In this digital age, almost everyone has access to the internet, and anyone with a social media profile already has an online reputation. Both individuals and businesses alike have a presence online, so it’s vital for businesses to understand what their current reputation is and how they can improve it. Even if your company has a stellar reputation online, you can’t let your guard down. Managing your presence is a continuous effort that should be considered in every digital marketing plan to keep your business in the right light for the public eye.
How Can Bad Reputation Effect Your Business?
When customers are shopping for products or services, they’ll do most of it online. Consumers will do research on your business, look at reviews for products, as well as customer reviews of your service and overall business operation. But why should that bother you? You know you have a good business and offer great products and service, so your online reputation probably reflects that, right? Well, you won’t know unless you look for yourself.
If you’re not controlling the conversation around your business, others will and they are not looking out for your best interests. Contrary to popular belief, a few negative reviews won’t hurt your business, but the way you respond to them could. Ignoring negative reviews can show other customers that you’re not invested in customer service and that you don’t care about what they think. A pattern in your negative reviews can also show you areas that your business could improve in, but you won’t know about it unless you monitor your online presence.
It’s also important to consider that people use the internet for entertainment as well as online shopping and communication. Sensational or shocking content is eye-catching, and people will click on it just to find out more. When many people click on certain links, search engines start to pick up on that popularity and will move the link further up in ranking. So, when someone searches for your business, instead of seeing your website at the top of the page, they might see a negative article or review about it first.
What Can a Good Reputation Do for Your Business?
Maintaining a good reputation online starts with getting in front of the conversation so you can control what impression your customers are getting. While people tend to click on sensational links, they’ll also click on content that appears to have the information they’re looking for, especially if they’re shopping around. Keeping your content relevant and up to date is the first step to making sure your business is starting off on the best foot. This will help customers find the information they’re looking for quickly and will create an informational and helpful impression of your business.
Continuing to keep your SEO relevant and your content for your website and social media current will improve your search engine rankings, and your website or social media pages with start to be the first links customers see when they search for your business.
The second most important way to maintain a good reputation is to communicate with your audience online. Start conversations through social media posts, respond to reviews from customers (both good and bad), and use everything you learn to improve your business. When you’re involved in the conversation about your business, you will be able to control the impression you’re conveying online. Create the tone that you want people to feel when they work with you. Whether you want people to see your business as professional, friendly, helpful, dedicated, etc… Managing your online reputation is the first step!
Reputation management is important, but it can take a lot of time and effort to be constantly creating and monitoring content on your website and social media. When you work with Move Up Faster, we’ll analyze your current online presence and help create an action plan catered specifically to the needs of your business. Contact us today for a free consultation!