Online reputation plays an imperative role in the establishment of a brand. If done well, a positive online reputation can generate more sales for a product or service. Meanwhile, negative product reviews can drive customers away, or in worst-case scenario, kill the reputation of a company. Therefore, it is critical for firms to take adequate measures to boost their online presence.
If your firm seeks to improve its online reputation, here are some cardinal rules to follow:
Identity
Apart from having a comprehensive website, make an account on social media. Claim your identify on these channels and use them to fix your reputation. Remember to gain ownership right. After all, identity theft is a serious crime that can have devastating results for your business.
Communicate
One of biggest mistakes companies make is that they fail to communicate with their customers. Answering customers’ queries or concerns makes customers feel like a company actually cares about their needs. At the same time, help your customers on time, before a minor matters turns into a costly complaint.
Blogging
Add new blog to your website. Apart from expressing your company values, blogging is an ideal medium to establish a robust identity for your brand. It is the most result-oriented approach to search engine reputation management. Make sure to blog on a regular basis to obtain favorable outcome.
Search Results
Google your business name to search negative reviews or comments. Set up Google Alerts to know immediately if a new content about your company is online. Address each negative post in non-defensive manner. And most importantly, push down negative search results by addressing the root cause of the unfavorable comment or review.
Irrelevant content
As damaging as negative content is, delete irrelevant content from your online channels. If you find unwanted content about your site on a common business site, contact the site owner. Similarly, delete irrelevant posts or comments from your own site, or the articles you have contributed.
Press Release
Send out an optimized press release to promote your online reputation. Keyword-rich press releases can rank highly on Google. In addition, press release is the most effective tool to spread the right word about your firm.
Offline reputation
Your company’s offline reputation is linked to its online reputation. Focus on your offline reputation to fix your reputation over the Internet. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring your offline reputation. Understand why negative reviews have emerged about product or service, and make an effort to address such issues so that they do not reemerge in future. Always treat your customers and stakeholders with respect. In addition, ask those who are content with you to share their feedback on your site or social media account.
Finally, no matter what happens, do not expect to improve your firm’s online presence overnight. Incorporate these simple steps into your online reputation management strategy and watch how your firm thrives in the online world.
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