Your Business’ Online Reputation

Many local small business owners believe having nice website means their “Online Reputation” is intact.  However, there is so much more to online visibility than just a nice website.

There are many ways for local consumers and business owners to interact online to create the reputation of a business online.

In today’s online market place most of your online reputation is built outside of your website.  For example

• Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn
• Review Sites
• Blogs

… just to name a few.

Are you beginning to understand the various ways your business’ online reputation can be influenced good or bad without involving your website.

Since I mentioned your website, let’s talk about a few practices that can build good reputation management.

These same practices go for any other web properties you may have as well such as Facebook Fanpage, Twitter page, or blog.

You can also utilize these practices with other web applications like Facebook Timeline, Twitter or your blog.

• Your business website is not your personal webpage – It should be managed professionally and kept business-related.
• Be polite in your public posts and responses. Never argue with a customer or reply with rude comments.
• ALWAYS comment on responses made by your customers and your potential customers – never ignore them. One of the best things you can do is to stay in communication with your audience and keep it as professional as possible.

Keep in mind to maintain your current customers and to win new ones is your goal.  You are online not to make friends or enemies.  Make sure you stay professional and keep your composure even when it can be very challenging.

Want to know how others view your business online…

Related articles

• REPUTATION MANAGEMENT ALERT: Online Review Sites Spell Big Trouble for Small Businesses (prweb.com)
• EnemyGraph: Making the Destruction of an Online Reputation Easier (soshable.com)

 

Friday Basics – Managing Your Reputation Online

Reputation management for local small businesses may not have been a big issue in the past, but, today the internet has drastically changed the rules. If you are a small business owner managing your reputation online is definitely something that cannot be ignored.

Online reputation management is simply a process of monitoring and addressing anything that is written about your business online. The actual “managing” of your reputation involves using strategic online techniques to promote positive and neutral content about your business.

Just about EVERYONE uses the Internet to research local businesses these days, but it doesn’t stop there. They are also using the Internet to voice their opinions about your products and services.

The growth of various avenues – such as forums, blogs, and social networking – has created an instant way for consumers to share their opinions about the businesses and services. While some people do provide “positive” feedback online, more and more people are using the Internet to voice “negative” feedback as well.

Therefore, as a local business owner it’s in your best interest to start monitoring what is being said about you online. It’s one thing to KNOW and do something about it… but it’s another thing to not even know what’s being said.

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

LAB Small Business Services online complimentary evaluation will reveal how past, current and future consumers view your business online.