Reputation management, sometimes referred to as rep management, online reputation management or ORM, is the practice of repairing or shaping public perception of a person or organization by influencing online information about that person or business
You may be asking yourself “why do I need reputation management?” You may be saying ” I do not have anything negative about me or my company” or so you think. There are a lot of misconceptions about online reputation management. Some people think it’s just social media monitoring, while others believe it has something to do with public relations, and still others literally have no idea how it can impact business and sales.
No matter how big or small your business is, the prospects, customers, clients, etc can be and probably are talking about you. They could be tweeting about your customer service in regard how good or bad it is. They may be leaving a comment on your blog or posting a Facebook update about the experience they have had with your company, good or bad. All of this is a part of Online Reputation Management
You should ALWAYS be monitoring what is being said about you or your business. Never assume just because you are not being told directly that someone is unhappy with your product or business that it’s not being said. Unknown negative reviews can effect your business dramatically.
People love going on the internet and complaining about anyone and everything. Don’t let that little negativity effect your business. Here are some things you should keep an eye on when it comes to your online reputation :
- Negative reviews on sites like Google Business or Facebook.
- Twitter bashing with hash tagging your name or business name
- Customers or clients going on sites like “Pissed Consumer” or “rep Off Report” to write something bad about you or your company
These are just a few things to look out for. How do you stop people from writing these negative reviews? Unfortunately, you can’t. But what you can do is monitor your name or business to make sure nothing is being said negative about you. If there is something negative written, make sure you re-butt whatever is said. People like to see that a business is actually listening to their consumers or clients.
Most people don’t have the time to do this themselves. If this is the case, you may want to hire a reputable Online Management Company that knows how to handle situations like this for you.
Bottom line:
- Monitor what the web is saying about you.
- React quickly and politely.
- Treat your Google Business page as your business card.
- Consider hiring a reputable Rep Management Company if you can not manage it yourself.
