Checklist for Managing Your Online Reputation in 2017

Businesses no longer have the luxury of influencing the perception of their brands in the minds of their customers. At least, not without a clear online reputation management strategy. Most customers use the Internet to research brands and their products and services. This makes it even more important for businesses to take their online reputation seriously.

Using a reputation management checklist ensures you establish and maintain your credibility as a reliable business. A positive online reputation gives your brand a competitive edge over others in your community. If you can manage your online reputation, you will be able to position your brand as the first choice when customers are researching online before making a buying decision.

The reputation management checklist also ensures you are monitoring and controlling what is being said about your brand online and prepared to direct those conversations toward positive messaging.  You can use the following checklist to manage the online reputation of your business:

1. Take stock of your current reputation: It will be much easier to put together an online reputation management strategy when you are acquainted with your existing situation and understand what should be fixed. You may have a slew of negative online reviews that need to be handled, or maybe your brand does not show up in search engine results. The only way to know your current situation is to Google your brand or products. Once you have identified problem areas, you can start resolving them one at a time.
2. Keep online listings updated: In addition to third-party review sites, keep your information updated on search engines such as Bing and Google. Consistent and accurate listings in a number of places make you appear engaged with customers, improve Google page ranking and reduce frustration over incorrect information. Ensuring accurate information in online directories is of particular importance for small and local businesses.
3. Post engaging content on social media platforms: You must make sure to post killer content on your social media profiles. Your customers will not make any attempt to engage with your brand if there is nothing to talk about. You can get the ball rolling by initiating a discussion about a new product launch orposting a thought-provoking article or an interesting image of your office environment accompanied by a question or call to action. Be careful not to fill your pages withdensecontent, but be regular in your updates.
4. Encourage positive online reviews: Positive online reviews provide excellent references that can boost the credibility of your brand. Customers trust brands that display reviews posted by other users, which is healthy for your bottom line. According to research, providing a review platform for your customers could result in an almost 27 percent increase in sales. This is because reviews trigger dialogue, which will spread across the Internet, strengthening your credibility and reputation.
5. Start a blog: Blogging will add fresh content to your website and helps with SEO. Regularly posting relevant content on your blog will establish your brand as a reliable business and will show that you are happy to keep your customers informed. You can talk about industry issues or exciting updates about your upcoming product or service. Be sure to keep your tone friendly, and allow readers to make comments.

Managing the online reputation of your business is a continuous activity. You simply cannot work on it one day and then ignore it for months. This is why most business owners choose to hire professionals to help them manage their brands’ online reputation. If you need help establishing and maintaining an online reputation for your business, MyOnlineReputationMangement is an award-winning marketing agency offering SEO, social media marketing and analytics solutions. Contact us today for a free consultation.