07 Sep Top Online Reputation Management Tips

Few things can sink a small business in the 21st Century faster than a poor online reputation. Whether it is in the form of bad reviews on sites like Yelp! or a lack of search engine hits, your business could be suffering in a big way even if most of your clients are satisfied with your services. This is why online reputation management is so important in today’s business world.

No matter what kind of business you may have, your online reputation should be monitored and managed closely. Here are a few tips that will help you with that.

Claim Your Brand

The first step to online reputation management is to claim your brand name. Whether that is the name of your business or even just your own personal name, you should do all that you can to claim it as your own before someone else can use it. They won’t necessarily try to use it against you – it’s usually a coincidence when someone has a similar name to your own on the Internet – but you should keep it as a representative of who you are so that people don’t get the wrong ideas about you.

Create Original Content

Any content that is related to you and your brand should be original and organic. Nobody wants to read something about a small business that sounds too much like corporate-speak. It may be difficult for those who aren’t naturally good writers, but it is important to create authentic and original content. If nothing else, it will help potential clients get to know you and who you really are.

Combat Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are a part of having a business online. Even if most of your customers are satisfied with what you have to offer, there will always be at least a few people who are not. Unfortunately, customers have plenty of platforms to voice their opinions online, and they may seriously hurt your business if they decide to say something negative.

Everyone has a right to their opinion, so you absolutely should not try to bury negative reviews unless it is clear that they are unfair or blatantly false. Instead, address the issues brought up by the negative reviews and explain how you are working to fix them. Customers will see that you are acknowledging your business’s faults and appreciate your commitment to honesty and change.

Engage Your Customers

Being online gives you plenty of opportunities to interact with your customers, often in real time. Respond to any messages, tweets and questions you receive as soon as possible. They will appreciate the attention, even if it is just technically over a computer network.

Stay Active

The most important thing to remember when managing an online reputation is to stay active. You can’t have a reputation if you aren’t present, so keep updating your company’s website and social media accounts, and pay attention to what people are saying about you and your brand. It may seem like a lot of hard work, but it will be worth it.

Contact Blast Creative today for all of your reputation management needs!