Online reputation is defined as the process of managing the online information of a person, company, or brand. It is done by a reputation management tools which aims at maintaining brand reputation, crisis management, and damaged reputation recovery. It is estimated that about 91% of consumers do online research before making a purchase.
A brand’s reputation helps build trust with consumers, employers, and investors. This as a result can help grow your business more effectively thereby bringing more Return on Investment. The best way to achieve this is through effective online reputation management.
Benefits of well-managed online reputation
- A well-managed online reputation can be treated as an advantage since at some point, your potential customers will be deciding whether to buy your or your competitor’s product and they will likely choose the brand with a stronger online reputation.
- A strong online reputation is an affirmation of your credibility and the best proof you can think of. It certifies the quality and value of your product or service. Reputation makes your brand more trustworthy and is a sign of your customers’ loyalty
Online reputation is a crucial factor for every type of brand. Research shows that 83% of customers use the Internet to research the company before they decide to make a purchase. That is why it is important to stay and manage your online image.
Apart from obviously maintaining your positive brand image, online reputation management can additionally help you with preventing public relations crises, reducing churning, and strengthening your relationships with clients. It also helps in reaching new customers and building your online presence.
Online reputation management tools
Reputation management software is a reasonable choice for brands of all sizes that have an online presence. Here are some of the best online management tools which can be used for monitoring:-
1. Brand24
Used mostly by small and medium companies that want to monitor their business and brand image. It is one of the best reputation management software which money can buy and it is easy to use, effective and affordable.
It is a media monitoring and analytics tool which offers great insights into an online presence. The tool not only collects mentions of any keyword from customer reviews, negative feedback, review sites, blogs, videos, and other places but also analyses the performance of these mentions on numerous level
2. Brand watch
Founded way back in 2005, it has become one of the best online reputation management software there It is a web and social media monitoring tool with many powerful functions mostly for medium and large enterprises. One feature that is particularly handy is the reputation management dashboard and it’s just a starting point.
3. Mention
Another online reputation management tool is one of the top web and social media monitoring tools. It does a great job as an online reputation management software tracking company mentions across social media and websites. And has also a separate tool to monitor and analyze online reputation management which is The Brand Grader.
4. Reputology
Reputation management software is used for small, medium, and large enterprises. The great thing about the software is that it strongly relies on location which is something of huge value for businesses operating locally. Reputology offers solutions for customer feedback and review monitoring
5. Hootsuite
The tool allows managing reputation across social media platforms and offers plenty of features to make managing, analyzing, and reporting even more effective.
Tips for maintaining online reputation
Your online reputation is represented by what the internet says about you. Businesses with positive online reputations can cash on “good publicity Managing your online reputation effectively, requires a strategy to establish yourself as a trusted resource in your industry.
Some companies have to fight a negative influence after a scandal emerges, or fight negative or biased rumors that can spread online.
1. Secure Your Brand Name
The first step in online reputation management should be to claim your brand name. Whether you are an ordinary individual or a company, or an organization, you need to be in control of your name and image
2. Manage Your Name Across Online Media
Once you have secured your brand name, open and complete your account on various platforms.
3. Claim Your Listings on Authority Sites
You should put your name on the top listings for your industry by completing your profile. This includes online directories including Yellow Pages, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google.
4. Own Your Search Results
You need to control or at least influence which keywords you rank best for and be in control of what search terms bring up your name in their top search engine results pages.
5. Consistent Responses
You are in control of what you post, so ensure your message is the same across all platforms. On the other hand, you cannot control what other people say or post. However, how you respond to other people’s remarks or opinions is what builds or breaks your online reputation. Be transparent, specific, and consistent in how you address issues.
6. Cultivate Online Relationships
Social media is about creating relationships and engaging with your networks. Your best online reputation management strategy should involve cultivating positive relationships with influencers.
7. Engage with your Audience
You should adopt an approach when engaging with your audience. A head-on approach will ensure your audience that you listen to their feedback and what they think matters to you.
Are you prepared to rule the Digital world? Start stocking your toolkit with the proper equipment. Try a free trial of Helium or contact one of our online reputation experts right now if you need help deciding where to start!
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