Protecting your online reputation means having constant analysis of what people are saying about you. Especially these days with the internet’s wide reach. It’s important for companies, as well as individuals, to protect themselves about what people are saying about them. Being in the know about what others are saying, you are able to tackle issues and respond directly or even do quick damage control. Any serious business needs to know what the world is saying about them.
A good corporate reputation is the key to being successful online or off. Higher brand reputation creates a commanding presence with customers but also jealousy among competitors. Brand marketing on the internet is one of the most powerful tools but it can be used by others to destroy yours very easily. Most people are loyal to trusted brands so create a brand identity that customers rely on. A loyal customer means repeat business. They can be forgiving if a brand gets bad press or did something wrong, only if you make swift damage control and be apologetic. Not forgetting, swift action needs to be taken when false rumors, comments or innuendos are spread in the press, media or online.
Your customer service and social media employees could be used as a reputation management strategy. Part of your success offline or online is to make sure that your customers are hearing and saying positive things and about your business and discarding bad ones. Your brand’s reputation, these days, is generally governed by what people are saying about you. The internet has empowered people to say anything they like online. Many simply like this idea and are critical of anything they on the internet. Even if you have a glowing brand the world knows, someone is always negative towards you. Damage to any brand can lead to unspeakable financial loss. Nipping things in the bud is crucial.
Pleasing everyone is no easy chore. Negative complaints and comments about your services or products certainly will not do any favors to your business. Over deliver and you get rid of complaints. Act swiftly on customer service because, besides your product itself, many people get frustrated not getting the help, proper info or long wait time and worst of all, no response at all to solve their issue. The key in addressing nasty social network comments is to understand what these issues are. Do these people have justification for their claims? Are they made up? Remember made up ones can also be damaging. People are reading it. If whatever posted against you is serious and baseless then you need to look at a legal basis for the defamation they against your brand’s reputation. Not forgetting to quickly post a response or press release to address it especially if it is going to cause serious financial loss to your company.
One important point to note on reputation management is that it is relatively new and is driven by necessity. While a targeted campaign is often required for businesses to attain brand placement, online or off, an all inclusive approach to bring about the positives including press releases, social media engagement, content creation and management to restore your reputation makes for fundamental and sound methods of having lesser issues on all levels of protection.
Sites like Yelp and Ripoffreport.com can ruin a business’s reputation and cost them thousands of dollars in lost business. There is not much you can do if you are listed on one of these sites, except hiring a reputation management company.
No brand can provide for everyone’s needs or wants but a single complaint can damage your business, your brand’s reputation or the person who owns or runs it. The truth is, no company has flawless customer service or can please everyone but the steps you take to manage your reputation gives you the edge over your competitors.
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Article written and submitted by Pierre Zarokian, CEO of Submit Express. Submit Express offers online reputation management services, and can help you Remove Ripoffreport Negative Feedback and remove bad reviews from Yelp.