When the phrase “reputation management” crosses your mind, you may envision scenarios of intense discussions during a crisis and PR professionals feeling overwhelmed. You might picture bustling boardrooms filled with lawyers and a CEO under immense stress.
However, the truth is that effective reputation management begins long before any PR disasters occur, and ideally, it prevents them altogether. Reputation management entails ensuring that your business is held in high esteem by its customers and the general public within its industry.
A well-rounded reputation management strategy encompasses both the digital and offline realms. However, for the purpose of this guide, we will focus on the ways in which small businesses can safeguard and enhance their online image.
Which entities should implement a reputation management strategy?
The misconception that only large, public-facing companies require a reputation management strategy is far from the truth. Any company, regardless of size or industry, can be targeted with negative reviews, competitor attacks, or simple misunderstandings. It’s not limited to highly litigious sectors or businesses with controversial staff.
Online reputation management aims to empower your business to have a significant presence in the spaces where discussions about your brand take place. It allows you to shape conversations surrounding your brand and proactively address any potential issues.
Customers
Regardless of whether your customers are businesses (B2B) or individuals (B2C), it is highly probable that your company is susceptible to receiving reviews. Consequently, it becomes crucial for you to establish a reputation management plan to effectively address any negative reviews or publicity that may arise.
Competitors
In the presence of highly competitive rivals. Your business might become a target of negative attacks on social media platforms or through online reviews. Even if you haven’t experienced any issues with your current competitors, it doesn’t guarantee immunity from potential future attacks.
Preparing a well-defined plan to effectively handle any negative assaults, should they occur, can save you significant trouble in the long run.
Employees
No matter how much you prioritize valuing and respecting your employees, there are instances where working relationships can deteriorate. Discontented employees have the potential to inflict significant harm upon a brand. It is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the potential impact that your staff or contractors can have on the reputation of your business.
Which online platforms should be the primary focus of your strategy?
When it comes to reputation management. It is essential to consider not only the obvious platforms like social media but also numerous other online spaces where both positive and negative influences related to your brand can proliferate.
Search Engines
Search engines often serve as the initial destination for potential consumers or journalists seeking information about your organization.
When your brand is searched for, your website may occupy only a couple of positions on the search engine results pages (SERPs). However, there are numerous other spots on the first page of results where various mentions of your brand will be ranked.
These mentions can range from purely informative directories to more impactful elements such as press articles or pages dedicated to your brand on competitor websites.
Search Engine Accounts
In addition to the search engine-ranked pages that mention your brand. There are other features such as Bing Places and Google Business Profile that provide information about your business and enable users to leave reviews.
Interestingly, these profiles may not have been established by you directly. Search engines often create them autonomously using data gathered from other reliable sources.
Review Websites
Numerous online platforms offer consumers the opportunity to share their experiences with your brand, encompassing both positive and negative feedback.
These platforms can be industry-specific, such as those found within marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, or more general in nature, like Trustpilot and Yelp.
Social Media
If your business operates in the B2C sector. It is highly probable that your brand is being discussed on various social media platforms. Even if you do not have an official presence there. Customers may be talking about your brand without directly tagging or mentioning you.
Social media serves as an excellent platform to gauge the overall sentiment surrounding your brand. However, it’s important to keep in mind that opinions can change rapidly in the fast-paced environment of social media.
Forums
Platforms like Reddit can be considered a lighter version of social media. Where users can engage in discussions about various brands and share their experiences with products and services, all while maintaining anonymity.
In addition, industry-specific forums often have dedicated sections or boards where users focus on particular issues related to brands and their services. These forums cater to a more specialized audience within your industry.
Why Is Reputation Management Important?
Reputation management holds significant importance for several reasons.
Firstly, a positive reputation helps build trust and credibility among customers and the general public. It enhances the perception of your business, leading to increased customer loyalty, improved brand reputation, and potential business growth.
Secondly, in today’s digital age, online reputation plays a crucial role. People frequently search for information about businesses and make decisions based on the results they find. A strong online reputation can attract new customers and differentiate your business from competitors.
Furthermore, reputation management allows you to monitor and address any negative feedback or criticisms promptly. By actively managing your reputation, you can mitigate potential damage, resolve issues, and maintain a positive image.
Before engaging with a business, many potential customers turn to the internet to gather information. Their online search may be focused on finding complaints and issues raised by others, or simply seeking basic details like opening hours. In either case, if they come across negative reviews and comments when searching for your brand. It can significantly impact their decision-making process. It could be the decisive factor between winning or losing a potential customer.
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Likewise, if existing customers encounter stories about problems related to your brand on forums or social media platforms. It can taint their perception of their own experiences with your business.
While a PR crisis is an obvious reason to prioritize reputation management. It’s crucial to recognize that by the time the media begins running with a story. It is often too late to contain the resulting damage. Taking proactive steps to manage and protect your reputation beforehand is key.
Lastly, a good reputation can also positively impact relationships with stakeholders, such as investors, partners, and employees. It creates a favorable perception of your business and increases its overall value.
When to Consider A Reputation Management Strategy?
It is crucial to take proactive measures to safeguard and enhance your brand’s reputation. By actively influencing conversations surrounding your company now, you can establish a positive image for the long term.
This involves monitoring your brand’s online mentions, rather than solely relying on social media tags for alerts. Conducting a comprehensive audit of your brand’s online presence and consistently monitoring mentions is essential. Assigning a team member responsible for regular checks and providing them with appropriate tools, including automation where possible, is recommended.
Implementing these measures doesn’t have to be expensive. Google Alerts is a cost-effective solution that allows brands to receive alerts for specific terms used online. At the very least, set up alerts for your brand name and the names of key individuals within your company to stay informed.
How to Conduct a Reputation Audit
The initial action to take is to conduct a comprehensive audit of your brand’s reputation to assess what is being said about your business.
Do a comprehensive search for your brand across multiple platforms and channels.
Visit the prominent search engines in your country and conduct a search for your brand. Take note of the content that appears on the first page of the search results.
Evaluate the proportion of webpages, social media profiles, and review pages that your business actively manages and controls. The objective is to have a significant portion of the front page of your brand’s search results under your company’s control.
For instance, when performing this search for CamRojud on Google. The results may include the company’s official website, a Google Knowledge Graph entry, and a People Also Ask section.
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People Also Ask
The People Also Ask section on Google search engine results pages (SERPs) serves as a valuable tool for quickly identifying any negative sentiment associated with your brand. For instance, if your brand search yields a People Also Ask section featuring questions like “Is CamRojud a scam?” or “Is CamRojud expensive?”. It indicates the presence of potentially unfavorable perceptions surrounding your brand.
In such cases, it is crucial to examine how the SERPs or those specific questions are displayed. If the existing answers are not positive, it becomes essential to prioritize ranking your own content as a response to those questions.
This approach provides an opportunity to present a more favorable and accurate answer compared to the currently ranked responses.
The Knowledge Graph
The Google Knowledge Graph is an element that your business cannot directly control but can have an influence on.
If you happen to find that the information about your brand in the Knowledge Graph is inaccurate or missing altogether. I highly recommend referring to the guide on the Knowledge Graph and informative guide. These resources can provide valuable insights on how to address and optimize your brand’s presence in the Knowledge Graph.
Demonstrate courage and actively seek out any negative press or criticism surrounding your brand.
Conduct a search using your brand name along with keywords like “reviews,” “scam,” “alternatives,” and “pricing” to explore the search engine results pages (SERPs). Take note of the rankings and assess whether it affects the People Also Ask section by introducing more divisive questions.
By performing these types of searches, you may stumble upon reviews or forums that you were previously unaware of. This process will assist you in identifying any additional negative content associated with your brand circulating online.
Search Engine Profiles
During a Google search, you might come across your Business Profile, which is an aspect you have direct control over. With your Business Profile, you have the ability to rectify any inaccuracies in factual details such as opening hours and location. Additionally, you can flag inappropriate reviews and provide answers to questions posed by users.
It is crucial to stay vigilant in managing these business profiles and ensure that you promptly respond to any questions asked. This is important because the general public, who also has the option to respond, should not provide misleading or unfavorable information.
Aside from Google, it’s worth noting that Bing Places and Apple Maps are other common business profiles that may have been set up automatically or forgotten. It is recommended to regularly check and update these profiles to maintain accuracy and consistency.
Reddit And Forums
When conducting an audit of your online reputation. It’s important not to overlook Reddit, as it serves as both a forum and a social media platform. Engaging with the communities, known as subreddits, that discuss topics related to your industry can be beneficial. If you operate a local business, it’s also worthwhile to review discussions on your town or city’s subreddit.
Keep in mind that you may not be mentioned directly but alluded to in these local conversations. For example, references like “the shop at the end of the road on Main Street” may indirectly refer to your business. Therefore, relying solely on a brand search may not capture all the discussions involving your business.
Similarly, it is crucial to stay updated on the discussions happening in industry-specific or location-relevant online forums. This will provide you with valuable insights into what is being discussed and allow you to actively participate in those conversations.
Social Media
Visit the prominent social media platforms that are popular among your target audience in the countries where your customers are located. This includes not only the platforms where you already have a profile but also others that are relevant.
Conduct a search for your brand to determine if there are existing conversations surrounding your business on these platforms.
Additionally, examine the social media accounts of your competitors and observe if there are any mentions or discussions involving your brand. This can provide insights into favorable or unfavorable comparisons, as well as recommendations to switch to or from your business.
Examine comparison pages to gather insights.
While assessing the information displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs) about your brand. You might come across instances where your competitors are comparing their brand with yours. Comparison pages, particularly in service software and technology industries, are not uncommon.
If you find that the comparisons made by your competitors are inaccurate or unjust. It may be worth reaching out to them to request corrections to the information.
However, if the comparisons contain outright falsehoods and your competitor is unwilling to rectify the misinformation. It might be necessary to consult with legal professionals to explore potential legal actions.
Establish a presence on platforms where your brand is being discussed.
Taking a proactive approach to reputation management for small businesses involves ensuring that you have a presence on platforms where your business is likely to be discussed. One way to do this is by claiming social media profiles on the main platforms where your brand is mentioned.
By establishing these profiles, you create a centralized location to monitor mentions and address any misinformation. Furthermore, it enables you to have a stronger presence on the first page of organic search engine results on Google and Bing.
Since these social media platforms are considered high-authority sites, your brand-owned profiles have a higher likelihood of ranking well for relevant brand searches.
To further enhance your reputation management. It is beneficial to claim or create profiles on relevant reviews, directories, and comparison sites. This allows you to actively respond to negative comments and reviews, as well as address questions about your company that might otherwise be answered by competitors or the general public.
Handle Reviews Effectively.
Although it may seem like a simple concept, taking the high road when addressing unfavorable reviews doesn’t always produce the desired outcome.
When faced with a review from a dissatisfied customer who complains about issues like loud music in your café or an abundance of families at your play center. It can be challenging to respond politely.
Engaging in a confrontational manner and retaliating against negative reviews rarely benefits a company and often results in negative consequences.
Approach Unfavorable Reviews with a Positive Response.
Establish a well-defined process for handling negative reviews and assign trusted individuals, preferably senior members of the company, to handle them effectively. These designated individuals should be capable of objectively investigating complaints and providing appropriate remedies when necessary.
Ensure that you have a clear complaints and escalation process in place, accessible to your customers. This allows them to voice their concerns before resorting to posting negative reviews. When responding to negative reviews, always maintain a polite and reassuring tone. Keep in mind that your response is not only directed at the reviewer but also impacts the perception of future readers.
Take responsibility for any mistakes made by your company, offer effective solutions, and remain calm throughout the interaction. In cases where reviews are completely unfair or lack factual basis, it is acceptable to respond honestly. However, remember to maintain a polite and understanding demeanour.
A helpful guideline is to consider whether you would comfortably express the same response to the reviewer in front of an audience of 100 people.
Know When A Review Goes Against A Platform’s Guidelines
It is important to familiarize yourself with the guidelines and policies of review and comparison sites regarding the types of reviews they permit.
By understanding these rules, you can effectively identify and flag any reviews that are untrue or inappropriate, potentially leading to their removal from the site.
Respond Positively To Favorable Reviews
To further enhance your brand image, it is important to acknowledge and respond to positive reviews.
Take the opportunity to express gratitude towards the reviewers and highlight specific aspects of their feedback that resonate with you and your company.
This not only helps to foster loyalty among existing customers but also encourages others to share their positive experiences through reviews.
Have A Crisis Strategy In Place
Reputation management involves being prepared for unexpected instances of negativity. It could be a complaint that receives attention in the local newspaper or an unfavorable comment that goes viral on the internet.
Instead of waiting for a PR crisis to occur. It is advisable to proactively plan ahead and determine the necessary steps to take in such situations. Being prepared allows for a more effective and timely response to mitigate potential damage to your brand’s reputation.
At the very least, you may need to consider:
Designate an authorized spokesperson for media interactions who is a senior representative, respectful, and capable of handling interviews. Ensure they receive appropriate media training and possess a comprehensive understanding of the company’s employment and health and safety policies.
Develop a strong complaints escalation process that clearly outlines the individuals responsible for investigating and responding to complaints. Create pre-approved responses or tone of voice guidelines to facilitate consistent and effective communication.
Inform the entire team about media communication guidelines, including what they are permitted or prohibited from discussing with the media, as well as how to handle customer complaints.
Take Proactive Measures to Project a Positive Image.
Finally, it is important to note that the most effective approach for a small business to manage its reputation is by actively striving to build a positive one.
Show your support for local causes.
By actively engaging with your local community, you have the opportunity to receive well-deserved positive attention and press. Supporting initiatives such as sponsoring kids’ sports teams or collaborating with local charities demonstrates your values and genuine care, leaving a positive impression on potential consumers.
Be Politically And Culturally Aware
It’s important to be aware that seemingly harmless online comments from your company. The content you choose to share or like on your corporate social accounts can be interpreted as endorsing specific political or social views. When using the internet to engage with your audience, it’s crucial to exercise caution.
Even well-intentioned jokes or topical comments can have unintended consequences. It’s essential to ensure that your digital marketing team approaches engagement with sensitivity and empathy, taking into consideration the potential impact of their actions.
Establish comprehensive guidelines for employee social media usage.
Your employees are not only your brand’s representatives but can also be seen as speaking on behalf of your company. They have the potential to be your strongest advocates.
It is advisable to establish social media policies and guidelines to provide clarity to your employees regarding what is considered acceptable or unacceptable when discussing your brand, both formally and informally.
It’s important to consult with local legal experts to ensure that these policies align with the relevant employment laws and regulations, preventing any potential overreach as an employer.
Conclusion
The most effective approach for your small business to handle reputation management is by being proactive rather than reactive. Create a plan to handle potential emergencies and strive to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
Consider all the platforms where your customers and potential customers might discuss your business, and actively engage in those conversations. Dedicate time to genuinely listen to complaints and address them in a manner that can transform detractors into advocates.
Would you like to read more about effective reputation management guides for business-related articles? If so, we invite you to take a look at our other tech topics before you leave!
