Bad Reputation Online in General?
For businesses, virtual reputation does not always match real-life reputation. Even if you have a great reputation as a business in your local community, your online reputation may be terrible. If your company is generating negative websites, negative online comments, and negative blog posts, this sort of attack can eventually affect how many customers and clients you see in your bricks-and-mortar office.
If you are facing a bad reputation in cyberspace, these do’s and don’ts can help you regain control online:
- Don’t forget to thank those that do bolster your reputation. Some companies get so hung up about the negative comments made about them online that they fail to notice the great comments made by bloggers, forum participants, and the like. Be sure to look for the positive comments as well as the bad. If you notice someone posting complimentary comments about your business, make sure to thank that person. It will create a more positive buzz about you online and will make that commenter or web site owner feel even better about supporting your business.
- Don’t be passive about a bad reputation. Some companies get so discouraged that they assume that there is nothing to be done about a bad online reputation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Set up Google alerts or put aside time each week or each month to monitor your online reputation. If you find a troubling trend, do act on it.
- Do develop a solid plan to prevent a bad online reputation. One way to regain a sense of control over your online reputation is to have a solid plan in place. When you do find unflattering comments about your company on the Internet, knowing what to do right away helps you feel better about the situation. If you are not sure how to handle negative online comments, consider a reputation management service. Professionals can help you get a handle on the situation quickly.
- Do use all the online resources in your arsenal. Many companies assume that as long as their company is not generating any negative comments that can be found through a cursory Google search, all is well. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. When considering your online reputation, consider blogs (both posts and comments), websites, YouTube videos, forums, and other modes of online expression. Similarly, when trying to repair your reputation online, make use of social networking sites, forums, blogs, and sites to spread a positive image of your company as far as possible.
- Don’t try to be perfect. Many companies assume that any admission of wrongdoing is ill advised online. In fact, the opposite is true. If you have a negative reputation online because your company has made mistakes in the past, hiding those mistakes can be the most damaging thing you can do. Being honest about your mistakes and working hard to do better in the future is your best solution. The online community will respect you more for this approach.