Reputation Management
Are you in control of your online reputation?
When last have you done an online audit to gauge your businesses online reputation? This is not limited to watching your reviews, or leaving your online footprint to simmer where it is at until something happens ... if you don't do an online audit as regularly as the bare, bare minimum of once a week you are leaving your business open to abuse. We are no longer surprised when helping a business and we look at their Google Business Profile and the owner is shocked at the content advising us that they are number one not aware of what is being said and secondly they now realise why certain requests are being made. For example I was helping out a café owner shocked to read that the GBP advertises freshly baked scones daily however this is only a Friday occurrence, suddenly embarrassingly realizing the source of the issue, at their own hands.
The internet is a treasure trove of information it is up to you to ensure that the information about your business is truthful and authentic, that requires your input and your dedication. The loss of customer experience when they are so looking forward to those yummy hot freshly baked scones and arrive to find a contradiction in information is detrimental to your reputation.
Please take the time to read every detail about your business online, ensuring spelling mistakes are omitted, facts are update and correct like your contact number and address. Another regular occurrence on doing a business audit are business owners advising me how old and outdated their contact details are, how many calls have gone to your competitors due to irregular updates?
Create and Maintain those win/ win situations where your customers are updated with facts and intrigued by your offers. Online Audits also provide useful insights about your customers perspective of your products/ services.
Reputation management extends beyond online review management, it includes strategies and methods of monitoring reputation, addressing any content or customer feedback that could negatively impact your brand, and using tactics to prevent and solve problems that could damage your brand's reputation.
Your online reputation is how the rest of the world perceives you. Reputation management is about ensuring that your business is accurately presented leaving a great impression for potential customers on who you are and what you do.
Claim your social media presence.
Ensure that your online Social Media footprint mirrors what you want it to say about your business, create your FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram etc. accounts. The objective is claiming your name by completing the personal details and uploading a relevant photo as is required by the specific channel. This will prevent competitors creating false accounts in your name and securing your account for when the time comes that you choose to become active on social media.
Make sure your social profiles have the following correct details:
- Current, clear profile photo of yourself
- Your full name
- Bio/summary
- Link to your blog/company website
- Background image
- Always great to have a few posts
Do you need to buy a domain?
Purchasing your own domain depends on your goals and objectives. If you plan on creating a website Tash Digital definitely recommends purchasing your own domain/s, it strengthens your online reputation. As discussed above to prevent loosing your name to someone else it is recommended that you purchase your domain, whether creating a website or not.
Can I get rid of defamatory photos and information?
Yes, to an extent. You are administrator and therefore have control of images and verbiage you have posted. It is imperative to ensure clarity and relevance of photos, there is no value in hosting photos that are outdated like sales and deals that have expired.
Negative reviews CANNOT BE DELETED however they most definitely can be gracefully used to your advantage, the secret in the sauce is how you manage these. Do not let a negative review fester and gain traction so nip it in the bud as soon as possible. A Harvard Business Review published that customers whose complaints got handled in less than 5 minutes tend to spend more on future purchases from your business.
Often times bad reviews are based on ignorance that once clarified with dignity turns a negative situation into a positive one. Another gem is never act too hastily on a response, spend time analyzing the situation replying with grace and integrity. Always give your responses a good overview ensuring you are communicating accurately, there are no spelling mistakes and that the climate and customer experience is a positive one.
NOTE: It is impossible to never ever have a negative review, it is how you deal with that review that counts.
Yes, taking charge of your online reputation and ensuring its accuracy and then ranking, competing with your competitors is time consuming. You should not be distracted from this objective and hopefully you realize you should not shelve it either. That's where you partner with Tash Digital to create those win/win situations.
Currently 71% of customers start their consumer journey online, generally with a Google search. Do you want to show up on their results as untrustworthy and questionable?
Contact tash@tashdigital or click here to make an appointment if you would like to setup your Marketing Strategy.