Here's an essential question for your brand and company: what is your reputation?
In the same way that online personalities and individuals can build an online "presence," companies are becoming increasingly integrated with social media and online channels with their own branding personality.
No longer is a business simply expected to post advertisements about their products and services. Today, a successful company engages with hot cultural topics and interacts with customers with a unique voice and style.
As your company continues to build an online presence with followers and interactions, it will inevitably begin to create an online reputation.
How your online reputation unfolds will play a massive role in how current and future customers relate to your brand identity - as well as how well you will perform in the future. In fact, nearly 70-80% of a business’s brand is now seen in intangibles such as reputation - rather than products or services.
From customers to the community and beyond, your online reputation plays a massive role in your success. If you are looking for ways to boost your effectiveness in the years ahead, it’s time you start taking a look at your online reputation.
The Good (And Bad) Of An Online Reputation
Like individuals, companies can benefit from a strong, positive online reputation. As customers and consumers get to know your brand and style, they will become increasingly interested in learning about the who, what, and why of your business.
- Increased web traffic
- Boosted social media engagement
- Effective marketing
- A "seat at the table" in cultural conversations
- A more significant role in your local business community
- Higher referral rates
In a nutshell, the better your online reputation, the more customers will want to be aligned with your company. Loyal customers become repeat customers, and repeat customers are more likely to invite their friends and family to try out your products and services.
When Your Reputation Goes Bad
Not only can an online reputation help boost your business's success, but it can also damage your potential.
You've likely seen a company or brand create an advertising campaign or make a business move that resonated negatively with consumers. Whether a promotion was ill-timed or an ad was viewed as tone-deaf, the damage that a negative reputation or review can have on your company is devastating.
When your online reputation takes a hit, your brand will be flooded with negative reviews, disgruntled comments, and - at worst - a public shaming that can mark the end of your brand's future.
While no company or brand tries to impact their reputation negatively, it happens from time to time. Sometimes you may get hit with a negative review that has no basis in reality. Other times a confused customer may bash your brand online due to a misunderstanding.
While you can't avoid all negative criticism in the market, you can work to prepare and mitigate the effects of harm to your online reputation. The key is to invest in online reputation management (ORM).
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews
Most companies and brands falsely believe that all brand reputation is wrapped up in a social media presence. While a solid social media strategy is beneficial, nothing moves the needle of your online reputation more than reviews.
From online reviews on search engine sites such as Google and Yelp to the reviews you place on your website, having a plethora of reviews for your brand is key to a successful online reputation.
Not only should your company be seeking reviews from customers and clients that highlight your outstanding services and products, but you should also set up and curate reviews on popular review websites. Did you know that in 2016 73 million users wrote reviews every month on Yelp? If you don’t think customers are leaving reviews about your company - you better think again.
When customers go online to search for products or services in your niche, those who have high reviews will enjoy the benefits that come with a high online reputation.
How To Boost Your Online Reputation
Wondering how you can get ahead of the game and boost your online reputation? While your reputation will often rest in the hands of your customers, there are several steps you can take to stack the odds in your favor:
- Deliver Outstanding Goods & Services
- Proactively Ask For Reviews
- Get Involved Online
- Partner With A ORM Agency
- Customer Engagement Strategies
- Online Reviews & Review Site Strategy
- Increasing Your Methods For Receiving Reviews
- Handling Negative Reviews
The first tip to boosting your online reputation is plain and simple: strive to offer high-quality products and services to your customers. While this may seem obvious, the best way to ensure that you receive high ratings and reviews (the bread and butter of ORM) is through premier customer service and satisfied customers.
Are you asking for reviews from your customers? If not, you aren't doing your online reputation any favors. The best way to build and boost your online reputation is by asking your best customers and clients to leave reviews on your products and services.
When customers leave a review, potential customers are more likely to engage with your company. Think of having a customer leave a review as a practice for when they will tell their friends or coworkers about your company. Practice never hurts!
Another great way to increase your business reputation is by interacting with consumers online. Make sure that your brand has a well-strategized digital marketing strategy that includes social media and other communication platforms.
Here's the caveat: A solid social media presence can help your reputation. A risky one can be devastating to your brand. Ensure that whoever is running your social media and other digital platforms is aware of your brand best practices and voice.
While many companies continue to handle their ORM in-house, the brands that see massive success and growth outsource their reputation management to an agency.
With an agency, you can ensure that professionals are handling every aspect of your business's online presence and reputation:
How Textopia Can Help You Boost Your Brand With Professional Online Reputation Management
With the world moving increasingly online, it is more important than ever to ensure that your brand is present and managed in relevant digital channels. However, as you read above, simply being present online isn't enough. To truly see your business leap toward long-term success, you must have a managed online reputation.
Online reputations rise and fall at a moment's notice. To make sure that you are taking full advantage of the potential of your online reputation, partner with a team that understands online business solutions.
At Textopia, our team of digital professionals has years of experience helping local businesses supercharge their relevance and reputation online with the latest technology solutions that focus on business-customer engagement and consumer satisfaction. Textopia's innovative solutions allow brands to interact directly with their customers to gain vital reviews, feedback, and more.
As online reviews become a cornerstone of brand reputation, you must partner with a team that has the skills and resources necessary to boost your online presence. Textopia will help you create personalized and targeted digital communication that will quickly build your reputation and recognition.
Want to learn more? Contact the Textopia team today to learn more about reputation management and how you can take steps today to raise your online presence with effective reviews.