our company are false or mistaken identity?
Honestly, you can’t make bad-hearted customers and competitors looking to
slander your reputation take down these reviews. But you can fight back!
False negative reviews and comments can really hurt your business and result in
your losing potential customers. Sadly, intense rival competition from other businesses
may result in them leaving false negative comments about your business; the goal is
usually to steer potential customers away from your business and into theirs.
It can be difficult knowing when and how to react, but whatever you do, do
not take things personally; always remain professional at all times.
9. What should we look for in an Online Reputation Management Company?
Before you look for an online reputation management company, you first need to
decide what areas you need help in and what it is you want the company to do
for you. Ideally, you want a company to first look at where you currently stand
and do an analysis of your current online reputation.
Following that, you’ll want them to explain what they’ll do for you, and how.
I hope you’ve found this report useful in your quest to understand just how important
your online image is to your success … Being that the internet is usually the first
point of contact for potential customers, it crucial now more than ever that you stay
on top of your company’s image – as well as implement strategies to build your brand
in a positive light. In other words, having a good reputation can “make” your business,
and having a bad reputation can “break” it.
