5 EFFECTIVE steps to BOOST your e-reputation
Social networks, while offering a wealth of opportunities, can sometimes compromise your company's online reputation if not properly managed. A few mistakes here and there, or a lack of attention, among other things, can cost you dearly. So what can you do? Managing and improving your e-reputation involves careful monitoring of every corner of the web where Internet users leave comments or reviews, but beware... That's not all!!!
To achieve this effectively, find valuable advice in the 5 steps listed throughout this guide.
Step 1: Understanding e-reputation
First of all, e-reputation is defined by the perceptions and opinions of Internet users about your company, brand or person. It is the web's imagewhich includes the way they perceive you and then judge you, especially in relation to your professional activity.
The gap between the desired image and the perceived image
You can define what you would like Internet users to think of you and your brand, but reality is reflected back to you by various factors, including :
- Interactions ;
- Comments ;
- Reviews left by your customers and Internet users who follow you.
The impact of customer reviews
When problems arise, customers will tend to call on you. At this stage, your responsiveness will define their perception of you. Can you handle worries and conflicts? Can you resolve them to your customer's satisfaction?
Your products and services, the quality of your support, the way you handle customer relations and delivery, and many other aspects are the most common subjects on which Internet users, especially customers, will leave opinions. This is where e-reputation comes into play, where the slightest misstep can have costly consequences.
It's important to manage your community well, either by yourself if you know how, or by a professional, called a "Community Manager".
Understanding e-reputation in 2 minutes
Here's a video to help you quickly understand what e-reputation means and what you need to do to make it a positive one:
Step 2: Cultivate a remarkable online presence
It's important to have a diversified online presence and not limit yourself to a single platform for reviews and comments.
Be omnipresent
Social networks, blogs and partner sites help you develop your online presence.
You should also be aware that Internet users are currently using a variety of sites to search for businesses, including Yelp, TripAdvisor, TrustPilot and Google MyBusiness, among others. It's essential to check these platforms, even if you don't have an active account on them. Make sure the information is correct, respond to reviews, and deal with any problems.
Stand out on relevant platforms
Choose wisely the social networks on which to interact with your community. Before you do, make sure you understand the specifics of each platform: do you have the right resources to engage on a particular social network? Is it relevant to your business? Among the most popular in 2023 are :
- TikTok
A Community Manager can help you choose the right platform to launch your service or product.
Get the word out about your image on the Internet
Maximize your online visibility through strategic collaborations, organizing interviews and partnerships, or writing guest articles.
Interviews allow you to humanize your brand and share your story, values and vision with a wider audience.
Secondly, in the vast world of the Internet, visibility is the ultimate key to establishing and strengthening your presence and enhancing your reputation. One effective way of doing this is to associate yourself with influential partners, "influencers" or recognized platforms. This can bring you new audiences and help build trust in your field.
In addition, writing guest articles on respected blogs or websites can establish your brand as an authority in your sector.
Step 3: Create relevant multimedia content
Get closer to your audience with videos and podcasts
Use popular formats to create a customer testimonials section. Videos and podcasts are highly recommended. Offer your community a platform to talk about your products, whether through an in-person visit or a video exchange. A commercial gesture can encourage such sharing.
In a professional context, a mutual exchange can take place, centered on a main topic such as customer relations. If you put forward authentic testimonials, you maximize your chances of attracting new customers.
Opt for quality visuals
We're talking here about representing your brand on various platforms in a digital world saturated with information, hence the importance of high-quality visuals. The first contact between consumers and a brand is through visuals. They have the power to capture attention, evoke emotions and convey a message in an instant.
To ensure a positive first impression, whether on your website, social media or other marketing platforms, well-designed, sharp and above all relevant images are required. This reinforces your company's credibility and professionalism.
Step 4: Optimize the website
The elements and design of a website can have a negative impact on a company's credibility, such as intrusive advertising or complicated navigation.
Focus on ergonomics
Solicit feedback and follow Google's protocols for optimal user experience. You can also examine competitor sites to identify areas for improvement on your website.
Make sure your site is mobile-friendly
Today, a large proportion of online searches and interactions take place via smartphones and tablets. That's why it's vital for companies to ensure that their sites are mobile-friendly. A mobile-optimized site means a fluid user experience: adapted design, intuitive navigation and reduced loading times.
Manage ads
Too many ads and pop-ups are bound to have a detrimental effect on the user experience. In fact, it's not advisable to run too many intrusive ads, especially those of competitors. Weigh the benefits of each ad against the direct sales on your site.
Step 5: Monitoring and surveillance
Proactive monitoring is the key to keeping track of what's being said about your brand, protecting it and anticipating potential crises.
Use effective monitoring tools
A comment or criticism about your brand can travel at lightning speed, with far-reaching consequences for your online reputation. To keep up with these dynamics, we advise you to use monitoring tools that scan the Internet to spot what's being said about your company. Here are just a few examples:
- Feedly
- Netvibes
- Inoreader
- Flusio
These tools alert you as soon as they detect a mention of your brand, enabling you to react quickly, address certain concerns, or defuse potentially harmful situations.
Encourage your customers to give their opinions and comments
Having positive reviews helps counterbalance negative ones.
In France, people tend to deliberately leave negative reviews. So you need to actively encourage positive feedback, especially from your satisfied customers. You can do this by offering discounts, free products or services, while maintaining a mutually beneficial balance.
It also encourages commitment to your brand, without you having to buy Facebook comments, buy Instagram likes, or buy TikTok viewsamong others.
Respond to all reviews, without exception
It's essential to respond to all opinions, whether positive or negative.
Accompanying an unhappy customer to turn their negative review into a positive one is necessary, as it demonstrates your authenticity and responsiveness.
On the other hand, you do need to thank customers for their positive reviews and the time they've taken to leave feedback.
Be transparent
To maintain a good e-reputation, it's important to handle criticism professionally and courteously. Avoid debates at all costs, because "the customer is king". Never be defensive. Sometimes, responding publicly is the best way to demonstrate your responsiveness and, above all, your ability to solve problems. Nevertheless, some situations may require a private conversation, so it's up to you to manage.
Anticipating and proactively responding to discussions around your brand helps you build trust with your customers by demonstrating your commitment to open and honest communication.
By following these tips, you'll have a more structured and comprehensive approach to managing and improving your e-reputation.
Need an e-reputation campaign?
If you're looking to improve your e-reputation without cheating or asking for fake reviews. We can help, contact :
- alucare@alucare.fr
By telling us your goal!
