An Introduction to Online Reputation Management
The process of managing reputations online has been in existence ever since the first websites began to offer review services. As the potential to review a company, brand or place online becomes more prevalent, so too does the need to manage these services in order to preserve a reputation.
There are an increasing number of companies offering this service and it goes without saying that the results provided by each vary in quality. As the concept of search engine optimisation has evolved, so too has the need to constantly stay up to date on best practices. If you employ the services of an online reputation company who are using outdated techniques then you could actually end up doing more damage to your online reputation.
People often underestimate the damage that a single negative review can do to a company. With the advent of social media, people are increasingly keen to share their opinions about products and this isn’t always a good thing for those responsible for the product in question! If someone posts a negative review of a product to their social media pages then a large portion of their network are likely to see it. People generally trust the opinion of their friends and family and this can cause a wave of distrust in this product. When researching a product people will normally conduct a Google search themselves. If they have already seen a negative review of this product on Facebook or Twitter, then it is even more essential that they see a good review in the search results – otherwise the possibility that they will purchase it is practically zero!
By recruiting an online reputation management company to promote your brand on the search engines, you are able to counteract any negative influence that might exist across the social media sphere. It can be impossible to change perceptions of a product once a seed of doubt is planted but the more positivity that exists in relation to your brand, the easier this process becomes.
It is important to remember that online reputation management is an ongoing process and can’t simply be used infrequently as a response to a situation. It is a great idea to constantly retain the services of a professional agency and then increase the budget during appropriate moments when you need a little bit of extra attention. This will prevent the need to worry when negative press does appear and you will always be alert to situations as soon as they occur!
By Alix Jones
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