Quick Online Reputation Repair: A Step-by-Step Guide

‘’It takes too many good deeds to build a reputation and only one bad one to lose it.’’

– Benjamin Franklin

Your company’s reputation holds 25% of its total market value. A healthy online reputation directly affects the sales & revenue figures of a company. No matter the amount of great service and superb products you provide, there will always be some negative comments piping in. To deal with such negative content, you can resort to online reputation repair strategies.

To maintain your business reputation, build a resourceful PR team and build connections in the industry. Engage the customers to create a loyal base and ensure that your PR team is always on their feet should things go awry. Your PR team should be able to pull a few strings here and there if your reputation is at stake.

If some negative comments or brand reviews are charting up the search engine, there are ways to mend it. You can get your in-house team to set it right or assign it to online reputation management services.

What is Online Reputation Repair?

Online reputation management (ORM), also known as online reputation repair, is the sum total of all online activities that a brand engages in to maintain a good reputation online.

There is no shortage of keyboard warriors online. Everyone has an opinion. Especially when it comes to brands. Establishing the dominance of one’s opinion is an online battle that goes on to establish the dominance of one’s opinion over another. Simplistically, ORM focuses on giving the loudest voice to your opinion so that the general mass attaches more importance to your opinions over those of the negative commentators.

What Factors Influence Your Online Reputation?

Your online reputation depends on what ‘others’ have to say about you. The bad part is you don’t have direct control over their thoughts. The good part is, you can influence their opinions by monitoring certain factors.

Your customer’s opinions are influenced by a myriad of factors, such as:

• The quality of products
• The quality of customer service
• Social media interactions
• Your online conduct
• Reviews and ratings of your business online
• People’s opinion on social platforms
• The reach of your business to people
• How you respond to negative reviews
• Whether you are proactive on various online podiums

10 Easy Steps to Repair Your Online Reputation

If your brand is in dire need for reputation management, you can follow the 10 easy steps for online reputation management.

We are here with a step by step guide to ORM. All you need is some basic technical skills, time in hand, and a little patience.

Step 1: Find Out the Root Cause for Reputation Crisis

There will always be a disgruntled employee or a petty person who won’t think twice before leaving a scathing review on your company’s website or Google. Or there might be some serious underlying cause behind the online reputation crisis of your company.

No matter what the reason is, a bad reputation will not be received well by your potential customers. If you let the pile of bad reviews mount up, it will soon morph into a monster that would be hard to get rid of.

To add icing to the cake, search engines and social media platforms would crawl any detailed, well-written content and pop it to the top!

Start by assessing the root cause underlying the situation. If there is a lack on your company’s part, do everything in your power to set the internal things right first.

In case things are taking unwanted turns because of reasons that aren’t in your control, leave things in the hands of good online reputation services.

You can also take matters into your own hands as well. But for that you know the basics of online reputation management and online marketing.

To get yourself going, you might need the help of a few online reputation management tools like Google Alerts, Hootsuite, ReviewTrackers, etc.

The crux is to understand the due course of action required for uplifting your brand’s reputation, you need to find out the root cause.

Set up Google Alerts or use online reputation management tools to monitor mentions of your name or brand online. This will help you stay informed about new content related to you.

Step 2: Set SMART Goals for Boosting Your Brand Reputation

Set goals that are achievable. You cannot drag your brand’s reputation from the pit of hell to the Cape of Everest in a day or week! That’s not possible. Instead, focus on what is achievable.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. It is a parameter of setting realistic goals for your brand’s online reputation reversal that you can attain easily.

Specific: think of what you want to achieve. Do you want a boost in your internet reputation, do you want to mitigate the number of negative online reviews, or build trust in the eyes of the customers?

Measurable: The end results of your goals should be measurable. Set parameters that gauge the extent of your reputation build-up in a certain amount of time.

Achievable: You cannot resolve all negative online content in a day. Take your time. Set targets that are achievable instead. Consider the resources you can allocate for this task and chalk out a course of action for it.

Relevant: Pursue online activities that are relevant to online reputation management. Beating around the bush isn’t likely to build your personal reputation. Focus on your intent and the specific result you want to achieve, and then take relevant action accordingly.

Time-Bound: Nothing is everlasting, and it applies to your company, so you cannot take forever to get the results that you desire. Set a time limit for the reputation-building strategy to work. It will help you gain insights into what’s working for the campaign and things that aren’t, giving you the necessary data to maneuver your campaign.

Step 3: Brag A Bit About Your Brand

If you are not vocal about the positive aspects of your own brand, no one will be. We know that there are customers who are happy with your products and would leave positive reviews.

But it is essential that you market yourself in the first place to make a positive impression. When you speak out loud about all your products, the negative articles and comments would get subdued automatically.

Start blogging. Create a blog section on your website where you can post relevant and high-quality content to gain the trust of both the search engines and the readers.

Step 4: Create a Solid Social Media Presence

The reason people are talking about you is because you are not talking about yourself. To do it, what better than social media accounts?!

Your reputation management strategy should not be limited to. 59.9% of the world’s population uses social media. Take full measures to leverage it.

Create alluring social media posts in the form of reels, stories, and infographics. Now post them on your social media accounts to turn complaining customers into paying ones.

Ensure that you have an account on all social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If possible, open a YouTube channel and post videos about our product’s USPs, upcoming discounts, and customer reviews.

Step 5: Get Influencers to Spread the Word

Influencers are people with a wide fan base. They have several Social media accounts that leverage to spread the word for sponsored brands. If you can rope in an influencer to spread the word for your brand, it will be a solid step in the process of online reputation management.

To crack the deal with a good influencer, learn about their likes and dislikes. It will help you place the pitch in the right manner. Getting them to do podcasts with you, placing them as a judge of a contest, or hosting a webinar are terrific ways to build a positive brand reputation.

If you are launching a new brand or a new line of products, roping influencers into the concoction can help you get a head start.

Step 6: Get Interviewed by Leading Websites

Make a list of the top websites that have the highest domain authority and get them to post your interview on the websites. This will not only increase your company’s online visibility but also establish you as someone trustworthy in the online world.

Pose as someone who has something unique to say on the matter you are an expert in. If you post yourself as a matter expert, people are more likely to give you attention.

Linking to high-authority websites will also help your SEO by giving your domain authority a boost. Reach out to the webmasters of these sites by constructing a well-written pitch regarding your point of view and intention and offer to get things rolling.

Step 7: A Little Apology Goes a Long Way

If you have failed at any point because of the lack of subpar products or poor customer service, own it up! Even the best PR team cannot make amends in certain situations. There is nothing wrong with apologizing when you are on the wrong foot.

Consider sending them an email of apology. Other great ways to diffuse the situation are to confront them on a call or offer them a discount on their next visit.

Be sincere when you apologize. Your customers can easily differentiate between a nonchalant tone and an apologetic one.

Sound sincere when you apologize for the lack of your service. Owning your mistakes creates a sincere and trustworthy image in your customers’ eyes, making them likely to come back to you even after a bad experience.

Step 8: Promote Positive Reviews

A review is a testimonial of a genuine customer about your brand. Hence, these online reviews are perceived with grave seriousness by the netzines who are looking to make a purchase from your brand. According to Search Engine Journal, 8 out of 10 people read online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Positive testimonials by previous and existing customers are your greatest defense against negative reviews. You can deaden the impact of negative customer reviews with an equal number of positive ones.

About 70% of people would review your products if you ask them. As the statistics are in your favor, consider asking for reviews from your customers to subdue the negative information on the search engines.

Step 9: Steer Clear of Online Arguments

There would be instances when a petty person would push all the wrong buttons to get you to lash out. Never do that. Instead, be logical. It is one of the most important rules to avoid getting into any argument online.

The best way to deal with scathing customer complaints is to take things offline and talk things out to mitigate the matter in a professional way. Believe us, your professional, calm behavior will win more customers than winning an argument online.

Step 10: Be Cool as A Cucumber

Your chosen field of online reputation repair should not always be the internet. Sometimes, it is your mind you have to work with.

Negative comments and reviews are a part of running a business, especially in the virtual sphere. What you can do is deal with negative information about your brand CALMLY.

Always give a professional reply to negative content to make the commentators understand that their message has reached your ears. Also, respond immediately to positive comments to enhance user engagement.

This will pacify them a bit. Second, there are various ways to calm yourself and speak to them in a polite tone to further alleviate the issue. Remember to keep your mind in place.

4 Simple Ways on How Businesses Can Create a Positive Online Image

If you are waiting for a threat to arise to start with the reputation management strategy, it’s better to second-guess the course. Remember, a strong building with a solid base would withstand a fierce storm better than a thatched hut.

You can start with your online reputation management and take your brand’s online reputation to the zenith because it is good for your business.

1. Claim Your Business Profiles

Business owners these days claim their GBP and call it a day! While claiming your Google Business Profile is a must as it is the first thing people see when they search for your brand online, there are other review sites as well where you can list your business online.

You can list your business on Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Apple Business Connect, among others, to encourage positive reviews from customers.

2. Rely on SEO Techniques to Save the Day

SEO might be a trodden path, but there is no skipping it if you want to maintain a good reputation on the internet. 75% of Netizens never scroll past the first page on Google.

Hence, if the content that praises you and your business tops the search results, you will automatically enjoy name and fame among the online community.

3. Create a Social Media Presence for Your Brand

Over half of the Global population uses at least some form of social media regularly. Leverage these platforms to create a brand presence.

A survey says about 62.3% of the world population uses social media for at least 2 hours daily. This is enough time to leave a marking impression on their mind.

To battle hate comments, you must put forth your best foot and engage in promotional tactics. Post videos of customer testimonials on social media platforms to negate the negative reviews. More positive reviews mean more leads and better sales!

4. Paid Ads Can Fetch Immediate Results

PPC is a powerful tool that fetches immediate results if you invest a bit in it. The best part of this online reputation management strategy is that it does not take time to create a positive online reputation.

Sponsored Ads of your business appear before the organic search results. This is the first thing people would see when they enter a search query.

4 Strategies to Suppress Negative Search Results

There is more than one way to deal with negative search results. If there are a few dissenting comments appearing at the top of the search engine results when someone types your brand’s name, fret not. We have the solutions to deal with that as well.

1. Request for Removal for Violating Google Content Guidelines

Google has set down elaborate guidelines for publishing content. The Google content guidelines put people first.

 If someone has posted negative comments about your business because of personal vendetta, and you report that a particular content is false, google will look into it and might remove the content if it thinks fit.

2. Leverage DMCA Takedown

As a business owner, if you think that any part of the negative comments falls under the purview of copyright infringement, you can use this method to mend your bad online reputation.

A DMCA takedown can involve content, files, infographics, videos, etc. All you have to do is fill out a DMCA form and wait for 10 to 14 days for the course to work out.

3. Reach Out to the Author

The best way for online reputation management in the case of a negative review is to mitigate the matter at the root level. To maintain your personal online reputation, reach out to the author of the comment and sort things out.

You can break the conversation by stating that you saw the review online and apologize for the same. Apologizing to the concerned person would tone things down by a bit. You can then go ahead and ask what you can do to set things right.

Offer him a discount, a coupon, or a freebie to change his mind about your brand. Close the conversation by politely asking him to take down the comment. Hold your patience for a bit longer for him to try out your service again and then change the review on Google.

4. Improve Your Rankings to Suppress the Negative Comment

You can drown the negative comments and reviews if you upscale your SEO game. Check what keywords are entered in the search queries when the negative comments pop up. Target those keywords and write positive content centering your business.

Search engine optimization is a tricky game, as the core algorithm of Google is a mystery to all. You can try your luck at it or work with online reputation management professionals for the results.

 Agencies that provide online reputation repair services know which strings to pull to give you 1st-page search engine rankings. If you can get hold of a good online reputation management company, it can be your one-stop shop for personal online reputation management.

Repercussions of Poor Online Reputation Management

Not convinced yet?

All it takes is one dissenting client to leave a scathing review on Google to topple your company’s good name.

If negative reviews keep popping up on the top of Google search results, orders, subscriptions, and bookings stand a chance to be canceled, which can have a severe impact on the business revenue.

Want to know more? Let’s take you on a walk to delineate what problems can arise with poor reputation management.

• Loss of revenue
• Compromised public image
• Lower search engine rankings
• Decreased customer trust
• High employee and customer attrition
• High market expense rate

To keep a Steller brand image, you need to have a good PR team. In case your PR team has shown a lack in their efforts and your reputation is at stake, you are left with two options.

First, you can deviate from your core business and do your company’s ORM yourself, and second, you can look out for online reputation management services.

Reputation management firms have the necessary contacts and resources to rescue you from a bad pitfall of negative reputation. These services can be a lifesaver in times of crisis as they have excellent industry connections that they often leverage to give you respite from the grave situation.

The Importance of A Good Online Reputation Management

Do you know what people are saying about your brand online? When did you last check and respond to the customer reviews? 95% of internet users read about a business online before making a purchase.

 About 87% of people would reverse their purchasing decision if the company’s online reputation had taken a hit!

Only 48% of people would consider transacting with a brand that has less than 4-star review. Online reputation repair is the key to the success of brands that want to leverage the virtual landscape to roll their business.

A healthy internet reputation is the calling card for potential buyers to interact and make transactions with your business.

A positive reputation can give a facelift to your brand’s ROI. At the same time, a few bad reviews can bring about a downward spiral that can pose a challenge to your business if you don’t take prompt action. This is where online reputation management services become important. Let’s spell it out:

Steller Online Reputation

ORM services have the necessary channels that they can fall back on to give the image of your brand the boost it requires. With online reputation repair, your brand will be able to maintain a sparkling image. It translates to more customer trust, better conversions, and improved sales figures.

Strengthens Brand Image

If you invest in brand reputation building from the very beginning, it will have a very strong market presence. And if it has a solid customer base, a few negative reviews would not have much impact on the brand image. Think smart and invest beforehand so that your company does not crash tomorrow.

Enjoy Customer Trust

A good reputation-building company invests time into laying down the reputation management strategy. Apart from this, it also offers comprehensive and tailored solutions to its clients so as to build trust in the eyes of the customers by offering better online visibility on several platforms.

Have Deeper Pockets

If you want better revenue figures, internet reputation repair can come to your help. It establishes you as a prominent brand in the eyes of the customers and also manages unexpected crises. These services ensure that profit continues to roll in in spite of the number of negative comments, which they take care of in a professional manner.

Appear Better on the Search Rankings

Negative comments have an impact on your online rankings. Search engines are mere software that try to cater best to its users. When the number of negative reviews decreases, you gain trust in the eyes of the search engines, and thus, your search engine rankings and online visibility improve.

How to Choose an Online Reputation Management Companies?

BAD REPUTATION spreads like WILDFIRE!

A happy customer is likely to tell about 11 people around him; an angry customer would tell 15 others. If you have angered a few customers, it is time you make amends with your ORM and PR strategies with the help of online reputation repair services.

Like negative reviewers, there is no dearth of reputation management firms! Each one would promise you loftier results than the previous. Be on your guard when you choose one of these firms. Remember, it is not just your money but also your reputation at stake.

The More the Experience, the Better!

To repair your online reputation, you can certainly bank on reputation management companies that have a track record of successfully handling their client’s reputations.

Established online reputation repair services have the necessary resources to manage things when things go wary. These reputed ORM agencies work with much more ease and deliver better results than newly established firms in most cases.

Avoid ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Strategy Givers

Companies that go by set formulas for online reputation management are certainly not the best choices for reputation crisis handling.

The problem of every company is different. You should hire reputation repair services that offer you tailored solutions. These ORM services should be able to actively monitor and build your business’s online reputation.

What do They Bring to the Table?

Another crucial factor when selecting online reputation management services is the range of services they offer. Find out whether they have the necessary connections and resources to manage crucial problems.

Also, these reputation management services should be able to deliver a comprehensive range of services such as SEO, content creation, monitoring social media sites, website analysis, etc. This way, you won’t have to knock on several doors should you require additional support.

It’s All About the Talk

Transparency is the hallmark of good online reputation management services. ORM business profiles that conduct transparent communication are better. They should be transparent regarding their charges, processes, and policies. If you find anything shady in their communication, steer clear of that agency.

What’s in a Name? Frankly, EVERYTHING!

”Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten”

– Gucci

The name of your business means everything. The only reason you are currently holding onto profits is because of the name of your brand.

If you want your business to thrive, then rely on a reputed reputation repairing company that has a market presence and has worked with big brands. Undoubtedly, it would cost you a tad extra, but the results in terms of your market goodwill growth are worth it.

Pinch Your Pocket, Don’t Punch It

Albeit, quality comes at a price. And we stand by the fact that you should only hire a reputation repair company if it demonstrates quality. However, it should be well within your budget.

The best way is to set aside a budget for your ORM and PR team beforehand. Don’t go for companies that charge exorbitant prices, as it will add more to your cost than to the profit you might make from their services.

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