According to a study by the University of Oregon, 87% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Reputation is key – and people are looking it up on search engines like Google. It’s important that enterprises understand how they can manage their reputation online. By doing so, they will be able to attract more customers , build trust, and increase revenue.
Online reviews are more important than ever for enterprise’s reputation management because customers are using these reviews to determine which businesses they want to purchase from. Customers use the information they read on various review sites as a way to learn more about their potential purchases before handing over any money. As it turns out, people don’t actually read online reviews – they skim them. According to SearchEngineLand, most people spend no more than 10 seconds reading an online review. This means that you have very little time to catch their attention with the things that set your business apart from others in your industry. The best way to do this is by having a clear strategy that is easy for consumers to find when they are searching for information about your company.
Key #1: Promoting the Right Experience
Customers are looking online for specific experiences, so it is important to ensure that you promote the right experience. The first thing enterprises need to understand about their customers is that they want to encounter an authentic brand experience. They want to see the same kind of hospitality and quality in your digital marketing as they do when they visit your business in person. A great way for enterprises to accomplish this is through social media marketing campaigns where real people respond directly to consumers’ questions and comments, creating a positive impression of the business . This builds trust with potential or current clients by showing them that you care about what they think of you – not just because you want their business, but because you truly value their opinions.
Key #2: Make your Unique Selling Proposition Clear
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is something that makes your company stand out from the competition. Developing a USP will help enterprises convey to consumers why they are unique and deserving of people’s time, attention, and money. This is also crucial for improving your search engine optimization (SEO services), as it helps increase your rankings on Google , which brings more targeted traffic to your website. The more traffic that comes to your site, the greater the chances of consumers finding you when they need or want what you’re selling . Don’t make it difficult for potential customers to find everything about your company – show them why they should buy from you.
Key #3: Develop a Great Online Reputation
If people cannot find your business online, you won’t see many sales. Be proactive about building a great online reputation by encouraging positive reviews , comments, and ratings on sites like Facebook, Yelp!, Foursquare, Twitter, Google+, etc. Prominently display links to these pages on your website so that customers can easily click through to them once they are on your site . You can also encourage customers to rate or review your products or services after an experience with them at the location of their choosing – this will help improve your rankings in search engines as well because it gives consumers more opportunities to find out about you .
You can also post photos and comments of happy customers on your social media sites to show that you actually care about more than just their money. This may encourage them to share their experience with others , which brings more foot traffic through the door of your business. Online reputation management services also prove beneficial to most businesses to leverage their reputatione fforts.
Key #4: Monitor Online Reviews
Effective enterprise’s reputation management methods include monitoring online reviews, whether they are good or bad – the key is knowing how to deal with both. Do not ignore negative feedback – address it as quickly and professionally as possible so people don’t think you do not care about what they have to say. Show potential customers that you are proactive about maintaining a positive presence at all times. As mentioned above, make sure consumer-facing interactions are personalized, engaging, and sincere.
There are many free online tools available to monitor reviews about your company, including some that alert you when there is new activity on your social media pages or websites so that you can respond accordingly. Through reputation repair, consumers will feel like their concerns are heard and any issues can be resolved quickly.
Key #5: Actively Engage Online Communities
One of the greatest benefits of establishing an online presence for your business is that it allows you to engage directly with people who may become or already are customers through targeted advertising campaigns, social media interactions , blog posts, etc. By joining relevant online communities where consumers in similar industries gather to discuss trends, share opinions about products they love or hate, and talk about local events , your company can show off its expertise as well as connect with potential clients who may need what you’re selling.