Information moves quickly online, spreading faster than you might think possible. Rumors, breaking news, viral videos, funny tweets — it can feel like everything is up for grabs on the web, and really, it is. It can be very difficult then to mold an online reputation that fairly represents your company, especially if your company has been the subject of negative reviews, smear campaigns or even just media coverage.
Being careful about what you say or post online is not just sage advice for teens. As social media becomes more integrated into our daily lives, adults, company CEOs and even public relations experts are revealing too much or making less-than-exemplary calls as to what is appropriate.
Having a firm to handle your company’s online reputation provides you with objective feedback and can suggest a course of action without being overcome with emotion. For example, there have been many cases of negative reviews dominating a company’s social media profile. You may think the best way to end the negativity would be to address the comments head-on. This can prove disastrous. Sure, there may be time when Online Potential’s reputation management team will advise responding to feedback, but often that can just provide food for the “trolls.”
Why Would My Company Need to Manage its Reputation?
The most common reason businesses in Orlando turn to Online Potential is because negative reviews have begun to have an impact on sales or conversion. Or perhaps those reviews are landing on Google’s first page of results, which means a lot of people are reading them. We often deal with negative reviews by either addressing false claims or just burying the review. These bad reviews are hurting your online reputation, and it may be scaring away your potential consumers.
Another issue we encounter often is that companies aren’t taking full advantage of the Internet to build a better reputation. We hear from CEOs and owners who say they don’t take part in posting videos or photos, so there’s no way “bad stuff” can get leaked. Well, if your company isn’t on social media, you aren’t reaching your online potential. You need to have an online presence in order to connect with consumers and give them a reason to choose you over competitors.
At Online Potential, we also take the individual into account when focusing on a company’s online reputation. Your personal social media profiles should be able to link you to the company. For example, if you own a bakery, you should probably list baking as an interest or hobby on your own profile. By doing these small tie-ins, you can build credibility for your business while shedding light on your own life. Those who hide or refuse to disclose information are often seen by consumers as untrustworthy. Don’t let others make false assumptions about you or your business.
How Can Online Potential Help?
We can do it all for your business. We’ll help you set up profiles, monitor feedback across multiple sites, and repair any damage as soon as possible. Our monitoring systems lets us review collected data in real time, so it’s possible to bury some negative reviews before anyone has a chance to see them. We’ll also show you how to implement safeguards on your personal and company accounts so that consumers are seeing only what you want them to. Many times we’re faced with helping a client who needs extensive clean-up, but had the company been active in monitoring their online reputation from the start, the situation would not be so dire.
The old saying, “it doesn’t matter what other people think,” is a good way to live your personal life, but don’t shrug off criticisms and reviews and assume your consumers will, too. Protect yourself, and your company, by being proactive and building a reputation for your company that others will admire.
