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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
With 40% of the world using the internet, and 31% of users visiting social media platforms, your business’s online reputation is more important than you might realize. To this end you need to understand what online reputation management is and its value in helping you grow your business. By reading this article you will learn some key points including:
- What online reputation management is?
- The importance of online reputation management to your business.
- How to use it to grow your business.
What is online reputation management?
Your online reputation is a term that refers to the impression or perception your business has on the internet. Managing this reputation involves boosting or building a positive image of your company name and brand while reducing negative materials that defames it.
Why should you monitor your online reputation?
According to INC magazine, reputation management is becoming more important for small and medium-sized businesses than big brands with millions in advertising budgets. The reasons why you should keep an eye on your online image include:
- Millions of your potential customers use the internet every day
- According to Local consumer reviews survey, 88% of these potential clients will read reviews about your business to determine its quality
- White House office of consumer affairs also reports that bad customer reviews reach twice as many people as praise or a positive review will.
All this tells you are that people are interested in what others have to say about your business, and with several platforms that offer customers the chance to voice their opinion about your services; a negative comment can go a long way.
How can you use online reputation management to grow your business?
- Employ online reputation management software tools to monitor what people are saying about your business across numerous online platforms and review sites.
- Respond promptly to negative reviews. These comments can spread fast, and do a lot of damage. Ensuring your point of view is also heard is important in restoring your image.
- Your response should also be professional as well. Try not to sound defensive, rather apologize and offer incentives that might change the customer’s perception.
- Avoid deleting reviews. Unless comments attacks race, religion or are generally offensive, you should rarely delete them. Removing them makes it seem like your company is trying to cover up its faults, and will leave an even worse taste with potential customers.
- Enhance your social media presence. Don’t just leave it in the hands of the public, use the internet as well and show the benefits your business offers
- Build a website and post quality content. If your business does not have a website then it’s already disadvantaged; if it does then you need to make sure that you post quality content regularly. That way when people search for your company, your website will appear, and they get to see positive things first.
- Use influencer marketing. Contact bloggers or people with a great online brand or community in your industry and ask them to do a post or feature of your business. You might have to give something back, money or services, but it will do the most in boosting a positive online reputation.
