SEO: 10 tips to manage your online reputation
The reputation of your business on the Internet is crucial, especially if you sell products or services online. With the use of social media and other marketing tools content , it is essential to preserve your reputation.
A survey of 2019 conducted by Adobe has even shown that “ consumers of all ages are likely to stop to eat a brand if it offers content that put them uncomfortable. ”
It is your responsibility to help your business manage risks related to its reputation. Managing online reputation is a multi-phased process , involving:
- From monitoring : for identifying risks , and assess their impact potential and reply
- Common sense: avoid adopting a behavior that will end up harming you
- Of action: take the art measures adequate to repair your possible past mistakes
Here is how to manage your online reputation
How to monitor your company’s online reputation
The e-reputation of your company is a synthesis of the general feeling of customers towards your brand. How do you know this feeling and know what consumers think of your entity?
1. Social networks
The platforms social as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram contribute much to your image brand, and also serve to increase sales and improve your SEO. Designate someone to monitor these channels, and assess your reputation for signs of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
2. Do your research
Do regular internet searches for your business , and collect any unfavorable results: First page results from search engines, especially Google, Bing, and Yahoo, are important, especially if they are negative.
There is a way to search the major search engines at the same time with Dogpile.com , a search tool that returns a page of relevant results, removing duplicates.
If you find a negative review on the first page, it can be difficult to erase the negative impression it creates, but don’t panic. We will see how to deal with it later .
3. Watch the reviews on your own site or sales channels
Some sites online allow uti lisateurs to comment directly on it , especially on art items blogs or product pages . These comments should not be overlooked. Try to respond quickly and professionally to all comments on your website , or on the “Marketplace” platforms where your brand is present .
4. Look at reviews on third party sites
Reviews about your business can also flourish on consumer review sites .
Online reviews make a big contribution to a brand’s reputation and can boost or hurt a business’s credibility . Studies have shown that consumers trust online reviews as much as referrals from loved ones , and nearly 90% of consumers read reviews of local businesses before resorting to them .
Encourage your customers to leave reviews , and respond to good AND bad reviews: Show that you care about all of your customers by responding constructively to reviews.
You may want to consider investing in an app or service that monitors these sites , looking for negative reviews.
How to avoid damaging your online reputation
You have decided to work for you to build a good reputation on the Internet . Unfortunately , as BenJamin Franklin said, ” It takes a lot of good deeds to manage your online reputation and build a good reputation, and just one bad thing to lose it . ” Indeed, it is easier to have a bad reputation than to maintain a good image over the long term: a single mistake can permanently affect your brand image.
Here are some tips for avoiding mistakes that could hurt your business.
1. Don’t fall for black hat SEO
SEO practices “black- hat ” are those who violate the guidelines of search engines in order to increase artificially the he results of research . These bad practices damage your company’s image , and include:
- Keyword stuffing,
- paid links or link farms
- fake review sites .. .
Only work with reputable marketing companies and don’t violate search engine guidelines. Instead, focus on SEO Natural creating quality content and a better user experience.
2. Bad Social Media Etiquette
Bad social media etiquette (or “ netiquette”) can damage your brand and reputation online. At a minimum, be respectful and respond to comments.
You must also credit st the other when you share their content, mentioning the example . You probably know this golden rule: “ treat others as you would like to be treated ” . If you just use social media for the sole purpose of promoting yourself, without participating in the conversation, you run the risk of having the image of a brand that doesn’t care about its customers.
3. Be transparent
In today’s world, transparency demonstrates that your business is honest and trustworthy and strengthens your brand image.
Of course , there are risks involved in being transparent by allowing employees to speak publicly about your business , or by allowing them to be negative for your customers, or even admitting your mistakes.
However, from another cô side, the lack of transparency consisting in stifle any negative comment or to hide your mistakes can destroy permanently the trust of your customers.
Restoring that trust is a long way of the cross, which you will never have to walk if you are transparent and / or admit when you have made a mistake.
Also Read: How can SEO lead a well-built digital strategy?
How to improve your online reputation?
1. Adopt a social media policy
A social media management policy will help your team understand acceptable behavior, preserve your brand image, and protect your business from missteps.
This policy does not only apply to employees who manage your official channels ; all employees who use these social networks , even in a private capacity, must be made aware of the issue.
2. Respond constructively to criticism
We saw it above: ignoring negative reactions, reviews or comments is bad for your company’s brand and online reputation.
Treat negative reviews as an opportunity for your business to improve. Quickly and thoughtfully show your customers and audience that you appreciate this giveaway by responding to criticism in a meaningful way.
Often responding to reviews appropriately and transparently will improve your branding image.
In some cases, of course, the criticism is neither valid nor constructive; it may even be false or defamatory. If an online review crosses a legal limit, you should capture the comment and consult legal counsel for advice leading to resolution of the issue .
3. Google de-listing
The European Parliament has devoted an article to the right to digital oblivion: this prerogative is recognized for natural and legal persons and makes it possible to request, from a search engine, the deletion of information deemed harmful or degrading .
Google has a deletion form for this purpose . Through this , your business can clean up its online reputation. You can, to do this, mandate an SEO specialist who will request the deletion of the offending Google page on behalf of his client.
The service provider will closely monitor the process until it is completed.
Please note, this right has limits and the success of such an operation depends on certain conditions: the results to be erased must not concern a criminal conviction , or proven cases of fraud. The information must be of a defamatory nature.
In this article we have shared 10 tips to manage your online reputation. Hope you have liked this article.