Reputation is a valuable asset for a business. Business owners already know the importance of reputation, but only a few of them really pay attention to what happens to it online. Some of them may be surprised with the results when they search the business name in search engines for the first time. The clients and customers of the business don’t browse the internet only to find out the prices of products and services; they also use the internet to find out the answer to ‘should I trust this business’.
To help businesses to keep their online reputation under control, online reputation management has gained significant importance. More companies are participating in management strategies to keep their online reputation safe from negative reviews and defamatory content. Angie Hicks, the co-founder of Angie’s List, considers online reputation management as a gateway to improving the brand visibility.
Online reputation management not only helps in controlling the business’s image, but also has the potential to increase sales conversions. Total Beauty LLC launched a new anti-wrinkle cream and wanted to create the best impression on the first pages of the internet search results. They took an online reputation management service and within a few months, they saw a 20% increase in conversions during their campaign.
The number of companies that are talking about online reputation management is on the rise as the internet has become a complex organism. It’s an ever-evolving world, and it’s becoming increasingly important for business owners to protect their reputation online. Here are a few things that need to be considered:
Statistics speak for themselves
Statistics indicate that many internet users browsing about a particular business are more interested in knowing what’s on the first page of search results, and many of them never get past this page. If the results of a particular business are at the top, but not complementing the business image, it can be very damaging.
Businesses need to control their own online reputation
Due to the growing number of people using the internet, almost every business is going to have an online reputation, and if they’re not willing to control it, then the public and competitors won’t mind doing the honors. The way they control may be good or bad, but no business owner wants to leave a major determinant of success in the hands of others.
The old way of operating the business needs to change
Managing reputation on the web is no easy feat. The selection of positive content and stories on which the reputation should be built needs to meet a high level of credibility. The success of any company will depend on how well this standard is met. In other words, it depends on how the company is viewed by the Web Street and High Street.
There are many pioneering entities in the field of reputation management. Someone like Reputation.com will help you realize what you don’t know. Because what you don’t know is what can hurt you more critically than anything else. Patented technologies are used to take care of the most time-consuming reputation repair work. If you’re a business owner who never paid much attention to online reputation, it’s never too late. Take preemptive measures to protect your brand; and don’t let your reputation precede you.