6 Powerful Practices For Successful Online Reputation Management

“There’s no second chance to make a first impression.” You may have heard those wise and true words before. Once a person makes a judgment, that judgment usually sticks. It serves as an anchor for all future opinions. This is true not just in the case of our real world interactions, but also in the online realm.

Of course, first impressions need to count. But really, all impressions need to count. Why is that? Reputations hold weight under nearly all circumstances — whether online, offline, personal or business-related.

In the case of business, though, it’s never too late to have “the tides turn against you,” so to speak. Sad but true. Hence, the term online reputation management (ORM). You need to first create a good online reputation for your business. That’s the first impression. Then, you must maintain it.

That can definitely be a challenge. However, it’s one that can be overcome. Consider 6 pro tips that can help you to be successful.

1. Develop an Online Presence

First things first. Most know that a company website is non-negotiable. (If you don’t have one yet, you absolutely should.) Yet, some are still under the impression that social media is an option. Is that really the case? As time goes by, social media becomes more and more integrated into society. Chances are that a nice chunk of your customers and potential customers flock to social media. It’s safe to say that it’s no longer an option. Just like a website is essential, so is a strong social media presence — emphasis on strong.

Set up accounts on the social networks that your audience uses the most. Most often, these include Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram. But is it enough to just have these accounts or to post to them occasionally? No. You must post regularly to develop a solid presence that will counteract any negative perceptions.

2. Monitor Personal Reputations

Besides having a business presence, it’s important to pay close attention to personal reputations as well. Your website and social media profiles may be outstanding. Yet, that could mean nothing if a person stumbles across anything that’s not in good taste. This goes for the online “footprint” of everyone involved with your company.

Bottom line: Everyone that represents your business should represent it well, even in their personal online activities.

3. Blog, Blog, Blog

Inevitably, someone, somewhere, at some point, will spout out negative things about your business. Whether they are legitimate issues or not, that’s not the main concern. The focus should be on either counteracting or addressing the negativity. One great way to counteract is by blogging. How does this help?

Blogs that are SEO optimized and active generally move up in search engine results. Let’s do the math. More positive content on the web plus higher placement in search engine results. What does that equal? Less chance of people finding the negative feedback. Not to mention more chance of them finding the information that you want them to find.

Simply put, the more positive, high-quality content you put out, the less visible negative talk becomes.

4. Listen to Feedback

Let’s revisit the point mentioned earlier about the legitimacy of negative feedback. By keeping tabs on issues, concerns and claims, you can figure out what to do, if anything needs to be done at all. More on how to respond under points five and six.

Anyhow, paying attention will help you to make any necessary adjustments or improvements. Do you want to act in the best interest of your business? Of course! Make good use of social media comments and other tools such as Google Alerts. Look for patterns. Then, respond if it’s appropriate.

5. Apologize and Act

Remember that nothing and no one is perfect. It’s possible that there truly is a “chink in the chain” somewhere. If someone has genuinely had a bad experience and has expressed a valid concern or complaint, don’t run. Instead, be honest and humble. Take responsibility. Apologize and do whatever you can to make things right.

This can go a long way in salvaging an individual’s opinion of you. It can also impact the way others view you when they see your sincere efforts.

6. Don’t Argue

In some cases, though, people can just be unreasonable and aggressive — even untruthful in some cases. When dealing with these types, it’s best not to argue. For one thing, it will get you nowhere real fast. For another, it only adds fuel to the fire that aims to burn your reputation to a crisp. Besides, it just doesn’t look too good to others watching.

Arguing reflects poorly on you and your business. Let unreasonable and aggressive folks say what they wish. Resist the urge to fight back and defend.

It’s a Process

You’ll never be able to sit back, kick your feet up and say that you’re done with ORM. If you ever do, your rep will erode while you’re preoccupied with “more important” things. The truth is that very few things are of as much importance to your business.

ORM is an ongoing process. It does require time and effort. But, positive perception pays for itself many times over. If you use the six powerful pro tips above, you will soon be able to see the benefits for yourself.