In today’s multifaceted business world, a business’s online reputation means everything. It isn’t just a reflection of an organization’s personal brand; it can mean the difference between business success and business failure.
Recent studies indicate that businesses with negative online reputations can lose up to 82% of potential customers who would otherwise engage with their brand. It can be nearly impossible to claw your way back to the top of your industry once your online reputation tanks.
However, you can prevent your reputation from going south before it gets to irredeemable levels of bad. Factors such as bad reviews, negative news stories and harmful online comments carry significant weight. Consumers who are more tuned in to how businesses are showing up on social media and major search engines like Google, so it benefits businesses to have a solid online reputation strategy before negative press creates a critical need for crisis management.
Why online reputation management is important
According to a recent Forbes article, over 90% of consumers read online reviews of companies before purchasing their products or using their services. A single negative review or an adverse interaction with a customer that goes viral can ruin a company’s reputation.
Online reputations play a crucial role in building consumer trust in a brand. Nearly three out of four consumers trust a brand more if it has a large number of positive online reviews. This trust can translate to better sales and the development of a long-lasting business with an excellent online and offline reputation.
A positive online reputation can also enhance a business’s visibility and brand value. Businesses with a strong online reputation increase their search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find them.
A positive online reputation can also give a business a significant advantage over its competition. Consumers and potential clients are more likely to choose a company with more positive reviews and a better online reputation over similar businesses.
Take action to fix your online reputation
So, what can be done if your business doesn’t have the best online reputation, or no reputation at all? Here are five actionable steps business owners can take to clean up their online reputation and thoughtfully craft one that can put them on the pathway to success.
1. Start with a brand audit of online reputation
It can be challenging to develop a new strategy for achieving any business goal without conducting a thorough audit of the current state of the business. Begin by conducting a comprehensive assessment of your online presence.
Analyze the Google search results for your business name to see how you appear and what related keywords are displayed. Note where your brand appears across social media platforms, review sites and different search engines. You may find negative content across review sites and news websites, but it’s not time to panic if you uncover negative reviews or other content about your brand — it’s all part of being educated before you start devising a solid plan of attack.
This audit will help you identify precisely where any negative sentiment comes from and provide a clear picture of what needs to be addressed immediately.
2. Address the root causes of negative feedback
Before attempting to remove the article or review causing negative press, read every news story or review and try to identify if there is a pattern. Perhaps people are disappointed with a particular product or have had a negative run-in with an employee.
As the business owner, you should investigate this negative feedback and implement changes to solve the issues. Fixing problems could involve anything from retraining staff to updating corporate policies that are causing issues for consumers or clients.
3. Create and publicize positive content
Once you’ve absorbed and addressed negative feedback, you don’t need to let it languish online. The next step in your reputation rescue strategy should be creating positive, valuable content and getting it out where potential customers can see and engage with it.
Encouraging positive reviews from happy customers or gathering case studies can be a great way to pepper social media with reputation-building content. As an added benefit, these positive stories and media can help push down any negative content about your brand appearing on the first page of Google.
4. Engage with your online audience
People who have a bone to pick with a business don’t like to be ignored, but people who write rave reviews want to be acknowledged as well. Interact with commenters on news and review sites, responding to their concerns and acknowledging any negative coverage. Engaging with your audience shows your commitment to customer happiness and rebuilding trust among your target audience.
5. Continue to monitor your online reputation and search engine results
Once you have fixed your online reputation, you must continue to monitor it. Set up online alerts for your business name and related keywords so that you’re the first to know if something about your business hits news publications or review sites. Take regular stock of your social media profiles, online comments and Google reviews. Lastly, make sure to keep your positive content fresh to improve and maintain the golden reputation you’ve built.
Following these steps and being aware of the importance of a business’s online reputation can help you build and maintain the most positive reputation possible. When businesses craft a strategy that extends beyond simply suppressing negative news or removing negative articles, they are more likely to succeed in creating an overwhelmingly positive reputation. Over time, your business will build a broader customer base and lasting trust among your market.
