If you do not manage your brand reputation correctly, various negative consequences might occur. Negative press, one-star reviews, and quiet phones drive sales in the same direction.
However, you may get back on track by improving your brand reputation management approach.
We’ll review the symptoms that show you need a more robust brand management plan. Then, we’ll inspire you with stories of firms that resurrected their ailing brand reputations.
What is Online Reputation Management?
Online reputation management boosts a brand’s perceived value, trustworthiness, and general public attitude to increase market share.
10 Signs Your Online Reputation Needs Cleanup!
Identifying the signals that your online reputation needs maintenance is so critical.
From poor reviews to decreasing social media engagement, we’ve compiled a list of ten symptoms that make it time to take proactive steps to safeguard your reputation and elevate the image of your company.
a. Decline in Sales
Several variables, including your internet reputation, might contribute to a reduction in sales. While market circumstances and competition are essential factors, bad information surfacing in search results or social media can exacerbate the slump.
For example, a restaurant that notices fewer bookings may discover that poor reviews or adverse internet mentions are discouraging consumers.
By regularly examining sales statistics and your internet reputation, you may discover possible problems and take remedial action before they become more serious.
b. Negative Customer Reviews
According to a 2023 survey of over 8,000 U.S. consumers, 90% check internet reviews before purchasing.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: potential consumers may select your competition if your evaluations are mostly bad or have been heading downward. Don’t merely watch comments and respond to unfavorable evaluations. Learn from unfavorable reviews.
According to Harvard Business Review Research, consumers who read one-star ratings are more likely to purchase.
How can you make use of that?
c. Poor Search Engine Rankings
Negative material might rank your website lower in search engine results, lowering visibility. For example, if you search “Is [my brand] legit?”
Other websites may provide negative information.
One strategy we offer is to produce your article titled “Is [my brand] legit?”
Research what bad things people are saying about your brand, goods, and services, true or fictitious, and address them on your website honestly and positively.
Wouldn’t you rather appear in search results when someone searches “is [my brand] legit” than a negative review site?
When your Google ranking declines, you should check for any damaging information and take steps to have it removed. An online reputation management approach enhances your other SEO methods while mitigating the negative impact.
Regularly analyzing your search engine results, creating good material, and responding to bad content may all assist in reducing the consequences of negative content.
d. Difficulty In Attracting Talent
Empty seats may indicate that your brand’s reputation requires work. Job applicants, like your prospects, are undertaking informal sentiment analyses of your brand’s reputation. Furthermore, 69% of applicants will refuse to work for a firm with a negative brand reputation.
e. Low Social Media Engagement
Do not overlook social media’s ability to affect brand recognition. If you don’t have many followers or your postings go unnoticed, it’s time to start using social media marketing.
Paid advertisements aren’t enough anymore. Even if people see your sponsored ad, it will not have the same impact as social media promotion. Many individuals do not trust paid advertising. In addition, ad blockers are becoming increasingly popular.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms may be the finest ways to contact your consumers. Using influencers may help you improve engagement, sales, and brand reputation all at the same time.
f. Negative Media Coverage
Hate websites and bad media coverage can seriously harm your reputation. Early detection and resolution of these difficulties is critical.
Companies such as United Airlines have had public relations nightmares due to poor media coverage. The firm suffered a public relations crisis after a viral video showed a customer being brutally pulled from an overbooked flight. Its stock fell 4%, and social media users urged boycotts.
In response, United issued an apology on its Facebook page. It also announced policy improvements, such as raising compensation for bumped passengers and reducing law enforcement use for passenger removal.
While its equities eventually rebounded, United learned a bitter lesson about the speed with which news spreads on social media. It is critical to respond quickly to unfavorable press.
g. Customer Feedback/Complaints On Public Forums
Customers frequently complain in public forums and on review sites. Monitor these platforms and answer professionally but truly to minimize harm and demonstrate that you value client input.
A system for recording and responding to complaints can help you enhance customer satisfaction and online reputation. In a subsequent part, we’ll look at several solutions for automating brand mention tracking.
h. Your Competitor Has Better Brand Reputation
Almost 90% of your prospects conduct internet research before making a purchase. And if your competitors are trying to control their brand reputation and you are not, you will lose out. Consider this:
- 95% of Google searches never reach the second page of results.
- Businesses notice a 9% gain in sales when their overall rating rises by one star.
- 78% of people base their purchases on social media influence.
- Over half of consumers will modify their minds about a negative review based on the company’s reaction.
- Social media users mention brands an average of 360 times every month.
i. Increased Customer Service Issues
Frequent customer service complaints might be indicative of underlying brand reputation issues.
Address these issues and enhance your customer service methods to help you rebuild your internet reputation. Training customer service representatives to handle complaints empathetically and adequately is critical to success.
j. High Customer Churn Rate
A high client turnover rate may indicate discontent with your business. Analyzing feedback and providing better customer service might help you minimize turnover while boosting your reputation.
Customer retention is also improved by implementing customer loyalty programs and soliciting feedback regularly.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining a positive online reputation is critical for company success in the digital era. You can safeguard and improve your brand’s image by spotting warning indicators early on and taking proactive actions.
Invest in educating your team to manage online interactions properly and employ reputation management technologies to make the process easier.
A well-managed internet reputation does more than simply attract new clients. It keeps current ones by instilling trust.
You can control your internet reputation. Stay watchful and involved, and always seek to improve your online image for long-term success.
FAQs
a. What is online reputation management, and why is it essential for businesses?
Online reputation management is the process of monitoring, influencing, and maintaining a favorable view of a company on the Internet. It is critical for organizations since a positive online reputation fosters trust, attracts consumers, and increases credibility. Negative reviews or damaging material can undermine a brand’s image, lowering sales and limiting long-term growth.
b. How can I improve my online reputation after negative reviews or comments?
To enhance your online reputation following poor reviews, respond politely and professionally, suggesting remedies if feasible. Encourage pleased consumers to offer positive feedback and constantly share useful material to reestablish trust. Use social listening technologies to monitor comments, learn from criticism, and improve customer experience.
c. What tools or strategies are most effective for managing and monitoring online reputation?
Google Alerts, Hootsuite, and Brand24 are useful tools for managing online reputation since they track brand mentions and reviews across several platforms. Strategies include reacting quickly to reviews, promoting good comments, connecting with customers on social media, and creating quality, consistent material. Regular audits and SEO optimization are also beneficial in maintaining a great image.