5 Tips for Managing Your Brand’s Online Reputation

Your brand’s online reputation goes a long way when it comes to customers choosing your company over competitors. For example, the initial step many consumers take when searching for a restaurant, hotel or other business is a Google search on the phone or another device.

If search results for your business pop up with negative reviews and complaints, many customers will continue searching online for a business with a better online reputation.

In fact, around half of consumers surveyed by Pew Research said they give an untrustworthy company their business, the number three factor in driving customers away, right after bad employee attitudes (70 percent) and unfriendly service (60 percent).

“Maintaining a good online reputation is important because it impacts sales,” according to management and content marketing platform Semrush. “A negative online reputation can hurt your brand’s trustworthiness and ultimately your business.”

Here are five tips for managing your brand’s online reputation.

1. Check in with your online reputation standing

Semrush suggests conducting an extensive online reputation audit to find out where your brand’s online reputation currently stands. Begin with a Google search using your brand’s name for results on what consumers say about your company on social media platforms, online reviews and ratings.

“The goal is to find out how your customers view and talk about you online,” says Semrush. “Doing so will give you an idea of what’s going well and what challenges you may need to overcome to make important changes.

2. Create an online reputation strategy

Begin your brand’s online reputation management (ORM) strategy by prioritizing the ORM tactics your company will implement, recommends Semrush. Organize your strategy using an impact effort matrix such as the examples below from Semrush:

• Quick wins: Take minimal effort to accomplish and results in high business impact
• Big bets: High effort to implement but have high business impact results
• Fill-ins: Simple to achieve but low business impact
• Thankless tasks: a lot of effort but have a low business impact

For example, a “quick win” might be responding to a negative review. A “big bet” may be investing in artificial intelligence (AI) for digital transformation.

“Respond to critical tasks first. If you have an ORM crisis on your hands, address that first,” says Semrush. “Once you have your prioritization goals in place, develop clear documentation to keep things organized.”

3. Ask customers for reviews

Asking customers to review your brand on Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp and other review sites.  Whether the request comes from a restaurant server, customer service rep or an email, your company is taking a proactive approach to gain valuable customer feedback that you can use to improve your online reputation.

4. Set up Google alerts

Monitor brand mentions by setting up Google alerts to receive emails every time your brand is mentioned on online review sites, social media, articles and other online sources.

5. Respond quickly to negative reviews

The faster your company acts to resolve an issue mentioned in a negative online review, the less likely it is to “spiral out of control,” says Semrush. The tone of your response should be friendly and positive, never defensive or angry. This shows others reading the review that your company cares about its customers and works to address and resolve issues promptly.