Online Marketing | What is Online Reputation Management?

Investing in online marketing may not seem like a top priority, but nothing is more valuable than a good reputation. The more positive impressions that consumers have about you, the more willing they’ll be to become your customers. When you work with an online marketing and reputation company, you can ensure that your business has the best reputation.

What is Online Reputation Management?

Online reputation management is the art of gauging how people are talking about you online and steering that talk in a positive direction and is a great tool for online marketing. It involves paying attention to any mention of your brand online. It also means inviting customers to communicate with you about all their experiences, both positive and negative. By emphasizing positive impressions while correcting negative ones, you can get both existing and potential customers to view you more positively. In the process, you can also spread awareness of your brand, boosting your prospects for growth.

Why Does Reputation Management Matter?

When customers decide where to make a purchase, they want to know that the company they’re buying from is trustworthy, responsible, and caring. This is particularly true for products and services that are essential for clients’ health and wellbeing. When someone is looking for medical treatment, they don’t care if the clinic they’re considering has memorized the latest healthcare marketing trends; they want to know if that clinic will take good care of them. Thus if a facility has a reputation for treating its patients well, they’re far more likely to choose it.

Many healthcare facilities and other organizations believe that they can sustain a good reputation simply by doing their work competently and courteously. But while good performance is necessary for a good reputation, it isn’t sufficient. You also need to make sure that people notice when you do well and understand the necessary context if you do poorly. Only through careful reputation management can you ensure that your good work is rewarded in the public eye.

How Can I Manage My Reputation Online?

Online reputation management is all about opening yourself up to customer feedback and tracking your brand online. This involves:

• Communicating on All Channels– With the help of an experienced internet marketing firm, set up a review page for your website, as well as company accounts for Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages. Encourage customers to leave reviews, tweets, and comments about their experiences. You should also keep an eye on independent fora and review sites, looking out for any mention of your business.
• Responding to Feedback– Whenever a customer leaves a review, comment, or other form of feedback, respond to it as quickly and comprehensively as possible. If the feedback is positive, thank the customer and ask how you can improve their experience even further. If it’s negative, apologize and ask how you can do better.
• Perform Better– Based on both positive and negative feedback, make every effort to improve your company, and let customers know you’re doing so. This shows that you care about what customers have to say and are changing your behavior accordingly.

It may seem overwhelming to respond to every review and comment about your business, but it will be worth your investment. For help managing your online reputation, iProv is working with Reputation.com which offers insight into reputation management for businesses of all stripes in Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information on cultivating a positive public image, and creating a user friendly website, contact iProv today at (501) 235-8194 and let the professionals take care of your online reputation.