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ANowadays, search engines can provide us with almost anything we’re looking for, helped by the proliferation of blogs, chat forums, social media networks, and media-sharing websites. These platforms offer excellent opportunities for people to express opinions and share feedback, whether positive or negative.
Search visibility and word of mouth are now so influential that managing online reputation has become a top priority for today’s CEOs and executives. Many in senior management were previously unaware of what was being said about their brand online, especially when negative news was spreading.
Online marketing has outlined key considerations for addressing search and online reputation issues. The growth of social media platforms like Facebook, which registers around 10 million new users monthly, shows that the impact of social media on corporate, brand, and consumer reputations is only increasing. Companies like H&R Block and Zappos have recognized this and have built large community management teams to constantly engage with feedback on platforms like Twitter.
On the other hand, companies such as Dell, Walmart, and Sony were slow to recognize the influence of social media and search results on their brand reputation. Having faced the consequences of this oversight, they took action and have since become models for how companies can successfully engage customers on the social web. Any company with an online presence or customer engagement should be working to improve online reputation management.
The lesson here is that companies should be proactive, not reactive, in managing their online reputation. Acting only in response to negative reviews or comments is insufficient; by the time a strong website ranking is achieved, competitors may already be ahead. Staying proactive in the competitive online space is essential, and effective reputation management must be ongoing.
A proactive, SEO-focused approach to online reputation management involves monitoring search listings and social media, optimizing and promoting content across multiple channels (beyond just your domain), and analyzing the results to make continuous improvements.