{"id":2610,"date":"2020-11-05T12:01:13","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T12:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandmentions.com\/blog\/?p=2610"},"modified":"2020-11-05T13:14:01","modified_gmt":"2020-11-05T13:14:01","slug":"online-reputation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brandmentions.com\/blog\/online-reputation\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Reputation – The What, The How and The Why"},"content":{"rendered":"

O<\/span>nline reputation is a concept we often use, but without really knowing how to take control of it, as it is impacted by so many factors, from a brand's activity on social networks to the interactions with readers, users, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

When we hear the word 'reputation', we immediately think of something positive, rather than something negative. Or is it the other way around? When you hear about a brand\u2019s online reputation what is the first thing that comes to your mind?<\/p>\n

To remove any ambiguity, let\u2019s focus on understanding online reputation first.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What Is Online Reputation?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Why Is Online Reputation Important?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. How to Manage Online Reputation<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Online Reputation Tools<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Let's jump straight to the action!<\/p>\n

    1. What Is Online Reputation?<\/h2>\n

    Online reputation is the image that a brand, product or service has on the internet (web and digital platforms).<\/p>\n

    The online reputation is impacted by the inside information the brand shares as well as by users\u2019 interaction.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Often time, customer reviews, news and facts about the brand weigh more than what the brand communicates and promotes.<\/p>\n

    There is also online misinformation, and it can be easily widespread all over the internet. It is important to stay ahead and be informed of what people say about your brand. If you actively monitor your brand mentions, you can manage your online reputation easily, since you are aware of what\u2019s said about your brand.<\/p>\n

    Your brand reputation determines how people perceive your brand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    2. Why Is Online Reputation Important?<\/h2>\n

    Online reputation is important because it can help you to better manage what people say about your brand, offer information when customers ask for it and avoid a brand crisis or stop the spread of fake content and misinformation.<\/p>\n

    Yes, you might be thinking that it is a long ride to think about and it might never happen to your brand. It\u2019s better to be safe than sorry. You don\u2019t need a crisis management plan<\/a>, but rather a brand monitoring plan.<\/p>\n

    Online reputation management (ORM) doesn\u2019t mean only tracking reviews and responding to comments and answers on your social media channels or website.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    The online is a big world, there are lots of social media platforms, websites and forums where people can talk about your brand, where you might not have visibility even though you search for your brand online. So, it is basically impossible to find out on your own what customers and competition say about you.<\/p>\n

    When somebody asks a question, they often expect an answer. A study by Clutch<\/a> shows that 83% of people expect to get responses on social media comments in less than a day. If it takes longer, people tend to get frustrated and post negative feedback and attack the brand. In these cases, it is important to show empathy and help customers.<\/p>\n

    It only takes one bad experience for someone to give negative feedback, no matter if in the past the person had positive experiences.\u00a0 And customer service can easily tip the scales in one direction or another.<\/p>\n

    A positive customer service communication is putting the customer first.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Various studies showed that U.S. companies lose more than $62 billion annually<\/a> due to poor customer service.<\/p>\n

    In the example below you can see how customer service can save the day:<\/p>\n

    \"Lululemon<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    3. How to Manage Online Reputation<\/h2>\n

    Given the fact that news spreads fast and there are lots of social media channels and websites where your website might be mentioned, you can follow the tips below to manage online reputation easily.<\/p>\n

    Answer promptly and be helpful<\/h3>\n

    Whenever somebody makes comments, gives feedback or asks for information, time is of the essence. Everybody wants the answer yesterday. Everybody is in the rush. We live in the speed Era, no joke.<\/p>\n

    Of course, the tone of voice and empathy matter, too. The customer services team needs to be prepared, answer professionally and give support. So, one of the first things to remind yourself and your team is to answer fast and provide helpful information.<\/p>\n

    A private message can easily become a negative public statement if it doesn\u2019t get answers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Pushing down negative reviews and not responding to people's claims is not the answer. You should always address online negative feedback upfront. <\/span><\/p>\n

    You never know how people react and it's best to address the situation promptly and offer solutions. If that is the case, even apologize to the customer to conclude the situation, otherwise, you might be dealing with other issues. That comment or feedback can be easily indexed in search results and you don't want people to see negative things when they first hear about your brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Monitor your social mentions<\/h3>\n

    To be aware of what people say about your brand, you can\u2019t just look through the search results because you won\u2019t find all the bits and pieces. So, it's better to have helpful tools to track your social footprint and manage the options that suit you.<\/p>\n

    Not all the time people tag your page when they talk about you, so having an automated tool or plugin that helps you track any keyword you want is pure gold.<\/p>\n

    \"Monitor<\/p>\n

    Respond to negative feedback<\/h3>\n

    If you close your eyes and ignore negative comments and reviews, it will only come at your disadvantage. When people don\u2019t get answers and don\u2019t get help when they need it, they might go somewhere else to ask for help. You can be blindsided with consumer rights complaints and things can escalate.<\/p>\n

    Not to mention that other potential customers might read those negative reviews and influence their decision to buy. There are lots of people that trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.<\/p>\n

    Always address negative comments, but be very carefully how you do it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Responding to negative reviews<\/a> can follow the next guideline:<\/p>\n