Today everyone is accessing the information they need from the internet only. They rely on and trust the information available on the internet.
But as a matter of fact the all the information on the internet is not true. The information can be wrong and misleading also. Everyone has space on the internet for writing and commenting. They are free to talk or speak on any topic. If someone is not happy with your product or services they find it very easy and convenient to raise their voice on the internet. There are many sites that provide platforms for such people.
It is found that every 2 out of 3 people search a company’s name before making a buying decision. You never know that why your competitors are getting more business or customers even if you have a positive review about your company or brand. It could be probably that there is some negative comment or feedback is available on the internet which is harming your brand reputation.
The feedback and reviews can make or break your brand that is why every big company is very conscious about their brand name these days. The celebrities and public figures are very careful about what people are talking about them and where their name is being mentioned or linked.
Many people confuse online reputation management with SEO. But both are separate things. While SEO focuses on the ranking of your website on the desired keywords in the search engines, however in ORM the main focus is on controlling the websites which rank on the result pages on search by brand name or celebrity name.
Here are some tips for managing a good online reputation:
- Be as original as possible. People trust the content which seems to be original. The content should not sound corporate or exaggerated. It should not sound fake or manipulative.
- Handling Negative Reviews. When we have to visit someplace we always try to find the best hotel by searching on the internet. We explore the website, scan social media profiles and reviews. The reviews are most important. People tend to believe that reviews are genuine and have been posted by real people. There are times when we get negative reviews too. Handling the negative reviews is very important. We should handle it with great care and try to resolve it and offer something positive solution to the client rather than becoming defensive.
- Press release websites. The PR websites are of big help you can write press releases about your new product launch, events and articles which can improve your presence on the internet. The quality content on PR websites can outrank any website which has a negative review about your brand.
- Creating a business blog. A business blog is a very useful tool for spreading positive things about your brand. You can write expert opinions or benefits of your product or services. The blog should be on the subdomain of your website so that the name of your website can be spread with the blog posts.
- Guest blogging can be of big help. There are many influencer websites and platforms that offer guest blogging options. You may write blog posts on such websites and ask for a link back to your website. It can help in combating negative results and bring quality traffic to your website too.
- You may ask the website which has published negative content about your brand, to remove it. If they get convinced by your side of the story then they may remove or replace the comment. Though there are very few chances of success in this but still it’s a good idea to give it a try.
- Creating social media profiles on as many networks as possible is required. You should be active on social media where your prospects can go while searching your name on the internet. Be active on such sites and handle any negative feedback by replying in a positive note and providing a solution.
- If you are nice and caring to your customers you will be noticed by your potential customers as well. So you should be responsive to all types of comments and show as authenticity as possible. Do not brag about anything. Customer relationship is everything in business. Keep your customers close to your heart and you will never have to worry about your reputation.
- You should also encourage your satisfied clients to post positive feedback on such social networks. If they are really satisfied they will definitely like to give positive reviews.
- Regular monitoring is very important. Look on different search engines and see what is coming up on you name. Online reputation is a very sensitive matter. Once a reputation is established it needs to be maintained by regular activity. The above tips can be very useful. If you follow it you will never have to worry or regret in the future.
