Reputation management (RM) is an important tool to help businesses manage their brand's image in today’s digital world. However, it can be hard to know where to start when looking into this technology. The various types of RM solutions available may not all fit your organization or budget, but there is one that stands above the rest.
Online reputation management (ORM), also known as online customer relations management (CRM), helps companies build trust with customers by managing both positive and negative reviews posted about them online. It allows you to respond quickly to any issues raised against your company through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc., so they don't affect your overall rating.
A reputable ORM service will monitor activity surrounding your brand across multiple platforms including sites such as Google Reviews, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Consumer Reports, Angie's List, Trustpilot, GlassDoor, and more. Their aim is to ensure that only relevant feedback appears on these websites, while blocking fake or malicious content from appearing. This way, you always have complete control over what people see regarding your products or services.
In addition to monitoring existing reviews, many ORMs provide a solution to encourage new ones. They might offer incentives to current clients who leave a favorable testimonial, reward loyal clients with discounts and coupons, or even give away prizes if satisfied customers post photos of themselves using your product(s). These tactics make sure that future customers get exactly what they want--a great experience with your brand.
The importance of a well-managed reputation cannot be understated. A bad reputation could lead to lost sales, missed opportunities, damaged relationships, and other problems. With the right tools at hand, however, it doesn't need to be disastrous. On the contrary, having a strong reputation helps drive revenue and improve productivity. In fact, according to Forbes, "reputation has been proven to increase revenues between 10% - 20%, retention rates up to 30%, repeat purchases, loyalty, and employee engagement."
One study found that employees were 50 percent more likely to recommend a company with a good reputation than those with poor reputations. And another survey showed that consumers who had read online reviews rated brands higher than those without.
Having a high-quality reputation means everything to a successful business. Here are just some of the ways that a solid reputation provides value to your bottom line.
Reduces costs
You probably already know how much money is wasted each year due to dissatisfied customers. According to Business Insider, dissatisfied customers spend $1,000 less per year than happy ones. That means every time someone leaves you unhappy, you're losing thousands of dollars. A bad reputation can result from anything from being late to deliveries, billing mistakes, or simply providing subpar goods or services.
Improves efficiency
It makes sense that better communication would improve the effectiveness of everyone involved. If you keep tabs on all interactions, you'll gain valuable insight into which techniques work and which ones fail. You can use this information to tweak your processes accordingly so that nothing falls through the cracks again.
Increases profits
If you run a B2B business, you've probably noticed that certain industries tend to attract a disproportionate amount of complaints. For example, home repair contractors often receive a lot of calls because homeowners are frustrated. Having no idea whether or not they can rely on the contractor's expertise is dangerous. By investing in a reliable reputation management system, you'll prevent yourself from falling victim to disgruntled customers.
Gives confidence
When potential buyers look around your website, they should feel confident enough to buy something. If they find it difficult to figure out what you sell, then they won't be interested. Your reputation plays a huge role in determining whether or not a person feels comfortable buying from you. Therefore, making sure that they're aware of all the positives and negatives associated with your brand will go a long way toward selling your products or services successfully.
Helps build credibility
Once potential customers learn about your credentials, they'll take notice. You'll stand apart from competitors who aren't able to demonstrate their professionalism. When customers perceive you as credible, they become more invested in your products and services. This leads to increased sales and improved client satisfaction.
There are several reasons why you'd want to invest in a reputable reputation management software package.
Ease of Use
Most reputation management systems are simple to set up and easy to navigate. Some even come equipped with templates designed to guide users through the process step-by-step. Others allow you to customize your setup with ease. All you really need to worry about is finding the information you need to make decisions. No matter what type of setup you choose, though, once you finish setting things up, you'll never have to think about reputation management ever again!
Control Over Feedback
Some reputation management packages let you block specific comments altogether. Others allow you to edit particular remarks before posting them publicly. Still others automatically remove negative posts whenever possible. Whatever works best for your needs, you'll always know that your opinions are protected.
Automated Responses
While manually responding to all comments takes time, automated responses save hours of work each day. Reputation management software lets you automate responses to common questions, requests, and concerns. You can schedule replies, add images, links, videos, etc., to make sure they appear appropriately and on time. Many programs can even integrate with email marketing solutions to send notifications directly to subscribers.
Better Customer Service
Many reputation management providers include built-in support functions that enable you to handle inquiries easily and efficiently. From answering FAQs to resolving technical errors, you'll enjoy faster response times and smoother experiences.
These days, building a strong online reputation isn't optional. Instead, it's essential for success. Fortunately, many modern reputation management solutions are affordable and straightforward to install. Plus, they usually come loaded with useful extras like analytics data reports, spam filtering, customer ratings, and more. So regardless of whether you own a brick-and-mortar store, operate a large eCommerce site, or run a local salon, you know that a top-notch reputation manager can help keep your name in front of prospective customers while protecting your interests at the same time.
Whether you're starting out or trying to grow your company, reputation management software offers countless advantages. To learn more, contact us today!
Reputation is an asset. It's essential to any company that wants to succeed in today’s digital world. But managing this valuable resource can be difficult when you have limited resources or simply don't know where to start. A good reputation management strategy will help you stand out from competitors while also gaining trust among customers and prospects.
There are several types of reputation management software available today, each with its own unique set of capabilities. Some focus on monitoring reviews and ratings, others provide more advanced analytics, and some offer both at once. Depending on what you need, one type may work better than another. To find out which would suit your needs, we've put together a list of the best reputation management software options available today.
The primary benefit of having a strong reputation is being able to attract top talent. When companies hire employees they look for people who fit their culture and values. If prospective hires feel like they're joining a team full of individuals committed to those same goals then there's a much greater chance they'll stick around long-term. A good reputation helps keep them motivated by demonstrating how well aligned their interests are with yours.
It also provides value to existing clients. Your organization might already have excellent customer service but if potential customers perceive otherwise, that could mean losing out on future sales opportunities. Reputation management software allows you to monitor your public image and take action to improve things before anything bad happens. This means not only attracting new leads, but retaining current ones as well.
Finally, a positive reputation makes life easier for everyone involved. Employees love working for an employer that has a great reputation and so do managers because it gives them peace of mind about hiring quality candidates. Prospective applicants want to join a company that offers perks such as flexible hours and competitive pay rates. And finally, consumers see a brand they admire and are far less likely to make impulse purchases. The bottom line is that a good reputation can help everyone win.
If you run a large corporation or even just a moderately sized business, chances are you already understand the importance of building up a solid reputation and keeping it intact. Unfortunately, smaller businesses often lack the budget to invest heavily into maintaining a high-quality brand, especially after paying rent or other costs. That's where reputation management software comes in handy. By providing robust reporting and analytics along with customizable content creation and scheduling, these services can significantly reduce the time spent on basic tasks (such as responding to negative comments) and allow executives to spend more time focusing on strategic issues.
As a result, organizations can achieve higher levels of efficiency while still delivering superior results. For example, by using reputation management software, brands can identify problematic areas early on and respond effectively, instead of trying to address problems later down the road when they become bigger issues. In addition, companies can use data from these systems to predict trends and develop strategies that will maximize revenue growth over the next few years. All of this adds up to a substantial return on investment for many businesses.
When it comes to understanding what reputation management actually entails, it's helpful to think of it as a combination of two separate processes. First, you must create a plan for improving your overall perception and standing within the marketplace. This includes improving internal communications, developing social media profiles, and creating marketing campaigns that highlight your strengths. Once all of those steps are completed, you should begin measuring the impact of your actions and adjusting accordingly.
In order to accomplish either part of this process, you first need to determine exactly what kind of reputation you'd prefer to maintain. Is it something that requires constant maintenance or does your ideal situation involve a little bit of everything? Do you want to build a brand that attracts lots of traffic or gain respect through industry recognition? Or perhaps you'd rather have a mix of both.
Once you figure out what sort of approach works best for you, decide whether you want to handle reputation yourself or seek assistance from experts. While it's possible to manage your reputation without outside expertise, doing so isn't always easy and takes longer to complete. Plus, if you choose to go DIY it's vital to learn how to properly communicate with stakeholders and ensure that every step you take is consistent with your desired message.
To get started, consider asking yourself three questions:
How big is my audience? Does anyone care about me? How am I perceived? What do I want to change? This last question is particularly important since it determines which methods will ultimately prove effective. You might want to avoid spending money on advertising until you can answer "yes" to all three questions. After all, if no one cares about you or perceives you negatively, then you probably won't draw attention to yourself anyway. On the flip side, if you're viewed positively across multiple platforms, then it's just a matter of spreading the word further.
For decades, marketers have known that branding plays a huge role in influencing consumer behavior. Companies spend billions of dollars annually on advertising alone, knowing that it's how they differentiate themselves from their competition. However, recent research suggests that this strategy doesn't work nearly as well today due to changing attitudes toward traditional forms of communication. Instead, it seems that consumers now view brands differently. They believe that companies' reputations play a significant role in determining whether or not someone chooses to buy from them.
Because there's nothing worse than dealing with dissatisfied customers, many companies realize that maintaining a good reputation is crucial. Fortunately, technology exists to assist with this task. As mentioned above, reputation management software packages can automate certain aspects of the process and give executives the ability to devote more time to strategizing ways to increase profits.
While it's true that reputation management software isn't perfect, there's ample evidence to suggest that it's worth investing in. Even though the market for this product category is relatively young, analysts expect it to grow substantially over the coming decade. One reason is that more and more firms are realizing the importance of establishing relationships with influencers, including bloggers, journalists, and other thought leaders. These figures hold tremendous power over audiences and can greatly influence the way you're perceived in the eyes of the general population.
Another trend that will continue to drive demand is the rise of mobile devices. According to Statista, the number of smartphone users worldwide increased from 759 million in 2014 to 1 billion in 2015. With more people accessing information via smartphones, it's becoming increasingly clear that brands need to adjust their messaging to appeal specifically to mobile users. Finally, as more consumers adopt voice search engines, the need for accurate metadata becomes even more critical.
All of these factors point to a bright future for reputation management software. So if you haven't yet taken the plunge, now is definitely the time to do so!
Reputation management (RM) has become an increasingly important part of digital marketing. The reasons for this are many -- it's essential to protect brands against damaging content or even lawsuits, but also that it can help businesses improve their overall standing with customers by improving service quality, customer satisfaction scores, and ultimately conversions.
The good news is there are plenty of options available in both the paid and free world. But how do you choose which one will suit your needs? Here we take a look at what RM actually involves and then highlight some of the best choices out there.
A reputation management agency works alongside existing teams within organizations. They often provide advice about how to manage social media profiles, as well as monitoring them in real-time, so they're always up-to-date. This means they'll be able to spot any negative comments quickly and act upon them if necessary.
They may also advise on other areas such as website optimization, SEO, page creation, and more. In short, they make sure everything you've put into place is working properly and keeping your brand top of mind when potential clients search for your products or services online.
You might think hiring a reputable company would be expensive, but in reality, you could find yourself saving money over time due to reduced turnover costs and improved employee retention rates.
There are two main tasks involved in reputation management. First is creating positive experiences for consumers through good interactions with employees. Second is finding ways to deal with any bad ones.
This usually starts with managing the first step -- getting people talking positively about you online. If you have a strong enough online following already, all you need to worry about here is maintaining positive engagement with fans who want to see great things from you. To achieve that, you just need to keep posting regularly, engaging with followers, and responding to feedback.
If you don't have much of a base yet, though, it's worth thinking about building a community around your brand. You can use platforms like Instagram Stories or TikTok to create viral videos that get shared widely. Or consider using influencers to boost your reach further.
Once those steps have been taken successfully, it's time to start looking for problems. For example, if someone posts something offensive about your product on Facebook, you should flag it immediately and ask them to remove it. Even better, you could write a post explaining why their comment was inappropriate and offer a solution to address the issue.
Even if no one complains directly, these actions show you care about providing a high standard of customer service and give others confidence in doing business with you. It shows you're not afraid to stand behind your product and defend its reputation whenever possible.
Last, but certainly not least, you must monitor what happens after the fact. That means making sure that when a complaint arises, you respond promptly and professionally. A simple tweet acknowledging issues raised could go a long way towards smoothing things over. And if anyone continues to complain, you'll know exactly where to direct your efforts next.
Finally, it's vital to recognize that sometimes, despite our best intentions, we simply aren't perfect. When this happens, we must admit mistakes honestly and apologize publicly for our failure. Doing otherwise only makes us appear weak and untrustworthy.
As mentioned above, reputation management is a combination of skillsets that involve handling complaints and dealing with social accounts effectively. Companies offering this type of service generally fall under three broad categories: PR firms, PR consultants, and third party specialists.
PR firms specialize in PR itself, while PR consultancies focus more specifically on social media management, including reputations. Third parties tend to focus on specific niche markets, whether that be public relations or social media management. However, all three types of firm share similar objectives.
In addition to providing professional support, they typically perform research into competitors' strategies, recommend improvements and new tactics, and ensure regular updating of relevant information. Depending on the size of your organization and budget, different approaches are required. Smaller budgets might mean outsourcing to a freelance specialist who works remotely, while larger enterprises might prefer full-service solutions provided by inhouse staff.
Either way, however, all providers aim to deliver consistent results across multiple channels. All too frequently, individual departments will try to handle each channel individually without considering broader implications. As such, it pays to hire a single provider who can coordinate activities across social networks, handle press inquiries, and update internal systems accordingly.
Four elements of reputation management
To succeed, reputation management relies heavily on understanding consumer behavior. In order to attract attention during times of crisis, for instance, you need to understand how users react to certain situations. So you might decide to run a campaign promoting a particular holiday gift idea, for instance, because you think it'd sell well given current trends.
However, if you fail to anticipate how potential buyers behave once they land on your site, you risk losing sales to rivals who were prepared ahead of time. Therefore, it's crucial to track user behaviors and learn what motivates people to buy rather than walk away.
Once you have an accurate picture of what drives purchases, you can begin focusing resources toward addressing problems before they grow into major crises. Of course, this requires constant vigilance. After all, it takes very little effort to cause damage, especially if you let down your guard.
So the key takeaway here is that although it's easy to overlook problems until they turn into big ones, you shouldn't allow this to happen. Instead, identify early warning signs and fix flaws before they escalate. Only then will you truly build a successful reputation.
How to choose a reputation management tool for you
In order to get started, there are some things we need to understand about how these tools work.
The first thing to consider when choosing between reputation management tools is whether you want to use one which is automated or manual. If you're aiming to manage all of your sites across multiple platforms in bulk, then using a program like Hubspot would be ideal as they have a solution for every platform imaginable. However, if you only wish to focus on one site, then manually managing each individual account might suit you better.
Another key factor to take into consideration is who will actually run the system. Do you already know exactly what you want to achieve with your online brand, or are you looking for something more generic? For example, should you be focusing on building trustworthiness and authenticity? Or perhaps boosting sales?
Finally, you'll need to decide whether you want to pay monthly/annually or per project. Some providers offer both options. Others will charge hourly rates for any additional tasks beyond standard maintenance.
HubSpot
When it comes to reputation management, HubSpot offers two types of solutions. One is a full-service option where you can hire an expert team to build up your profile over time. This includes monitoring social media accounts, writing blog posts, creating newsletters, and other similar activities.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.