Managing your reputation online

No matter the size of a business, managing its reputation online is an important element to success.

Big or small, how the public perceives a company or organization will go a long way toward the overall success, or failure, of the company or organization. A positive reputation translates to loyalty and sales. A negative reputation does the opposite.

The Harris Poll has a ranking system called "Reputation Quotient Rankings" and it consists of six dimensions:

Source: certstaff.com

So how do you do it?

First step is to see what is out there about your company or organization. You can do that by doing a Google search of your company/organization and see what pops up. Also, take a look at reviews posted on your social media channels. This falls in line with social listening.

Once you see what's being said about your company/organization online, interact with the people are leaving the messages, reviews, etc. Thank them for their insight and opinion (good or bad). If there is a negative review, address it immediately. When there is a negative review, view it as a chance to rectify the situation. Sometimes people will be stubborn and not return the favor. However, if addressed immediately, the person may add a review saying they were appreciative that their matter was addressed and rectified. Then, you have a positive experience. Remember, positive experiences lead to brand loyalty.

Managing your reputation online can be a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be. You can set up notifications to if and when a review is posted either on social media or on Google or elsewhere. You can see that in real time. You should address any feedback within 24 hours.