Learn key online reputation management for businesses: optimize content, monitor mentions, and respond to feedback professionally.
Online reputation management refers to the process of monitoring, maintaining, and improving a business’s reputation online. With the rise of online reviews, social media, and other digital platforms, online reputation has become critically important for businesses of all sizes.
Studies show that 91% of people read online reviews before visiting or purchasing from a local business. Positive online ratings and reviews can increase leads and sales, while negative activity and reviews can deter potential customers and damage brand image. Managing and protecting your small business’s reputation online should be a top priority.
How a Negative Online Reputation Can Hurt Small Businesses
A negative online reputation can have significant detrimental impacts on a small business. According to a study by StatusLabs, businesses with four or more negative articles ranking on the first page of search results risk losing up to 70% of prospective customers.
Some of the key ways a bad online reputation can hurt small businesses include:
- Loss of customers/revenue: Negative reviews and complaints cause customers to go elsewhere, directly impacting sales and revenue.
- Lower website rankings: Poor reputation and low-quality backlinks can cause a site to rank lower in search engines, making it harder to discover a business online.
- Damage to brand image and trust: Unhappy customers sharing negative experiences can severely damage a brand’s image and trustworthiness.
Proactively monitoring and managing online reputation is crucial for small businesses who cannot afford the customer losses from a damaged brand image.
Key SEO Strategies for Reputation Management
There are several effective SEO strategies that small businesses can implement to help build a positive online reputation and attract more customers:
- Optimize positive online content like your website, blog posts and social media profiles for relevant branded keywords related to your business name, products, services and location. This practice boosts positive content in search results when people look for your business online. For example, include your keywords in headlines, image names, meta descriptions and content naturally.
- Build inbound links and local citations pointing to your website and online properties like Google My Business. Relevant links from other quality sites indicate trust and authority in Google’s eyes. Create and promote shareworthy content that reputable sites may be interested in featuring.
- Actively create and promote positive social media content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Post engaging content like images, videos, stories and posts showcasing your products, services, culture and values. Encourage happy customers to post reviews.
- Publish press releases on newsworthy developments and work to secure positive media coverage in local/industry publications. Earned media builds brand visibility and trust.
- Encourage genuine positive reviews on sites like Google, Facebook and industry-specific review platforms. Make it easy for happy customers to leave feedback.
Monitoring Your Online Reputation
Actively monitoring your online reputation is crucial for spotting any emerging issues or negative feedback early. There are several ways small businesses can keep a pulse on what’s being said about their brand online:
Setting Up Brand Mention Alerts
Google Alerts and Talkwalker Alerts allow you to receive notifications whenever your brand name, keywords, or phrases are mentioned online. Setting up alerts for your business name, products, and services makes it easy to monitor brand mentions across the web.
Regularly Checking Review Sites
Actively visit review platforms like Yelp, Google My Business, and Facebook to see the latest customer feedback. Reviewing recent reviews helps you spot any concerning trends or issues to address quickly. Monitoring reviews weekly is ideal.
Social Media Listening
Social media management tools like Hootsuite allow you to track keywords and brand mentions across social networks. This feature helps monitor customer sentiment and conversations happening about your business on social media.
Reputation Tracking Tools
There are many services that can aggregate reviews, social mentions, and online listings in one dashboard to monitor your brand’s overall online reputation. The tools generate alerts for urgent issues.
Responding to Negative Reviews and Feedback
It is tempting to ignore or delete negative reviews and feedback, but this is rarely the right approach. The best practice is to respond professionally and aim to resolve the issue. Here are tips for responding effectively:
- Do not ignore or delete negative reviews. Doing so often makes the unhappy customer even more upset that you dismissed their concerns. It’s best to acknowledge the criticism and address it constructively.
- Respond calmly and professionally. Thank the customer for their feedback and say you’ll look into their concerns. Avoid emotional or defensive language.
- Apologize if appropriate. If the customer points out a real mistake or problem, say “I’m sorry” and aim to make it right. This response shows you care and are committed to delivering good service.
- Offer solutions. Explain how you plan to address their complaint and make improvements. Provide contact information to follow up with additional concerns.
- Turn a negative into a positive. Convert dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates by delighting them with excellent solutions. Follow up to ensure you have fully resolved their issues.
- Keep responses short and sincere. Long defensive replies often make things worse. Focus on understanding the customer’s perspective and solving their issues constructively.
Affordable Tools and Services for Small Businesses
Small businesses have several affordable options when it comes to online reputation management tools and services. Here are some top choices:
- Review monitoring platforms allow you to monitor reviews across major sites. You can get alerts for new reviews, analyze trends, and respond efficiently.
- Online reputation software offers capabilities ranging from review solicitation to social listening. Entry-level plans provide the basics for less than $100/month.
- Local SEO and review generation services help build positive reputations. Companies assist with monitoring and optimizing online listings that influence local search rankings.
- While hiring a full-service reputation management agency costs thousands, DIY software and self-service tools provide affordable options for small businesses on a budget.
Conclusion
In summary, online reputation management should be a top priority for small businesses that want to attract more customers and build trust. As we’ve discussed, negative reviews and feedback can quickly damage a brand, while positive SEO and reputation management tactics allow companies to showcase expertise and strengthen their image.
By monitoring online mentions, optimizing positive content, and responding professionally to criticisms, small businesses can proactively shape how people perceive them online. Affordable tools and services make reputation management accessible even to businesses with limited resources.
In today’s digital landscape where consumers heavily research brands online before engaging, investing in reputation management is no longer optional—it’s a necessity for success. Small businesses that dedicate time and effort to managing their online reputation will gain higher visibility, greater trust, and more customers.
