A Breakdown of Reputation Management – What You Need to Know

Today’s digital world has made reputation management non-negotiable. It plays a crucial role in the lifeline of your business. Any semblance of a bad reputation can affect your long-term sales, consumer perception, and decisions, and even your company’s brand equity. In other words, your reputation can make or break the future of your business.

The goal of reputation management is to shape public perception of a business. However, because of the intricate nature of the online world, gaining total control over reputations can be difficult. Still, it pays to learn a little more about reputation.

Here, we discuss the extent of reputation management, as well as any questions you may have in mind.

The Power of Reputation Management

1 – It dictates your business growth or decline

The emergence of the digital world has paved the way for social media platforms, which have empowered consumers. Unfortunately, it has made reputation management even more delicate to deal with. 

One bad experience with a brand will lead to a negative review online—by the next hour, thousands of people will have read it. If handled poorly, a company may quickly plunge into the irreversible path to bankruptcy.

2 – It strengthens sales and marketing 

A brand building goes hand-in-hand with sales and marketing, which essentially makes reputation management a core component of marketing strategies. How people see your brand directly affects everything that exists about it.

It’s difficult to sell a product to an individual that hardly knows your brand, but that same person will purchase a product from Apple without hesitation. By harnessing the power of reputation management, you’ll be able to influence your branding directly. 

3 – It mostly thrives in the digital world

Social media is a force to be reckoned with—it’s essentially how millions of people around the world connect, learn, read the news, and of course, discover new brands to support. It’s only logical to assume that reputation management operates mainly in the virtual world. 

When building a good reputation and brand presence, it’s important to invest in social media strategies. LinkedIn marketing is one of the best places to start, especially if you wish to position your company as an industry leader. Facebook marketing, on the other hand, is best for customer engagement and interaction. 

FAQs about Reputation Management

1 – What’s the best way to monitor my reputation online?

While tackling your online reputation may seem like an impossible task, there are ways to do so without the help of a reputation management company. Regardless of your choice, however, monitoring your reputation requires you to invest in your search engine ranks. 

Google Alerts is one of the best ways to start, as it directs you to any negative blogs, reviews, and images, along with comments on social media about your brand.

2 – What can I do if my online reputation is suffering?

The first step you must do is to assess the extent of the damage. Taking a step back before reacting will save you from making additional mistakes, so touch base with all parties involved before planning. 

The next step is to regain control, which usually warrants a public apology. This lets people know that you are on top of the problem and are currently making progress in de-escalating the damage. 

3 – Should I hire a reputation management company?

Although managing your reputation is doable by yourself, a reputation management company will help speed up the process of recovery. They’ll have years of experience up their sleeves, making them the right people to handle even the toughest situations. 

The Bottom Line

Due to the nature of the online world, information can spread like wildfire and linger for years. Every brand and business is at risk of reputation damage, as consumers are empowered now more than ever to post as they wish about anything—one damaging comment can destroy your life’s work. 

While reputation management can be tricky, learning more about how it works and how best to handle it always pays off. As you create your next business plan, remember to keep your brand’s reputation in mind!

We’re a digital marketing agency in Montreal, dedicated to helping brands grow. Through our end-to-end campaigns, we’ll help you achieve new heights. Contact us today to learn more!