Online Reputation Management. Why is it Important?

Customers have changed. That’s just a fact. The way they consume media has changed them…but also the way they have access to information has changed them. It has become rare that a customer does not study a business online before deciding to purchase from them. A bad TripAdvisor review? That can be hurtful to your business. That’s what makes online reputation management so important.

It’s important to manage (as best you can) your reputation online. It’s never been more important to generate positive reviews. In the past, the online critic from a national newspaper could do serious damage to an eatery. Now, ‘Tom from two towns over’ can cause damage to any business he chooses.

With keyboard warriors hiding behind every corner of the internet and the success of public review sites, it’s simply not always going to be possible to avoid negative reviews. Remember, online reputation management is not about getting good reviews constantly.

What is online reputation management?

So what is online reputation management about? It’s about making the most of positive reviews. Does your website feature client testimonials? People rate their peer’s opinions, so if you get good reviews put them front and centre on your website, your social media channels and beyond, into print media or even ask yourself if that beautiful testimonial you’ve just gotten would make a great radio ad?

Some comments are always going to get by you. I’m sure you regularly check your feedback on social media and via your website, which of course you should, but don’t forget about other outlets. Bloggers with their own sites for example. Comments made on third party sites. The list is endless.

There are several tools out there that will help with this task. If we were to recommend one, we’d say use Google Alerts. This free Google tool allows you set up email alerts for specific keywords. If your business is called “Purple Window”, you can set an alert for that exact phrase and Google will send you an email with a link to any online article that features it. It’s an extremely easy way to monitor your company’s reputation online, and let’s face it, reputation is everything.

If you’d like more information or some help with your company’s online reputation management, or any aspect of your digital strategy, contact FCDM here.