Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Bright Past
If you have an online business, you likely have a website and several social media accounts where customers can offer feedback on your services. This means you must be vigilant about negative reviews and comments. The success of your business is dependent on how well you handle negativity and manage your brand’s reputation, as this has a significant effect on your sales and your search engine results.
The following tips and reputation management tools will help your business to succeed, even if there have been poor reviews.
Use the Right Social Media Platform
The secret to business success online is finding your niche. This means utilizing the social media platforms that are relevant to your products and services. The top choices are Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. If you need visual impact, try Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.
Stay Active on Social Media
Creating social media accounts for your business is not enough. You must be active on them on a regular basis to make a positive impact. Apologizing for mistakes or poor service and explaining how you will correct a problem will help you to build a positive reputation.
Have a Business Blog on Your Site
Create a blog where you can write articles that relate to both your business and the industry in general. Sharing tips, trends, news and opinions about your products and the market will provide helpful information to customers while allowing them to submit feedback.
Be a Good Listener
While it is difficult to receive negative feedback, it is very important to listen. Do not argue with customers or waste time explaining yourself. Making the customer’s needs your top priority will help you to solve their problems quickly and may give you an advantage over your competitors.
Be Willing to Apologize
Apologizing is an undervalued skill in the business world. While the words are often hard to say, they are the magic wand for turning a negative situation around. If your business has made an error, you should always own up to it immediately. It is the best strategy for managing a crisis with your brand.
Encourage Positive Comments
The most effective way to get positive feedback from customers is to ask for reviews, with an emphasis on what they liked about the services or products. If any complaints are submitted, you can act on them right away before they cause problems. Even one negative review can be a big loss for your business.
Do Not Argue with Customers
It is very tempting to argue a point and stand up for your business, but it comes across as unprofessional and may hurt your reputation in the long term. This type of situation is best handled offline by phone call or email. Respectful conflict resolution is a cornerstone of doing business.
Make an Investment in Reputation Management
Any business with a large presence online has some form of reputation management. Take some time to research the best tactics for managing a crisis, and invest in tools such as Social Mention to keep on top of any complaints. It is also helpful to hire a social media manager to post positive messages, interact with customers and handle feedback on those platforms.
Keep Track of Conversations
If you have a well-known brand, be sure to pay attention to what people are saying about your business even when you are not actively posting online. Be alert to what is being said and be ready to act. This will help you to avert any problems caused by negative feedback.
Implement Authorship
Authorship is a way to keep a business closely associated with its owner or founder. Having your name and photo on the company website will add a human touch that inspires confidence and trust from customers. Everyone that works in your business should also have a social media presence and post regularly as a company representative. Do not use or allow private social media accounts, as this could result in defamation.
BrightPast is always available to help you manage the online reputation of your business. Visit the website to explore your options and build the brand of your dreams.