Online reputation is more than just a concept; It is similar to a philosophy, because just like in real life, you cannot control what people think of you, but you can do something to make them understand that you are better than they think. On the Internet it is no different, although you will need some strategies to improve and maintain the image that your brand has in the eyes of customers.
Businesses need to invest in hiring the services of an online reputation management company. This will help them keep track of what is being said about them. More importantly, it will help them create a positive brand image and take down negative content that might have been placed by competitor in a motivated fashion.
Since it is not only enough that they “like” your Facebook page, it is also important that your customers publish a good comment or a good review . There are many ways to get reviews; If you are interested, you can take a look at our post 11 ways or ways to get Google reviews .
Positive, well-managed reviews build trust with future customers, so go ahead and take a look at these tips to improve your online fame.
The importance of having a good online reputation
Have you ever heard that people are braver on the internet? What a client avoids telling you in your face, he does without problems on social networks. The important thing is that you never ignore what someone says about you , simply because it will affect your notoriety in many ways.
Some time ago we wrote an article on how to answer negative comments correctly . Do not miss it if you want to learn how to manage this type of comments ????
How to measure your online reputation
The best way to start is to know how your online reputation is . To do this, you can try different digital resources. Here are some of the most famous, they will help you know what people say about your brand and you can analyze what aspects you should work on:
- Google Alerts : it is the most used. It’s free and sends you notifications via Gmail every time there’s a new interaction in the community that has to do with your keywords.
- Buzzmonitor : generate trend reports and social networks about your brand or your competition. It also detects potential clients and influencers.
- Go Fish Digital : manage claims, make inquiries and monitor. It is very good in cases of crisis.
How to increase and maintain a good reputation
Create a brand personality
You must be aware of all your corporate elements, colors and designs. Your posts should have something in common, something that allows users to identify you without even seeing the profile photo icon. Likewise, you must have a certain character when interacting with the audience, give it a personality. Have you seen the RAE’s responses on Twitter? It is brilliant!
Show the human side of your company
This is one of the best known strategies, although it never goes out of style. Surely all your posts are spell proof and all your images, videos or articles are highly efficient and perfect, but… what’s behind all that? Who makes it possible for your company to be successful?
From time to time, go ahead and post events inside the office , something that makes your audience feel closer to you . Show your work team or a birthday celebration within the company. Treat your followers as if they are part of the company. You can also try some emotional marketing.
Optimize your customer service
Your customer service channels are the fastest and most effective way for good communication: telephone, email, online chat, etc.
Each company is different, but find the communication medium that best suits your company and take care of the attention you give through it.
Get involved with charity events
Sometimes it is not enough to respond to the interests of your customers, it is also necessary for them to know that you care about society (and not just about your sales). The best way to prove it is by holding or participating in charity events . It is not just about signing a check, you must be aware of all the activity.
To find ideas, you just have to look for those solidarity trends that are important for your market niche; It could well be a collection of food, clothing or toys for those most in need, even a day of planting trees to recover a green area. Make sure you do a good story and document everything.
Write valuable content
It’s okay to make “good morning” posts, but your customers will always be more interested in content that provides them with something of value , especially first thing in the morning.
A good idea is to start the day with an important news or a fun fact . If you accompany it with a good image, you will be adding to your reputation. We all love learning something new.
Reply to messages as soon as possible
If you respond to your clients’ requests as soon as possible, they will really appreciate you. We do not say that you have to solve your problem instantly, with a simple “explain your case in detail” or “we are working on that” will suffice for the moment.
Solve your customers’ doubts before they have them
You know what are the problems or doubts that arise most frequently. That a client is not expressing that doubt does not mean that he does not have it; many times they are afraid to ask or are simply upset and do not know why.
In many cases you can solve these doubts before they even arise. Use your experience and knowledge to create a “frequently asked questions” section. This will facilitate the entire sales process and improve your reputation .
In most cases, customer problems arise from poor communication (or no communication). The FAQ section will be great for you, but we also encourage you to explain your services in detail ; you’re going to save yourself a good deal of trouble.
Social media is amazing, but not all of them are necessary for your brand. Also, if you forget to manage a profile it can be very bad for your reputation. You see, the Google algorithm makes a complete evaluation of all the platforms where your company is hosted; If it determines that your participation is low, it will not position you where you should.
It is usually enough to manage Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.
Be humble and don’t put gasoline on the fire
If there is a reputational crisis for your brand, the first thing you should do is stay calm. You may want to snap your fingers and delete the entire internet, but you should always give an image of humility and honesty . Apologize directly to those affected, make a public statement explaining what happened and offer a reward.
For nothing in the world respond to abusive comments with mistreatment, anyone can make a capture and pour gasoline on the fire; that is, finish sinking your company.