A good online reputation has become the core of any successful business. So, availing the ORM services of an ORM company or agency has become the norm today. Even the experts recommend it. Still, for those businesses who haven’t done so yet, here we are sharing some expert suggested proven Online Reputation Management tips, to start with. These will benefit the business in establishing, growing & sustaining the online reputation.

Without wasting any more time, here they come….

Proven and workable online reputation management (ORM) tips for your business:

• Keep an eye on what people have to say about your business

The first step of course is – knowing what the current reputation of your business is. Only then one can manage it.

In order to know about your current online reputation, check out what other people are talking about your business on the web. Go through the various social media platforms and websites dedicated towards posting reviews.

Begin by googling your business and observing the first few results which appear. Doing so would give you an idea about what customers see when they Google your business.

Also, keep an eye on platforms like Glassdoor, Indeed, and similar ones as people will post reviews about your business as feedback on your products and services. Such feedback would give you a fair idea about the customer sentiment and your online reputation.

Using tools like Google Alerts, Chatmeter, Social Mention, and so on would notify you whenever your business name gets mentioned on the internet. After receiving an alert, one can verify the corresponding content and see what it is saying about your business.

If one finds doing all this difficult or tedious, then the option of seeking the best reputation management services is always there. After all, professionals are professionals.

Remember, a clear understanding of your online reputation is the primary step in reputation management.

1. Ensure a prominent presence on popular websites

It is essential for businesses/companies to take efforts and make a presence almost everywhere. This is no exaggeration. It consists of creation of daily active profiles on popular sites such as Google+, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. However, do not overdo it as it would become difficult to deal with and manage an excess number of such accounts. Businesses that are into technology should particularly adopt this method as those customers who spend a considerable time online will check out these popular websites/platforms and crawl to the particular business.

To summarize, just find an optimum website to promote your business. One that would come close and match the company and what it is all about. There are literally dozens of options.

• Always be ready to apologize

No business can be perfect. Mistakes are bound to happen. However, if they occur in the case of customers, be prepared to apologize. Customers will always expect the best services and/or products from businesses. But at times, it might not happen. So, it is always better to take up the responsibility for a mistake or failure if the situation demands it. Don’t be afraid or hesitant to do so. In fact, customers appreciate genuine apologies coming from businesses as it shows a caring attitude. Correcting the mistakes quickly by maintaining a professional approach would portray to the customers that one means business. This would do your business reputation good.

• Blogging

The majority of businesses are known to create and utilize blogs for attracting audiences. While browsing through such blogs, they might come across business blogs that could attract them and result in following the blog and reaching out to the business for more information. While going for business blogging, it is essential to blog about attractive and interesting topics related to the business. It can be business products and services. Make it captivating for the readers. In addition, make all the posts friendly and positive. It would definitely help in boosting the reputation of the business.

Although not an exhaustive list, these are some of the utility ORM tips for businesses. Do try them out.

• Do not forget to respond to customer reviews

Response to customer reviews and comments is a vital aspect of reputation management. Interaction with your customers would facilitate the creation of a positive digital reputation.

How to go about it?

Respond to the customers at the earliest. E.g. If any customer has specifically complained about your product/service, a response is required before any third-party entity talks about it. In the worst case, if the customer does not receive a response, the customer might get frustrated and feel like the business does not care about them or their complaint. This will have a huge negative impact on the overall reputation of a business.

If a complaint cannot be addressed immediately due to various reasons, don’t avoid giving a response. Instead, buy time by responding accordingly.

Also, do respond to the positive customer reviews as well. Appreciate their positive feedback. A warm thanks is also good. Express desire to offer similar quality products and services in the future as well.

Always ensure that your responses to the customers are courteous and civil in nature. This is irrespective of how the customer has addressed your business. Handling negative feedback correctly would prove to be beneficial for your online reputation.

Addressing fake reviews is one more aspect. Luckily, the majority of websites which host reviews permit to flag fake reviews such that they can be removed. Reporting of reviews containing foul or inappropriate language is also allowed.

Don’t wish to put effort and time into this? Hiring an online reputation management agency would serve the purpose. Do it anyhow but do it.

For those businesses who are on the lookout for top-notch online reputation management services providers, IBRANDtech happens to be a leading customized ORM solutions and services provider. Get in touch with them to know more.