How to Manage (and Improve) Your Reputation Online
Warren Buffett once said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it." When you take the speed and global range of the internet into account, his assertion rings truer than ever.
Your small business may be judged and criticized — fairly or unfairly — in a variety of places. Google, Yelp, and industry-specific forums like TripAdvisor are always looming over your shoulder. But there’s plenty you can do to make sure your story is told your way.
Monitor what they’re saying about your brand.
Explore these ways of tracking reviews and comments about your business:
Google Alerts is one of the most powerful free tools for online reputation management. Input your business-related keywords and you’ll be pinged by email or text whenever Google indexes items that mention your business.
Glean online insights. A service such as Sprout Social or Brandwatch lets you monitor your reputation in real time. Many of these sites let you gauge the reviewers’ attitudes, compare your online popularity against the competition, and set up automatic responses to common queries, among other features.
Appoint a community manager. Failing to respond to customer reviews and comments can put a dent in your reputation. To guard against this, a community manager (which may be you) can be constantly checking for new comments and reviews on social media and review sites.
Take action to improve your reviews.
Great reviews help you attract new leads and enhance your credibility. Positive reviews can also provide a boost in organic search results. Take these steps to encourage positive vibes about your brand:
Request reviews (the ethical way). Ask for compliments. Send e-mails to frequent customers with links to review sites like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Trustpilot to ease reviewing. But be careful: You can break some sites’ Terms of Service (and risk page suspension) for soliciting positive reviews. Here's a hint: Don’t offer rewards for positive reviews.
Use customer reviews as testimonials. When you receive a glowing review, ask the customer if you can use the comment for a compelling testimonial ad or social post.
Call in the experts. There may come a time when it feels like your reputation is under siege. If your budget allows, online reputation management tools such as Reputation Defender or Thrive Agency can work with you to bolster your tarnished online reputation by creating positive buzz around your business in the marketplace.
Never (never) ignore problematic feedback.
Responding to negative feedback is a fantastic relationship-building opportunity that can also boost your search-engine prominence. Here’s how to approach it:
Thank the customer for their time. Create a standard operating procedure to manage your responses, from lengthy answers to the simplest one-liner, like "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us" But at the same time, don’t offer form responses that may come off as insincere or dismissive (i.e. "We’re sorry you had a bad experience.") and don’t offer any resolution.
Don’t get defensive. Let your customers know that you're committed to resolving any negative experience(s) they describe. Use their report to investigate any potential problems in your operation.
Know when to "take it offline." In some cases, responding with "your side of the story" publicly will only worsen the situation. In such a case, ask the customer if they’re willing to continue the conversation privately.
Your reputation is your most valuable asset. To keep it shining, stay vigilant; be proactive; and respond to both positive and negative feedback promptly, thoughtfully, and professionally. Cover those bases, and you’ll protect your reputation while building a strong, trustworthy brand.
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