The Importance Of Knowing Your Online Reputation

Since the proliferation of social media, many companies have learned about the downside of all the tweets and instagrams swirling around; which that they are not in control of what is being said about their organization. Or even worse, that they don’t even know what is being said.

Having a positive online reputation can make all the difference in building a business, but it doesn’t come easily. It must be actively managed and developed over time, as well as being constantly monitored. Making sure that a rogue customer or disgruntled employee is not badmouthing the company online is critical. Likewise, determining if there are legitimate complaints about the company or customer service is important in solidifying an online reputation.

Eighty-three percent of consumers say that online reviews influence their perceptions about companies and 80% report that negative online comments changed their purchasing decisions. With people seeking more and more pre-purchase information online, those comments have the power to make or break a company’s reputation.

Steps To Manage Your Online Reputation

The first step to safeguard an online reputation from harmful comments and damaging reviews, companies should monitor and manage social media to the greatest extent possible. A good start is to set up alerts that monitor online posts and will automatically send a notification when a company name or brand is mentioned.

Online engagement is critical. Companies should also be prepared to engage with the conversation. It’s important to not only know what is being posted on social media or how individuals are responding to blogs, but to respond, when appropriate. It may not be possible delete negative comments, but a well crafted response can positively reinforce the benefits of a product or service.

Even if your company is not utilizing all of the popular social media outlets, monitoring should extend across all platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Twitter, Instagram and any other relevant sites.

In many ways, the internet remains the wild west of technology with unlimited opportunities and untapped potential for businesses of all sizes and types. Companies should embrace those endless possibilities, but do so cautiously in order to retain a reputation that may have taken years to build.