When you have a new business and associated brand, and you are trying to ensure that you are spreading the word about it as best as you can, there are all sorts of things that you might want to bear in mind here. The truth is that there are plenty of ways in which you can do this, and as long as you are aware of that you should find that you are able to make it work pretty well for you.
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The internet never forgets. Every little action and omission has a permanent record. A company’s online reputation is like a shield protecting it from outside influences and bad press.
When consumers start seeing your company’s name associated with negative or unflattering experiences, they will be far less likely to trust you in the future. For this reason, reputation management is essential when running a business online.
Here are some ways that you may be harming your company’s online reputation without even realizing it.
1. Do You Respond to Online Reviews Too Quickly?
If you have an online presence, you will certainly receive reviews of your products or services. It can be frustrating when someone leaves you a one-star review and immediately contacts you for a solution. However, it’s better to wait until at least a few days after posting.
Responding too quickly can come across as not caring. This will only make the customer feel worse about their experience and make them less likely to leave a positive review in the future.
2. Are You Monitoring What’s Being said About You?
As we’ve covered, online reviews play a big part in determining how people perceive your business. If you are not monitoring what people are saying about you online, you are missing out on a chance to defend yourself and your brand.
There are many places to post reviews, including your company’s website and social media platforms. If you find that people leave negative reviews, you need to act. Sit down as a team and discuss what happened. If you respond quickly, you may accidentally dig yourself a deeper hole.
3. Do You Provide Mediocre Customer Service Experiences?
Customers will leave you negative reviews for a variety of reasons. Some of them will be outlandish. Others may be disappointed with the way your company handled a situation. Whatever the reason, you need to be able to respond quickly and clearly with incredible customer service experiences.
If a customer contacts you for assistance, you need to be able to communicate with them as soon as possible. This may mean replying to their email within an hour. It may also mean answering their call when they leave you a voicemail. If a customer has a negative experience, they are more likely to share it with their friends and family.
The Bottom Line
When your business has a digital presence, you must know what’s going on. There are many ways that you could be harming your company’s online reputation. Some of them are subtle and easy to fix. Others are more serious and require a deeper investigation. If you want to protect your brand and start seeing positive reviews coming in, you need to take a closer look to manage your brand’s reputation proactively.
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