Top 4 Do’s and Don’ts of Search Engine Reputation Management

There are few tools more effective than the Internet regarding how you market your business. This is especially true when it comes to your brand’s reputation. Properly managing your brand’s image comes with many benefits, such as improving your customer loyalty and SEO rankings.

It’s imperative to leverage search engine reputation management to ensure people get the right impression of your company. While getting started might seem difficult at first, it’s much easier than people anticipate. Let’s explore the key factors you should consider about online reputation management when moving forward.

Don’t Get Overwhelmed

It’s not uncommon for business owners to get overwhelmed when they start managing their company’s reputation online. This often occurs if they receive negative feedback or find negative publications. The situation could become even worse if the negativity stems from a misunderstanding or false information.

To clarify, it’s not impossible for a media outlet to incorrectly name your company in a scandal if they don’t research their facts. This could lead to an influx of negative comments from your customers.

To avoid becoming overwhelmed, do your best to stay cool while the situation unfolds. You should also avoid retaliating against negative feedback, as this only further damages your reputation.

Do Create an Actionable Plan

It’s imperative to have a comprehensive plan for handling negative interactions. As soon as you notice negative reports, complaints, or online reviews, you should have a course of action to take.

In many cases, this involves publishing a large number of positive press releases to push the negativity off of Google’s first page. You can also publish blog content to share positive information about your brand.

Don’t Focus on Negativity

It can be difficult to brush off negative feedback that you receive. This is especially true for small business owners, as they tend to be more attuned to how people perceive their company.

Do your best to remember that it’s impossible to please everyone. You’ll inevitably face criticism from your audience, and there’s a chance you might not be at fault. Take this in stride and keep moving forward.

Do Leverage Social Networking

You can substantially increase your brand’s notoriety by taking advantage of social media. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great ways to get people talking about your business.

People have a tendency to share content they find useful and engaging. They also love to refer people to brands they enjoy. In some cases, even a single post can exponentially increase your exposure.

However, it’s not recommended to attempt to manufacture viral content. Users often see right through this, and it won’t do much to help your brand’s reputation. Instead, consistently engage with your users to establish that you’re accessible online.

When other people see you’re willing to respond to comments and messages, they’ll be more likely to follow and interact with your brand’s social media accounts.

Don’t Admit Fault

Never admit fault when interacting with your audience online. It can be tempting to do so to pacify disgruntled customers, but it will only make your situation worse.

Publicly admitting fault could cause the thousands of users who see this statement to distrust your business. In some cases, it could deter them from interacting with your brand. As you might assume, this can lead to a potentially enormous loss in revenue.

Instead, acknowledge your customer’s issue and offer them a way to contact you so you can resolve it. Each situation will be fairly unique, and you shouldn’t attempt to use universal fixes for problems your customers have.

Do Stay Consistent

Consistency is essential for proper search engine reputation management. Even a short period where you overlook this obligation can undo all the hard work you’ve already done. A great way to stay consistent is by scheduling when you handle your reputation management nuances.

This prevents you from overlooking your key responsibilities.

Don’t Get Discouraged

Receiving negative feedback can be discouraging. The same is true for Googling your brand name and finding negative publications. Discouragement will only lead to poor performance, and you should find ways to stay motivated at all costs.

As time goes on, you can substantially improve your company’s reputation and minimize negative press online. This is often enough motivation in itself to prevent most entrepreneurs from becoming discouraged. However, you should also do your best to avoid controversies and provide stellar customer service.

Do Hire the Right Professional

Working with the right professional goes a long way toward getting the best results. They have the tools and resources to help you seamlessly manage your company’s online visibility and presence in the search results. See what other people have to say about what it was like working with them.

There should be no shortage of positive feedback. Keep in mind that not all firms are created equal. It’s not recommended to choose the cheapest options you find.

These often indicate the company cuts corners and is incapable of meeting your needs. You don’t need to pay as much money as possible, though. There’s a point of diminishing returns regarding how much you spend.

Instead, you should look for someone in the middle of the industry’s price range. This can help you meet your needs without stretching your budget. They should be easy to get in touch with and highly communicative.

You should have no trouble reaching out to the firm you work with and getting support for issues you encounter. Getting left in the dark while your project is ongoing can be highly frustrating. It might also require you to handle problems on your own, something many businesses are incapable of.

Prioritize Search Engine Reputation Management

Using the right search engine reputation management will strongly impact your company’s success. As long as you follow the tips in this guide and find the right professional, you’ll avoid many issues you would’ve otherwise encountered.

Ascendance is a digital marketing agency that proudly serves local, national, and international businesses. We offer premier marketing and website solutions that help brands establish a stronger presence in their industries. You’ll learn more about how we can help when you book a consultation today.