6 Things to Add to Your Reputation Management Plans This Year

Want to build a better reputation management strategy? We explore a few simple things to add to your reputation management plans this year. 

If you have some reputation cleanup to do this year, you’re certainly not alone. Thankfully, with a few reasonable additions to your list of brand reputation management strategies, you could be on the road to better business success in no time at all.

Here are 5 ways to beef up your brand’s online reputation in the coming months.

We can help you with ORM, even if you’re starting from zero or rebounding from reputational damage. Call us at 941-259-4554 for more information.

1. Conduct a Brand Assessment To Guide Your Brand Reputation Management Plan

By starting with a brand assessment, you can figure out what’s working and where changes need to be made. Think of a brand assessment as a starting point for developing a solid online reputation strategy.

Review customer feedback using an advanced reputation management software tool. You’ll want to cover every platform that could include mentions of your brand, such as blogs, news media, and social media. By knowing what’s being said about your brand online, you can get a complete view of how it’s being perceived.

Additionally, by dividing results by brand sentiment — separating positive feedback from negative comments — you’ll be able to determine where your brand is winning and where tweaks are needed. Knowing your customer satisfaction levels puts you in the driver’s seat of your reputation strategy instead of being at the whim of negative comments.

Remember, it’s OK if you don’t yet have a positive brand reputation. The purpose of these steps is to work toward building one.

2. Add “Weekly Blog Post” to Your Reputation Management Strategy

If you’re not blogging yet, you should start right away, as it’s an excellent way to build your brand reputation.

A weekly blog entry allows you to create a firewall, brick by written brick, against a reputation attack. You can use the same keywords others have used against you and take control of the conversation. Or, you can simply write decent articles about things you believe in, and those entries can help you prove that you’re a professional and a trusted member of your community.

Writing a blog can seem time-consuming, but the experts at QuickSprout say that you can pull together a very helpful blog in 2 hours or less, as long as you do a little planning in advance.

Chances are, you spend two hours a week on all sorts of things you could skip. For example, instead of watching two episodes of a Netflix show you barely like, you could work on your brand’s online reputation. That’s doable, right?

3. Set Up Continuous Online Reputation Monitoring To Stay On Top of Mentions

You might think you know what’s causing damage to your brand online, but there could still be hidden attacks out there just waiting to trip you up. Monitoring your brand’s reputation online can help you to uncover them.

Monitoring apps send you an alert or signal when your name or a set of keywords appears somewhere online. You’ll know when your name appears in Google search results, on social media platforms, or in online reviews. That little alert is an early warning sign, and it allows you to take action before the attack has the chance to grow and spread.

At Internet Reputation, we offer an excellent monitoring tool that’s easy for anyone to use. In fact, we think it’s the best tool out there. But if you’d like to try another tool for comparison purposes, check out Google Alerts. This free service allows you to set up keyword-triggered alerts so you’ll know whenever your name, brand name or another branded keyword appears online.

Our clients come to us when they need to monitor their online reviews and customer feedback around the clock.  Call us at 941-259-4554 to learn more about managing your brand reputation.

4. Add One New Social Media Site To Your Strategy To Enhance Your Brand’s Reputation

If you’ve been spending much of your time on just one or two social media platforms and ignoring the rest, it’s time to branch out. There are all sorts of social media sites out there that you could add to your brand reputation management strategy, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

On average, users spend nearly 2.5 hours on social media every day, and they visit 7+ platforms each month. That means that your audience is likely already using social media, and chances are that they’re on multiple platforms.

Getting set up on a new social media site gives you a fresh audience with which to share your views and spread your influence. This is an excellent strategy for getting people to see you in a new light. Plus, you can use social media to thwart harm to your brand’s reputation before it has a chance to get out of control. 

5. Launch a Big Project To Advance Your Brand’s Online Reputation Management Efforts and Connect With Your Audience

In order to really handle a reputation problem, especially if you’re dealing with an influx of negative reviews on popular review sites, you need something positive to promote. By getting involved with a project that puts your brand in a great light, you’ll be able to combat negative feedback and damaging online content.

Moreover, when you choose a cause that connects with your audience, you’ll earn their trust. Try to get them involved in your project whenever possible.

Slate suggests that 9 in 10 parents volunteer with the PTA for their children, and that could be a great option for you, too, if you’re trying to build your personal brand online. Other options for improving your personal or professional brand include:

• Hand out food at the local food bank
• Work with dogs at your animal shelter
• Donate blood to the Red Cross
• Ring the bell for the Salvation Army
• Hold a voter registration drive
• Hand out books to the homeless

Think about how you could help your community and boost your reputation at the same time, and you’ll be on the right track.

InternetReputation.com provides the information and services you need to protect your digital presence and create a reputation management strategy. Get started with a free reputation analysis by calling 941-259-4554 today.

6. Get Expert Help For Deep-Set Problems With Your Brand’s Online Reputation

If your problems are widespread or particularly severe, you might have a little more online reputation cleanup work than you can handle. When you’re facing a PR crisis, it pays to have a team of experts on your side.

If a controversial comment you made goes viral, negative customer feedback overtakes review sites, or your mugshot shows up in the news, simply posting to your blog and sharing social media content won’t cut it.

ORM companies like Internet Reputation can help. These teams have a suite of tools that can repair and rebuild your damaged reputation as quickly as possible.

Do you need to speak with an expert about reputation monitoring, management or repair? Get in touch with us by calling 941-259-4554 today to kickstart your reputation management strategy.