Consumers today often rely on the internet to get information on different products or services. They read reviews, watch views, and even search the brand or company name online before they invest in the product. If you have a less-than-stellar reputation online, these customers will turn away and look at better options, which means you’ll lose valuable business. Most small to mid-sized businesses manage their online reputations without professional assistance. They reply to negative reviews and try to address bad press quickly.
While DIY solutions work for the short-term, they’re not the ideal solution for the long term. It is best to hire a professional reputation management company for this purpose. You’ll stabilize your investment quickly and earn back the investment in a short time. Here’s a look at some signs that indicate you need a reputation management agency:
1. The first page of Google is full of negative content
The first page of Google search is very valuable real estate. Most people don’t look beyond the first page when they’re searching for any information. If the first pages of your brand name, product name, and other relevant keywords are full of negative reviews, comments, or content, you’ll face issues like low traffic, low click rates, and little to no conversions. An experienced reputation management agency will come up with a way to push the negative content back to the second or third pages. They will create positive and valuable content that will rank higher and occupy the first page on the SERP instead.
A good reputation management establishment will have a team of content creators ready to develop a sound content strategy. Well-written content can improve your reputation and help you earn a customer’s trust.
2. You have more negative reviews than positive reviews
Almost every business has one or two bad comments but these comments are often overwhelmed by positive feedback. You don’t need to worry about your reputation if you only have a few bad reviews among a sea of good ones. However, if you have more bad reviews than good reviews or the balance is 50/50, you need to rethink reputation management. Most customers understand that no business is perfect and will ignore a few salty comments in favor of detailed positive feedback. You need to maintain this balance.
A reputation management agency will use different techniques to improve your online presence. For example, they’ll contact the review host platform like Google or Yelp if the review is unwarranted and left behind by a disgruntled customer or ex-employee. They will contact the customer directly to resolve the situation and come to a mutual agreement. They’ll also set up a strategy to help people get good reviews from happy customers.
3. Your SEO campaign isn’t working properly
Search engines have hundreds of ranking factors they consider before they determine the position of a website on the SERP. The brand’s reputation is one of these factors. If you have too many negative reviews and low star ratings, Google won’t rank your website high on the SERP, no matter how efficient your SEO campaign is.
A good reputation management company will come up with a strategy to improve your online presence so your SEO campaigns work as they’re supposed to.
4. You’re not hitting your sales targets
Most businesses have sales targets they want to reach. They plan their sales pitch and marketing campaigns to hit these targets. However, if you don’t manage to reach these goals even if you have a sound marketing strategy, perhaps it is time to take another look at your reputation management setup.
You may need to hire a reputation management company to audit your online presence to determine the root cause of the problem. If the low sales volume is due to a bad reputation, consider getting an expert to look at the situation.
A trustworthy reputation management agency will develop a customized strategy based on your unique requirements. They will study your online presence, conduct a comprehensive audit, and recommend solutions based on the information they collect. Most agencies provide fixed management plans so you don’t need to worry about the costs involved. The plans will include everything you need to repair your reputation and find traction online.
