Reputation management is the concept of monitoring and influencing a business or brand’s online reputation. It takes time to build a positive reputation and it can be broken in seconds, so taking the proactive approach is essential. Consumers rely on the internet to find the things they want and need, but their opinion can be swayed by many things. Here is where reputation management comes in:

Online Reputation

If you are a new business, you can begin establishing an online reputation by creating blogs. Having a blog provides endless opportunities for PR, how-tos, advice, and more. It is key to have regular blog posts that are relevant to the reader. Encourage your customers to leave reviews online when they visit your business or use your services. Gain publicity by doing some web advertising and promote your company as much as you can. Get your business of social media, if you haven’t already.

Protect/Maintain

If you have already established an online reputation, there are a few ways that you can protect and maintain it. There is only so much that you can control, so when you encourage customers to leave reviews online, it is best to monitor the comments and respond to negative reviews as best as possible. What you can control, however, is search rankings. Post informative, relative content to reach your audience. Even if your business doesn’t primarily rely on the internet, your customers more than likely do. You should always be taking steps to monitor your reputation online.

Survive and Conquer

Reputation management is essential for a company’s survival. Many companies have experienced huge explosions in their reputations, but they have withstood them due to reputation management. Gone are the days where an incident stays on the down-low. People now have the ability to post all about it online, where it has the potential to go viral. Great reputation management keeps companies from crashing and burning when something goes wrong.

The Practice

Why does reputation management exist? People are more likely to spread negative news than positive. Bad news and gossip oftentimes get more clicks and attention than positive news does. One wrong move can turn into a much bigger issue than it ever really was. Reputations require focus, whether it be polishing up an article or getting more positive reviews online. Brands truly have very little control over their reputation, so reputation management takes the reins by influencing what people see and making an effort to tailor how they may think about your brand. Viamark Advertising can help manage your brand’s reputation online.

Viamark Advertising

The Wilmington, Delaware office of Viamark Advertising delivers award-winning advertising campaigns with a strong marketing backbone. Our vast national resources and unique business model allows local and regional businesses in Delaware to utilize the same quality advertising services that a national advertiser would expect from an ad agency. We can also help set up, plan, and manage a social media and networking platform that fits your unique needs, including reputation management. Contact us today!