As you may be aware, our PR team are experts in reputation management.
Today we would like to give you some tips on how to run a low-key campaign to ensure your reputation stays intact. Whether you have assistance from a reputation management agency such as us, or you’re managing yourselves, the following actions are sure to aid you.
Top Tips.
- Keep an eye on your online feedback. Run an alert that will provide a return on your name, each time something is written about your company you will be notified of it.
- Google yourself and see what pops up. IF you see negative reviews try to force those down the rankings with your own social media profiles.
- When searching yourself, ensure you are using Google’s ‘Incognito’ mode. This will ensure the results you see are what others will receive.
- Make sure you look at the first five pages of Google. If left unchecked listings can slowly work their way up.
- If you receive a negative review response immediately. Do not leave it alone as people can fester. Showing compassion and accountability goes a long way towards limiting damage
- When responding to negative comments, don’t answer as a reflex. Think about what could happen and ensure you prepare yourself.
- If someone says something positive about you online, whether it is on social media or online reviews make sure you thank them. If possible maybe offer them something for taking the time to leave a review. These people will naturally become brand evangelists.
- Sometimes Google ranks YouTube higher than actual websites. Have a video made that explains your ethics and vision and try to get that ranking!
- It’s not just videos… Google also displays images that for some of our clients can be detrimental. By consistently posting images on your website and social media you can help to push those pictures further down the rankings.
- Make sure you claim all your online directory and review sites. It could become dangerous if those fall into the wrong hands!
Reputation is everything and is often very precarious. These days it is so important to make your online presence known but in doing this you open yourself up to a world of criticism. The risk, with social media especially, is that the public’s voice will be heard instantly. Bad reviews and opinions can spread like wild fire online and you will need to make sure you don’t get burnt!
Here’s how our reputation management agency advise stopping the bad getting worse.
Listen and Respond appropriately.
‘Appropriately’ being the operative word! Saying something constructive and helpful online in response to a negative review is far better than saying nothing at all. Especially if the comment is directed at your company via your Twitter or Facebook.
Listening online is equally important; prevention is even better than waiting to act when things go wrong. By being tuned in to what your customers are saying about your brand it will ensure you can stop a disaster in its tracks if one is about to erupt on social media.
Always be transparent.
Telling fibs will get you nowhere! Don’t make promises you can’t keep in response to a customer’s complaint. Even if you are desperate to make amends, this will only cause you more problems when you can’t live up to the expectations you set yourself. If you made a mistake, apologize and try to make it right but only by doing what’s within your means.
It is equally as important not to just pretend negative comments that have been posted never existed by removing them. By being honest and upfront you are less likely to receive a backlash and may even retain customer’s as they will appreciate your honesty, knowing you have done everything in your power to try and rectify the problem.
And finally, don’t panic!
You are not always going to agree with a customer’s comment but it is vital that you don’t react in haste. Being rude or belittling a customer’s opinion, especially online your response is posted for all to see and you will no doubt receive further complaints as a result. Keep your cool and do all you can to help.
In this digital era, it is more important than ever that companies have a crisis management plan. There is nothing worse than having an online crisis and not knowing how to deal with it.
Our PR team are experts in reputation management and are committed to helping your company cope in your time of need. Remember, you will never please everybody but if you come across as a business that cares about its customer’s feedback and that you are willing to do what you can keep them happy it will work in your favour.
We hope this helped you. Should you have any questions or require assistance with your online reputation then please get in touch. Remember, with matters like these it is best to be active rather than reactive!
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