Published: April 12, 2017 | Last updated: June 22, 2022
What exactly does online reputation mean?
In short, it refers to the reputation of a company, product, service or any other business element on the Internet and digital platforms. Your reputation is objective, not subjective (because it can be quantified as an individual rating score) and is built from credibility and trust. Online reputation makes it easier - or more difficult - for a customer to decide to purchase your product or use your service, so it's a hugely important asset.
Your online reputation is formed from all the opinions generated by your company, creating a general perception about your business, its credibility, and its trustworthiness. These opinions (and ratings) come from many different platforms, including social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.), Forums & blogs, corporate communication channels, and consumer reports (refer to the chart below).
5 ways to enhance your company's reputation online
Don't be fazed by the fact that anyone online can affect your company's reputation. The following tips will help you manage your reputation successfully.
1. Encourage Customer and Employee Reviews
Loyal customers and employees are your brand ambassadors. They act as a form of defense against competitors, and their positive reviews and feedback build a strong foundation for your online reputation. These reviews should therefore be actively encouraged in a company. ProvenExpert can help you encourage customers for reviews and improve your reputation. To learn more about how read here.
2. Referral Marketing
Referral marketing is a marketing tactic that makes use of recommendations and word of mouth to grow a business's customer base. ProvenExpert is an ideal solution for this. It allows you to attract potential customers to do some research, find reviews and then decide whether to use your service.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO refers to improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to a website. When a website and the individual landing pages rank higher, customers will view you as more relevant, which will improve your online reputation.
4. Social Media Marketing
An active social media account will attract many potential customers to research while researching your business. To improve your online reputation on social media, voice your company, post content regularly, and reply to any comments customers may leave. By doing this, you are not only building brand awareness but also improving customer relationships
5. Complaint Management
Listen to your customers. Try to take something positive away from their criticism and learn from it. Respond swiftly to complaints and questions, and always take an issue seriously. By actively collecting feedback online and monitoring your online communities, you'll always be in the know when it comes to your reputation. To learn more about how to effectively deal with complaints, read here.
Summary
Your online reputation is formed from all the opinions generated by your company, creating a general perception about your business, its credibility, and its trustworthiness 5 ways to enhance your company's reputation online include:
- Encouraging Customer and Employee Reviews
- Referral Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Media Marketing
- Complaint Management
Want to take control over your reputation? Manage your reviews with ease on ProvenExpert now.
