In this article, I am going to tell you What is Online Reputation Management. so if you want to know about it, then keep reading this article. Because I am going to give you complete information about it, so let’s start.
Online reputation management is the pursuit of creating and maintaining a positive reputation online. Before the world of digital marketing took over, a positive review or portrayal on any traditional media channel was all a business needed. However, it’s now more complicated than that.
To have your online reputation under control, there are many platforms you need to manage. This is why online reputation management is a key business function today. You not only have to engage people on social media but also manage them on review sites using the right tools.
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What is Online Reputation Management
Therefore, a robust online reputation management strategy is essential. You can do it in-house if you have a capable team or outsource the function to professionals specialized in offering online reputation management services. Either way, here are four key roles that online reputation management plays in digital marketing.
- Online referrals
Online referrals are a game changer. About 9 out of 10 people read reviews before making a purchase. And while some of these people are in the B2C industry, even B2B buyers consult reviews before making a purchase.
According to a Nielsen survey, 88% of respondents trust the most recommendations from people they know.
Therefore, one of your SMART Business goals should be to increase online referrals. If a potential customer is referred to your business by another happy customer whom they trust, they will most likely become a loyal customer.
An online reputation management campaign optimizes your online referrals in two ways. First, a positive digital reputation serves your refer-ability. Your positive online reputation by itself helps you get more online reviews that can attract other prospective customers. This is an indirect referral but very valuable nonetheless.
The more direct referral is by satisfied customers. Customers who have had a fantastic experience with your brand can post about their experience online. By sharing their experience, they attract more prospects to your business. You can incentivize this through a customer referral program.
For instance, Mainstreet uses a referral program. For every referral, the referee earns $200.
Mainstreet is a SaaS platform that helps startups to work out their tax credits. Such a robust referral program increases their reach to more startups. More online referrals improve your online reputation because it boosts your credibility.
- SEO campaigns
With the first page of SERPs capturing 71 percent of search traffic, it is essential that you nail down your Search Engine Optimization.
Online reputation management can help boost your SEO in various ways. For instance, Google My Business keeps track of what customers say about your business, how often they come back, and if they refer to the business. All these activities serve to optimize your SEO. Positive feedback boosts your SEO, while negative feedback hurts it.
Another common way to boost online reputation is through guest posting. By guest posting on high-authority sites, you can create high-quality backlinks to your SaaS website and get to show your expertise and reputation as a brand. Readers will respect your brand for seeing it mentioned and featured on reputable sites.
It doesn’t end there, either. Search engines will also recognize your site when they see do-follow backlinks from high-authority domains. Some of the authority or “link juice” will be passed down to your site. This has a direct impact on your search engine rankings.
Of course, you want to use inclusive writing when guest posting and managing your reputation online. Your brand should appear inclusive to all people.
- Sales
You need customer trust to improve your sales. Your reputation online plays a big part in cultivating that trust. A positive online reputation incentivizes people to give your business a try.
A negative reputation, on the other hand, can hamper your business. Once people have a speck of doubt because of a bad review on G2 or a social media post, it is difficult to clean that up and earn their trust again.
For instance, when fashion house Balenciaga released an ad that showed children holding what appeared to be bondage-themed teddy bears, there was a massive uproar online. As a consequence, the company suffered a 7% decline in comparable fourth-quarter revenue. The $5.67 billion in revenues it reported was way below the almost $6 billion analysts had predicted for the period.
If your business has a positive reputation, keep doing what you are doing. If you do not have an online reputation, it is time to get with the times. But if you have negative reviews, that is not the end. By understanding, resolving, and responding positively to negative comments, you improve your reputation and get an opportunity to reposition your brand as a concerned company.
The graph above shows how responding to negative reviews may influence your sales.
- Brand visibility
Brand visibility today transcends having a physical location with a big sign at the door. It extends to online presence. Therefore, a significant portion of your brand visibility happens online. Online reputation management is how you ensure that you have positive brand visibility on the internet.
For your brand to be visible online, it has to be virtually everywhere. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, among others, are ideal places to be present and visible. One effective way to achieve this is by utilizing hashtags in your Instagram posts, which can help to enhance your brand’s visibility and gain new Instagram followers.
However, you must understand that visibility and a positive online reputation are not mutually exclusive. You can be visible online, but people are talking negatively about your brand. The negative conversation about your brand hurts your business.
Therefore, you need to use online reputation management strategies to ensure your brand visibility remains positive. Only a positive reputation online will serve to improve your business.
Effective online reputation management helps you shape your brand narrative online. A positive brand narrative will attract even more people to check you out.
Moreover, customers are likely to spend between 20 to 40 percent more with companies that interact with them on social media. This social media interaction does not have to be complicated. It is as easy as answering a query or giving them more information. Adobe is a great example.
Online interaction notwithstanding, online reputation management goes beyond social networks. For it to be effective, your brand visibility should be consistent on Google My Business and review sites such as G2, Yelp, and Capterra.
Conclusion:)
Online reputation management is an essential business function, especially in your digital marketing strategy. It should be done on an ongoing basis. Your online reputation management strategy should adapt depending on how fast your business moves.
A well-executed online reputation management strategy will grow your business on multiple fronts. As we have seen, it can increase your referrals, boost your sales, improve your brand visibility, and polish your SEO campaign.
Therefore, your brand’s digital marketing operations must be at the top of reviews on social media and other avenues. So whether you do it in-house or seek online reputation management services, you must be at the top of your online reputation management game.
Nico Prins is the founder of Crunch Marketing, a SaaS SEO agency. The company works with enterprise SaaS clients, helping them scale lead generation globally across EMEA, APAC, and other regions.
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