An essential component of effective Internet marketing is managing your reputation and your company’s reputation online. Consumers often engage in Internet research before choosing a product or service as well as the provider of that product or service.
It is quite common for a consumer to research your company name, your name and your URL before making a final decision as to whether or not to use your company. This fact makes it essential that you engage in effective reputation management.
Reputation Management – Know What is Being Said
You have to know what is being said about you (both positive and negative) in order to manage your reputation. It is impossible for you to check all the different websites that people post comments and reviews on. Luckily for you, you can set up a Google alert to notify you anytime your name, business’ name or URL appear somewhere on the net. Go to http://www.google.com/alerts to set them up.
Reputation Management: Handling Negative Postings
Negative postings will appear from time to time about you or your business. You should address them head-on but never get personal with the person who posted the comment. You should address your company’s shortcomings and mention how you plan to make things better in the future.
You should let people know that you take customer service seriously. You can offer to help the customer receive some type of satisfaction if at all possible. The key is to show people that your company listens and actually cares. If you get into a battle of jabs and insults you will always lose. Do not get baited into such a situation.
Reputation: Post Positive Information Fast and Often
You want to make sure you distribute positive information about you and your company as often as possible. Make sure the information is honest and pertinent. The information you post on the Internet can be about charitable donations, new product launches, awards won, etc. The key is you want this information to appear in the search results above the negative postings.
Frequent positive postings are the best way to combat negative publicity. Online press releases, articles, social media sites and pages, forum postings and blog postings focused on your name and your company’s name will go a long way towards helping manage your reputation online.
Your Internet marketing strategy must include allocating resources towards reputation management for you and your company.
