Making a brand—the identity of your business—can take years to build and only days to tear down if you are not fortifying your reputation. Without a solid reputation online, your company’s growth is going to falter. Follow the tips below, and you can ensure that your online presence is going to grow and transform into something formidable.
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Here are expert tips for boosting your online reputation:
1. Build relationships
Taking the time to ensure that your customers like you and the services you provide are possibly the best thing you can do for the reputation of your company. According to a 2015 BrightLocal Consumer Review Survey, 92% of all consumers will read reviews. That number is sure to have grown. This means that if you have more positive reviews than a competitor, then the chances of gaining a new client over someone else is much higher.
Furthermore, you want to thank those customers who take the time to leave a positive review. But the people you really want to engage with are those who leave suggestions or even criticism. You want to show that you both care about the consumer and want to at least correct any wrongs.
Source: Maryville University Online
2. Stay engaged with relevant communities
There is a reason you see top businessmen like Elon Musk engaging with the community—because it creates a commonality and relationship that people enjoy, which was mentioned above. Many of the leaders in the business world are active on social media and internet forums. The other reason they do this is to monitor the attitudes towards their companies online. Monitoring your social media and review site pages keeps you up to speed and provides extremely valuable insight into the mind of the consumer. Aside from social media, you also want to visit Google Reviews, Amazon, Yahoo Local Services, Facebook Ratings and Reviews, Yelp, or any other review site that is affiliated with your niche.
3. Start a blog
Blogs are not only an SEO strategy, but they also help you start a conversation and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Blogs are cost-effective, too. However, you need to ensure that the content is top-rated and offers something that will make readers want to comment on their opinions or read more. Meanwhile, the amount of trust and credibility that is displayed in what you write will help with networking, increasing your overall presence online as well.
Source: Magda Urbaniak
4. Realize that you are in complete control of your reputation
It doesn’t matter if you are alone in your business venture or running a massive enterprise—the one in control of the company’s reputation is you and your employees. No CRM is going to be able to create your reputation for you. Neither will the logo, slogan, or media. Invest time in your staff, so they learn proper customer service. Invite customers to provide feedback for rewards. And if you happen to receive negative comments, you should handle that with grace and honesty.
While gaining and expanding your online presence might seem overwhelming at times, it is essential to engage with your target audience and establish authority. Without a firm SEO presence, quality blog, and engagement, your reputation will waver. By doing that, you will elevate your company to new heights.
