About 90% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase. Online business reputation management has never been more important than it is today.
Nearly 74% of consumers claim positive reviews make them trust a business more. Negative reviews detract from that sense of trust. Bad reviews, inflammatory speech, reputation bombs, and negative media attention can all affect your sales negatively.
Here’s why digital reputation management is so important:
Business Reputation Management For Reviews
People leave reviews to give others a reference for how you do business. Positive reviews reflect well on your business. Negative reviews, however, make your company look bad.
It’s important to respond to negative reviews in a polite, respectful manner.
Don’t become aggressive or resort to insults. Apologize in a timely manner and say something to let the customer know you’re addressing the problems in the review. That way, future clients and customers will know your company is improving itself.
Sometimes, people leave reviews that are inflammatory, contain incorrect information, or mislead others into making negative assumptions about your business. You have the right to remove inflammatory reviews that serve no purpose other than making your company look bad.
Search Results
At least 91% of adults use search engines to find information. This includes information about businesses. Think of the first page of search results on Google as your online business card.
The first page of search results pertaining to your business should consist of positive information. If someone creates a hate site, it can negatively affect your business, especially if that hate site shows up on the first or second page of search results. You’ll need an online reputation marketing plan to combat this.
Online brand reputation management means being aware of what people are saying about your business online. Hate sites need to get taken down or pushed so far back in the search results that nobody sees it. You’ll also need to address the hate site on social media.
Social Media
Social media gives people a platform to speak freely about their experiences with your brand. It’s important to be aware of what people are saying about your company.
Your business should have professional accounts on all major social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. This allows you to be in touch with consumers.
If someone leaves a positive remark about your company on Twitter, feel free to retweet it. If someone says something negative about your company, you’ll need a response that conveys you’re working on the situation they’re complaining about.
Once again: Be sure to respond to negative comments in a timely, respectful manner. Failure to be respectful and timely can cost you big time.
Your Online Reputation Matters
Around 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Business reputation management is a serious online business you can’t ignore.
Furthermore, 64% of consumers form an opinion about a brand after reading 1 to 6 reviews. Social media comments count as reviews. It’s crucial to manage your online reputation at all times.
Make the right decision and learn more about online business reputation management. Your business will thank you for it.
