Reputation management has been around for a while now. In its broad terms, it refers to various techniques of influencing and controlling an individual’s or a company’s reputation. Even though these are public relations terms, reputation management has seen a significant uptake with the appearance of the internet and social media.
It also implies that a brand’s reputation is more dynamic than ever before. Every social media comment, review, or blog post will add to its evolution, meaning that you will have to keep a constant eye out on what’s happening in the digital world. Keep in mind that every time someone comes across your brand online, they will start forming their impression based on whatever content is out there, good or bad.
You will have to continually stay ahead of what’s being said by proactively managing, replying, and improving on all feedback that you receive over the internet. Here are several steps that will help you achieve just that.
Asking Customers for Reviews
Many brands wonder how they can get customers to post more reviews, preferably good ones. There’s also another factor to consider here. No brand can escape bad reviews – it’s bound to happen at some point. What’s more, negative feedback tends to be more impactful than a positive one. A study has shown that the perfect positive-negative review ratio should be at 6:1 or higher.
No doubt, the best way to get more customers posting reviews to balance that ratio out, is by asking them. You can offer some incentives, such as free stuff, a certain percentage off on their next order, or stuff like that. It doesn’t have to be big, but enough to incentivize people to post their opinion. A healthy ratio of positive and negative reviews will also prove to others that your business is authentic.
Micro-Influencers
Traditionally, influencer marketing was only accessible to large businesses that could afford it. TV commercials, huge billboards, or even magazine ads were not tools reserved for small enterprises or start-ups. But with the rise of social media, influencer marketing has become a more level playing field. Granted, movie stars or other celebrities are still off the table for most businesses, but they may have something better – micro-influencers.
These are people who have a considerable social media following – between 1,000 to 100,000 followers – and who can advertise your brand on your behalf. The benefit that these micro-influencers have as compared to their larger counterparts is cost-effectiveness. Big influencers, by definition, have a vast following, meaning that most of them will have little to no interest in your brand or what it has to offer.
But by using the right micro-influencers, you can target an audience that, not only has a higher interest but they can also be in your geographical area, among other such highly targeted benefits. A good analogy here would be carpet bombing vs. a high-precision strike.
Takeaway
While these approaches here are by no means exhaustive, they do show how you can boost your online reputation. In the end, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all. A bit of trial and error on your part may be required before you find the right mix of techniques. The point is to keep trying.
