In this article, we will take a deeper look at how the online reputation of your brand impacts your business, how an online reputation agency can help you build a better image, and what are the steps involved in choosing the right reputation management services for your business.
As consumers (and even businesses) more frequently rely on the internet to find new services or products, and to research a company, it has become increasingly important for brands to manage their reputation online. A sub-par image online is crucial to the success of your company. It will also dissuade customers from buying your products or using your services. That is why most businesses are now using online reputation management services to boost their online credibility.
A reliable reputation management agency can combat negative online content, promote positive messages, and in some cases, help manage disasters. If you want to know more about the workings of reputation management services and what benefits they offer to an online brand, keep scrolling. We will take a deeper look at the topic and find out how you can choose an agency that suits your business requirements.
What is reputation management?
Online reputation management is an approach that involves observing and managing an organization’s internet reputation. A company can utilize multiple strategies for the same including search engine optimization, content development, social media marketing, etc. These digital marketing practices will help brands to maintain a positive image or mend a poor reputation.
What are reputation management services?
There are many who think that reputation management services are all about fixing negative news and reviews about a brand. While yes, it is a crucial part of the service, it is not the only thing it offers. Maintaining a good reputation is essential in building your business online. Especially as your business grows in scale.
With the help of an online reputation management agency, an organization can establish protocols and precautions to follow when facing negative ratings online. This will include social media content, search engine reviews, and third-party commentary about your services.
Why your business needs an online reputation management agency?
According to this study by Qualtrics XM institute, a business runs the risk of losing up to 14.7% of its revenue when customer experience rates poorly. This applies to companies across different industries, especially if there is a public platform online where customers can share their experiences.
With the right reputation management agency and strategy, your business can prevent potential reputational risks like:
· Poor search engine rankings
· Revenue loss and reduced profits
· High employee turnover rate
· Poor customer retention metrics
· Low brand engagement and customer impressions
Types of Reputation Management Services
There are numerous white-label reputation management services that offer various specializations and functionalities to offer. So, make sure you find one that perfectly matches your business needs and requirements. Here are some things to look out for:
· Personal reputation management
Every encounter on the internet can become a matter of discussion when both professional and personal accounts are accessible online. This can be challenging when building a brand’s reputation. A reputation management agency can manage personal reputation by supporting and balancing public business profiles as your staff network with industry peers.
· Content management
Managing content on the internet would include tasks like featuring positive feedback, removing negative content, and managing overall spam. Getting negative feedback is unavoidable since no business can produce perfect results all the time.
Read More: Learn how to drive more sales through an effective content marketing strategy
· SEO management
Integrating the best practices of search engine optimization is a crucial aspect of content management. This includes keyword research and optimization, along with content planning and development. Improving the search engine ranking will increase your website’s discoverability and highlight your best products and services.
· Social media management
Building and following a strategy to manage your social media reputation organically will increase follower count. Effective reputation management services will also be able to craft good quality content that is valuable to your audience group.
· Third-party website management
Apart from the traditional social media websites and the feedback received by your customer service teams, there are other third-party platforms to generate online reviews for businesses. Working with reliable reputation management services to manage your brand image online will guarantee that your positive impression is intact on these websites as well.
Do I need to hire a reputation management agency?
At its core, the main objective of your business is to offer a service to your customers. So naturally, ensuring customer satisfaction is highly dependent on making a sale. With constant online reputation monitoring, you would be able to keep track of your products, understand how well they are being received and what more can be done.
Consider the following scenarios, and if you believe that they are present in your company, then it is time to partner with a reputation management agency:
· You do not have the right resources to measure customer insights
This scenario is highly probable if you own a smaller team and are still in the growing stages. You may find it challenging to address customer concerns initially. An experienced reputation management agency will prepare you well to handle issues when your services end up being poorly received.
· You are receiving poor feedback from previous customers
There is simply no easy way to avoid harsh criticisms from customers. And if issues escalate further, it is always better to rely on specialists to manage reputation. They can also support you through the whole experience and also help you recover your positive standing.
If possible, it is better to collaborate with a reputation management agency right from the start as this will prevent such issues from happening altogether. Although it is not always an option for small businesses, they can rely on experienced digital marketing services to build a positive brand image and maintain an active online presence.
· You want to expand your service list, but don’t know where to start
Insufficient data can be a hindrance in determining your future endeavors and planning ahead. Feedback and criticisms from your customers can actually help you decide what services or products to build next. Competent reputation management services can help you there. They can help you collect the correct data to update your product development specialists and grow your company further.
How to choose a reputation management agency for your business?
While there are multiple options in the market, you need to ensure that you choose the right reputation management agency for your business. One that aids in maintaining a positive image of your business and managing negative reviews and comments.
Here are some things you need to look for in a reputed third-party reputation management agency before hiring:
· Customized services – a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach does not work with reputation management strategies. Every business is different and so are its requirements. Look for an agency that performs in-depth market research and campaign analysis to build online reputation services that meet your requirements, demands, and industry standards.
· Robust reputation management tools – look for an agency that relies on online tools, preferably customized ones, to launch and monitor client camp. Also, try to ensure that these tools are effective within your industry and will enable you to develop new ways to improve your functionalities.
· Comprehensive reports – ask about their review management system and monitoring tools. An experienced reputation management agency will maintain transparent metrics offering you access to campaign reports, dashboards, and tracking tools so that you can track your online progress anytime you wish.
· Diverse industry expertise – look for an agency that has experience serving businesses across different industry verticals. Moreover, choose an agency that offers various other services along with reputation management like digital marketing, UI UX design services, etc.
Key Takeaways
In short, we recommend that irrespective of the size and type of your business, you should work with a reputation management agency. This will help you take advantage of the numerous benefits that we have listed above.
Always make sure that you measure your performance through brand impressions to understand how well your products are being received. This will enable you to make the right strategies and efforts to create exceptional service. However, be prepared for negative feedback as well. Always keep monitoring your customers’ comments, reviews, and other feedback to help guide your major business decisions.If you need further assistance from an experienced company, consult the expertise of our reputation management experts to audit your online brand image and presence. They can also assist you in determining what steps to take to deal with poor feedback and positive reviews. Get started now!