8 Key Strategies For Managing Your Brand’s Online Reputation

The emergence of the digital platform, the internet and social media made companies rethink how they had been managing their brand reputation in the past decade, as they were forced to focus their attention on what was being said about them in the virtual world. However, there are still cases of companies that do not give it the importance it deserves. So, in order not to neglect this aspect, here are 10 strategies that will allow you to have a good online reputation.

1. Use search engines

The first thing you should do is see what people are saying about your brand. Search for your company name on Google, Bing and Yahoo and check the results. You may be surprised to find that there are negative postings that could cause serious damage to your brand and your profitability. To prevent such situations, monitor conversations on the internet and social media and search for your organisation on a frequent basis.

2. Be active on social media

“If you’re not on the Internet and social media, you don’t exist,’’ said Windows founder Bill Gates. It is essential that your brand has a presence on social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. This is where your customers and prospects are, so you can connect directly with them and ultimately generate engagement between both parties.

Remember that consumers follow you on these channels because they want to know more about the value that you as a business offer. Remember to tell them about your product or service, but don’t forget to distribute content that generates value and helps your followers make the best decision.

3. Keep your accounts active

Having an account on a social network does not guarantee you a better online reputation. For this, you should not only have a virtual presence, but also be active, constantly monitor and generate interaction with the public. If you neglect this aspect, you could receive negative opinions that will not be responded to in a timely manner, which could damage your brand’s image.

Don’t forget to investigate which one suits you best in dealing with your audience and focus your efforts there.

4. Optimise your site with your brand’s name

It is important that you not only consider in your strategy to optimise your product names, but also your brand name and other keywords. This will give you a better chance of being at the top of Google searches, which is better than just your website appearing.

5. Your reputation affects your business

If you want your business to thrive you have to be careful about your own reputation, a key aspect that is undervalued in many organisations. There are companies where executives or customers will scrutinise your reputation before investing. Therefore, monitor, manage and improve your own image, as well as that of other decision-makers in your business.

6. Learn to deal with negative content

It is inevitable — sooner or later you will come across a negative comment about your brand. In these cases, it will be key that you know how to handle the issue. It will be important that you do not respond with a hot head to the critic, be prudent and avoid generating a crisis on social networks.

These cases represent an opportunity for companies to rethink their situation and reflect on whether they have been doing things correctly. Thus, it is advisable to deal directly with the critic and let him/her know your concern in order to solve the problem.

7. Actively listen

You will get all kinds of negative feedback. From people trying to get some attention, from your competitors and from dissatisfied customers with solid arguments. You should pay attention to all of them and consider this an opportunity to grow. Don’t forget that every dissatisfied user will tend to leave with the competition, so improve your processes and practices if you want to position yourself as a leader in your industry.

8. Ask for help

If you are having trouble doing the above recommendations on your own, the best thing to do is to enlist the help of a company that specialises in brand reputation management. They will help you monitor conversations about your brand, generate interactions and find the root problems with negative comments.