Online reputation management involves a variety of complicated techniques that simultaneously promote positive content about your business and stifle all negative content.
How it works
Online Reputation Management involves a variety of complicated techniques that simultaneously promote positive content about your business and stifle all negative content. Many of these techniques are similar to those used in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), albeit with different goals. The lack of proper online reputation management can even make your SEO endeavors redundant. The process basically involves tracking what is being written about your business or brand on the internet. By monitoring the information we are able to single out the damaging data so it can be pushed down in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Business owners are often taken off-guard by online reputation issues. Many don’t even realize they need to be concerned about their reputation online. A common question I hear is: “Why are people saying bad things about us on the Internet, and what can we do about it?” Executives can spend long years developing a strong brand. It can be beyond unsettling to wake up one day and see defamatory remarks appearing online, particularly when the items move beyond constructive criticism to include outrageous accusations and even slanderous or libelous remarks. Even worse, the negative reviews are often on websites that rank high in search engines, so anyone doing a search on the company name will probably see them. Whether the comments are true or not, these negative search results jeopardize the company’s online reputation.
Benefits of getting closer to your customers
Online Reputation Management has many benefits and advantages the process involves monitoring closely what people, most importantly customers, are saying about your brand and business.
- Improve customer satisfaction
- Enhance brand awareness
- Increase knowledge of your customers’ expectations
- Increase knowledge about our competition
- Increase knowledge about important and relevant keywords
- Maintain high shareholder value
- Reduce marketing costs through the direct correspondence with clients
Won’t positive Google results stay where they are and serve as protection against reputational hits?
Just because the results are good today, doesn’t mean they’ll be that way tomorrow. Search engine results can change at any time based on recent news, Social Media, algorithm changes or a number of other factors. Creating and keeping a positive online reputation is a continuous, ongoing process that all brands need to be involved in.
What are the key reputation management tactics you recommend and employ for your clients?
- Own Your Search Engine Results Page (SERP)
- Be Social
- Blog
- Think Outside the Box
- Have an Active PR Strategy