The Basics Of Online Reputation Management And Why It Matters

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Your company’s online reputation can make or break its future. Not only do you need to maintain a positive brand value, but you need to instill trust and show current and potential customers, vendors and business associates that you’re reliable.

Here’s why it matters. Ninety-seven percent of consumers search for local businesses online, and seven out of 10 customers trust a business more because of positive online reviews.

You owe it to your company to understand the basics of online reputation management (ORM).

 

What is Online Reputation Management

Your brand, including the products you sell, services you offer, company’s executives, and employees, leaves a footprint online.

Online reputation management describes the process you use to maintain a positive reputation or restore a negative image. With proactive and reactive ORM, you take charge of your brand and gain confidence knowing that people who search for your company online will see an overall positive image rather than only negative comments, reviews or information.

 

How ORM Works

To use ORM effectively, you need to position positive reviews and information so they show up first when someone searches online for your company.

You can achieve this result when you understand search engine algorithms and publish content on your blog, LinkedIn, social media platforms, and other outlets that positions good news on top of search engine results.

Your long-term ORM strategy will help you succeed.

 

Create a Long-term ORM Strategy

Online reputation management requires more than reaching out to a customer who leaves your company a bad Yelp review. ORM is something your company must do all the time, including in the budget and maintain consistency.

Create a long-term ORM strategy that includes search engine optimization, asking for reviews and responding to all comments.

Then follow your strategy every day so that any negative reviews won’t cast a shadow on your company’s overall positive reputation.

 

Know and Use SEO Keywords

Search engines position certain content first. A solid search engine optimization (SEO) strategy can keep the content you want in a top position so that when anyone searches online for your company, they find positive information.

To optimize all your content, first, find relevant industry keywords that are also popular terms consumers use. Then include those keywords on your web pages, blog posts, social media content, videos, images, and press releases.

You’ll also want to publish only fresh, quality and valuable content that’s current, accurate and updated regularly. With these SEO strategies, you build your company’s reputation before you need to defend it, and you direct searchers to positive information.

 

Ask for Reviews

When your customers and clients leave positive reviews for your company, you showcase that your company, products, and services meet or exceed expectations.

Provide opportunities for all of your customers to leave a review when you ask for a review during checkout, include the link to your profile on your invoices or on your app, and send a friendly email reminder to your customers.

Then read and respond to each review. If you receive a bad review, don’t delete it and damage trust but comment with an apology and reach out privately to the customer with an offer to make the situation right.

 

Monitor Everything Online

Blog posts, YouTube, social media tags, forums, and news sites may include information about your company. That means your reputation management efforts must extend beyond your own website.

Remember to pay attention to your brand, products, company, online presentations, and key executives, too. You can use google.com/alerts, mention.com, and socialmention.com to track what people say about your company.

 

Deal With Negative Posts

Despite your best efforts, you may receive an occasional poor review. In this case, act immediately to avoid further damage.

  1. Research the incident and determine exactly what happened.
  2. Reach out to the poster privately and offer to discuss the matter and make it right.
  3. Refute incorrect posts by reaching out to the poster, providing facts and asking for a correction.
  4. Always listen. Even if you are wrong, you will learn something.
  5. Prepare a blog post to address the incident.
  6. Be honest and transparent. Never try to cover facts.

 

Hire Professional Help

An SEO expert, public relations company and other professionals can assist your company in maintaining a positive reputation online and correcting any challenges. Consider hiring these professionals to improve and maintain your company’s reputation.

The best online reputation management features both proactive and reactive measures. Your company should post optimized content regularly, seek honest reviews, monitor your online reputation, and handle negative posts appropriately.

With these steps, you can protect your reputation and improve your brand.

 

Authors Bio: 

  • Author’s Name – PJ Taei
  • Company Name – Uscreen.tv
  • Email address you’d like associated with the account – [email protected]
  • Good resolution headshot – Attached.
  • Short Bio – PJ is the founder of Uscreen, a video monetization platform to help you sell any kind of videos online.
  • Social Media URLS (Twitter, Google plus, Facebook, Linkedin) – https://www.facebook.com/pjtaei .   https://twitter.com/uscreentv?lang=en .

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