Why Your Online Reputation Matters and How to keep it in check

We live in an age where digital reputation can be a business’ biggest liability or strongest asset. Now more than ever, a positive online reputation is more important, considering what is at stake.

According to some surveys:

The power of search results

• 91% of adults online use search engines to find information
• 65% view online search as the most trusted source of information about companies and people
• 93% of searches never go beyond the first page of search results

Power of online reviews

• 90% of people check online reviews before making a buying decision
• Online reviews influence 67.7% of buying decisions
• 84% of consumers trust online reviews the same way they do personal recommendations

Impact on business revenue

• Companies risk losing 22% of business when prospects find a negative article about them on the first page of search results; those with two negatives risk losing 44% of clients. The number increases to 59.2% and 70% for businesses that have three and four negative articles respectively.

Going by the numbers, it is evident that businesses need to guard their reputation at all costs. One great way of doing so is by working with a digital reputation management service. These experts will help you maintain a positive reputation, or better yet, fix it if it’s not in the best of shapes. They employ different tactics to ensure that a company’s digital image will pique the interest of consumers.

Here’s how to keep your online reputation in check:

Your digital presence is everywhere

There are numerous platforms online where you and your clients can find information online. Social media and blogs are great places to share positive feedback with your audience. But it’s somewhat hard to monitor every customer conversation, comment, feelings and thoughts regarding your business. Despite that, you should still try to be part of the discussions and respond positively to all comments. How you respond says a lot about you, and shows your audience that you care.

Respond to reviews

As stated earlier, more than 80% of people trust online reviews, meaning, online reviews can make or break you. Take time to respond to positive recommendations as well as the negative ones. The latter allows you to correct something that could hurt your business publicly.

Be watchful

It’s unfortunate, but anyone can list your business online without your knowledge or consent. The same way you purchased your domain and created an account on social media is the same way someone else can. We’ll use Navads as an example – someone can still register a domain and call it Navadsarepoo.com. In such a case, you should report a violation of your rights as soon as you realise.

Work with a professional

Working with a professional digital reputation management company is a great way to keep a healthy reputation. They have the right tools, experience, knowledge, and resources to ensure your customers love you and continue to do so. And if you think about it, it would be challenging to try to keep up with what everyone is saying about your company. So, instead of muddling (which means spending work hours), it’s best to leave it to the professionals.