With volumes of information available online about your company and your competition, potential customers frequently conduct online research before committing to a product or service. As a result, your online reputation can make or break your sale even before you make a connection.
Accordingly, we strongly urge you to concentrate on your online “trust factor.” From the moment customers learn about your business, they begin building a concept of you and your reputation. You want their opinion to include positive and trustworthy thoughts. image online.
Because people trust online reviews as much as they trust a personal recommendation, you need to ensure your online presence reinforces all the positive aspects of your company. Even if your company doesn’t seem to “fit” with a social media presence, you need to account for Internet searches and develop an online presence that projects the image you want customers to see.
Below, we detail several of the methods to establish and maintain a strong, successful online reputation.
Ways to Build Your Trust Factor
One of the fastest growing reputation builders is video testimonials. More and more people take the time to review video testimonials when considering your products and services. Nothing reflects better on your business these days than a readily viewable positive customer experience. Even if you don’t have the fancy videography equipment, a smart phone can do the trick! Have a plan in place before filming, and with some video editing afterwards, you can have a short video that can be advertised on your website, social media channels, really anywhere your audience lives!
The following video testimonials are ones our team created for our clients. Try and imagine how you could leverage similar testimonies in your digital marketing strategy.
Another way to increase your ratings and reviews is simply to ask! You’d be surprised how quickly a satisfied customer will agree to provide feedback on their experience. You may need to facilitate their participation as a courtesy, but your efforts will be appreciated and help increase the number of testimonials you secure.
To maximize the impact of your reviews, be sure to obtain a profile on common review sites so customers can leave reviews. To begin, we recommend the following sites:
• Google
• Facebook
• Yelp
But also ensure you identify any industry-specific platforms for your company, such as medical websites for physicians; RealSelf, for example, is a popular site for plastic surgeons.
What To Do About Negative Reviews
Even with the best service and follow up, it is possible to receive a negative review. It’s not the end of the world, and the most important step to take if this happens is to respond to it directly.
Your response shows the messenger that you are paying attention and that you care about his experience. With a response, you also show other customers that you are willing to address concerns. At the same time, you are assuring them that you will provide them with the same level of care.
When responding to a negative review, be sure to remain positive. A response that keeps a positive attitude will be seen as productive and helpful, even in the midst of a disagreement.
Unfortunately, there are times when negative reviews come from people who are not customers or even from competition in the attempt to sway opinion away from your company. In these instances, it is appropriate to note in a response that you have no record of this person as a customer. You may also attempt to dispute or “flag” the review on these grounds. However, different platforms allow for these situations in different ways; so be sure to follow the appropriate measures if required.
Because Google’s algorithm includes social media signals as one of its ranking mechanisms, engagement on your website and social media platforms provide improved SEO results. Encourage customers to share, like, comment, review your posts. Every action taken will improve your Google ranking. This alone can justify the rationale for a social media presence even if it seems to be a poor fit for your company on the surface.
Once you have established an online profile for customer feedback, it is crucial that you monitor your reputation. It is helpful to receive positive feedback as it arrives, and it provides a morale boost to your employees. Stay on top of comments about your company with services like Google Alerts, which searches the web and relays new mentions of your company directly to you.
In the event of any unfavorable feedback, it is important to respond promptly and positively. Monitoring tools will help you minimize unaddressed negative mentions on the web.
About the Author:
Deedra Hughes
Experienced President with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Digital Strategy, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Integrated Marketing, Advertising, and Pay Per Click (PPC). Strong business development professional with a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Communications from Ohio University.