Running a business can often feel like a constant stream of to-do lists and meetings. You’ve probably got enough going on already, and it’s important to be judicious in deciding what is really going to help your business in the long run. After all, there are dozens of things you could be doing to market your business. Should online reputation management be one of them? And what is reputation management, anyway?
Check out our guide below to learn why a good reputation is crucial to your business, and how management reviews can take your business to the next level. Once you’ve read up on online reviews, you’ll be equipped to handle review management with ease—along with everything else you’ve got on your plate.
Why Is a Good Reputation Important in Business?
In today’s world, customers have a wealth of options for any given product or service. The paradox of choice often has customers paralyzed when it comes time to make a decision on even the smallest items, from an alarm clock to a new set of pens.
To combat the stress of choosing from so many options, customers turn to online reviews. It’s now the norm for customers to spend a great deal of time reading up on a product before making any purchase. Many customers even spend time reading online reviews in the aisles of brick and mortar stores, because they know a product with a good online reputation won’t let them down.
For this reason, it’s more important than ever to make sure your company has a positive online reputation. Having a stellar reputation will boost your reach, bring in new customers, and grow your business like never before.
How Managing Reviews Can Help Your Reputation
Getting a great online reputation starts by having a quality product. You’ll never be able to earn a solid base of positive reviews if your product just doesn’t please your customers. But even companies with a great product also have to invest time in managing their reviews.
Here are three reasons managing reviews can help boost your reputation:
1. Improve Your Product
When you’re keeping a pulse on online reviews, you’ll really get to know what your customers think about your company and your products. You’ll be able to recognize patterns in the reviews and find out what’s working, and where you can improve. Take this valuable input and use it to further improve your company processes and products.
2. Increase Customer Loyalty
Companies who manage their online reputation will take the time to respond to both positive and negative reviews. This will allow them to build a stronger relationship with customers, turning happy customers into loyalists. These loyal customers will be eager to spread the word about your company. They’ll become brand ambassadors who market your business to the world, without any incentive.
3. Help Unsatisfied Customers
When you’re managing your online reviews, you’re sure to come across at least a few upset customers. Take this opportunity to fix the problem, whether you think your company is at fault or not. You can respond to these reviews and acknowledge the customer’s right to be upset, then find a way to please the customer with a new product, discount, or apology.
Why Is Your Online Reputation Important?
Your online reputation is a vital part of creating a thriving modern business. Customers will take to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms to talk about your business, and you’ll be missing out on the conversation if you don’t take the time for online reputation management.
Word of mouth has always been one of the most powerful forms of marketing, and an online reputation is just that. Customers will trust other people’s reviews over any other charming marketing campaign, and they’ll often buy a product they’re unfamiliar with based solely on good reviews.
How Do I Clean Up My Online Reputation?
If you have a bad online reputation, all is not lost. First, you can clean up your reputation by requesting that the platform take down any bad reviews. Sites like Facebook and Google may be willing to delete content if you make a good case for why it should be deleted e.g. the content is a lie or excessively defamatory.
Next, you can respond to bad reviews and try to make things right with the customer. If you’re able to make the customer happy, you can ask them to edit their bad review, or make a new positive review.
Lastly, try drowning out bad content with new, positive content. You can do this by asking happy customers to leave you a review, or by creating new and engaging content on your blog and social media channels that will show up higher in your SEO rankings.