Before digging into what experts have to say about online reputation management 2020, take a minute to google your name or business. If you are among the 50 percent adults in the US who say they aren’t pleased with the result, repair your online reputation and fast!
Whether you are a multi-million dollar business or a growing startup or a professional, building and maintaining a good reputation in the online space has become a must not an option.
Online reputation management goes beyond having a few posts and likes on social platforms. Business needs to take proactive steps, implement balanced strategies that will not only give a face to their brand but a positive one.
The fact remains, people will always have something to say about your business either good or bad. There will always be reviews, comments, posts, tweets, news articles about your brand, latest products, ongoing promotions and many more. Make it count! After all, this is your online face, where people( potential customers, partners, prospective employees, clients…anyone) will first make their opinion before even meeting you in person. With that said, here are online reputation management tips in 2020 that still remains pivotal to your success in the competitive market place.
Google: address it as your digital business card
“Your brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what Google says it is” -Chris Anderson
Google, the tech giant is no doubt helping customers spy on brands, people, businesses and anything in between. This means any information about your brand is only a google away.
From reviews, to post to mentions, Google has a list of everything about your brand and all these play a huge impact on the search engine. The point is google loves a brand with a positive image as the main goal is to deliver highly relevant content to its users.
Therefore, take out time yourself to dig through what google has to say about you. When you search for your brand are you are the top result? Are the results negative or positive? Is the information relevant and up to date? Are there old information, post, jokes, that will rather not be there? If you find the process cumbersome, you can seek the professional help of reputation management firm not only for serious digging but also to ensure and maintain a clean digital presence online.
If the results are negative, it is not the time to panic. Internet reputation management is a process and with these tips, you are on the way to creating an online reputation that google will not only love but will also ensure you top the result of the search engine.
Not to forget, set up google alerts for not only your brand’s name but also for the executives, and other main people behind the brand. This will allow you to keep up with the buzz surrounding your brand.
Social platforms: leverage the power of social media.
Savvy businesses are already stepping their game by claiming their space on social channels while gaining control over it. Therefore, If you are planning to build and maintain your online reputation in 2020, social media is not an option.
This goes beyond merely having accounts on leading platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, and even upcoming ones like TikTok. Consumers will only follow a brand that has a strong online persona, hence, it becomes vital to engage with your audience at all levels.
Moreover, social media can be said to be the door to a lot of opportunities, this is time to tap into it. Showcase the best of you and what your brand stands for. Include updates, company’s latest products, your company’s culture and post valuable content that will resonate with your audience.
Consider making a posting schedule to keep you active on your social platforms and ensure you keep your audience engaged at all times. The bottom line is, you want to be at the top of your audience’s mind. All these are pathways to establishing your audience online while successfully establishing yourself as a leader in your area of expertise.
Reviews: the customer is still king.
A whopping 91 percent of consumers believe in online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations. Unsurprisingly, these consumers also read businesses’ responses to online reviews and believe it shows how much businesses value their customers.
The businesses will not always satisfy their clients and the online world is ready to receive them to vent, rant and speak out their dissatisfactions. Hence, it becomes essential to respond to every review either good or bad in a thoughtful manner that won’t harm your reputation.
Here is the starting point- Whether from employees, customers or partners, businesses should take proactive steps to garner positive reviews. This will put the brand in a positive light and will help promote the online reputation.
This is to say your brand reputation efforts in 2020 should also focus on claiming space on top rated review sites and networking platforms such as Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Pissed consumer complaints among others.
Expert: they are what you need for your online reputation
Let’s face it, building and maintaining a good online reputation can be cumbersome and time-consuming. It’s no surprise many professionals and businesses are turning to reputation management firms to fix their online presence and build a positive one. Therefore, if you are ready to take your online reputation seriously, hiring a team of professionals will be the way out.