Online Reputation Management: Use Reviews To Your Advantage
In an increasingly connected and technological world, companies must measure their reputation not only in the real world, but also in the digital world in order to know the perception that internet users have of their company. Thanks to online reputation, it is possible to know if the brand image, mission, vision and values coincide with the opinions of customers.
What is online reputation?
Online reputation is the positive or negative result of the impacts that a company’s customers, suppliers and employees have on the internet.
For a business that wants to maintain its brand image, it is essential to treat and analyse these reviews and recommendations because they are publicly recorded for all internet users. It is also important to bear in mind that if the reviews are negative, the company will probably lose potential customers. On the other hand, if the reviews are positive, they will attract more people thanks to these satisfactory experiences.
Uses and tools of online reputation
Online reputation is everything to a business. Customers give their opinion about the business and the level of satisfaction with the service and product. The value of these reviews is to know how to manage them and, based on these comments, to apply a certain reputation strategy.
Through the recommendations of past customers, potential customers can be acquired and, consequently, sales can be increased. Therefore, a greater impact is achieved by acting in a way that is consistent with the brand image that the company wants to give. If the main characteristic is seriousness, it is necessary to act as such so that the reputation is in line with these values.
Thanks to its online reputation, a company can differentiate itself from its competitors. However, it is a double-edged sword because it takes years to project a reputation in line with the strategy and in a few minutes it can be lost. That is why it is essential to work continuously to maintain it.
No company can control its online reputation directly. The solution is to take indirect but active actions, such as replying to comments or interacting regularly with users.
Apart from paying attention to reviews, it is also necessary to generate transparent content that is close to the company’s target in order to give a homogeneous, credible brand image that is coherent with the values of the business.
When you have a crisis on social networks, it is advisable to first analyse what is being said about the company, who is saying it and where this information is being disseminated.
Once the situation is known, the communications office must disseminate the truthful information through social networks, the company’s digital channels and also to the media so that they can echo the facts. With an effective and well-worked management, the company’s online reputation remains solid and can even improve if the company deals quickly and transparently with the problem.
