Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, said “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” In the digital world you can see what people are saying about you and so can everyone else.
Your posts, blogs, social media interactions, reviews, even photos you are tagged in will determine how you are perceived by others online and offline, now and in the future. This is your digital footprint and in today's digital landscape, it’s important to be sure you are not only searchable, but your reputation is untarnished. 41% of brands that experienced a damage to their digital reputation reported a decrease in revenue. There are so many social directories where you can list your services and business. The digital marketing jargon alone could make your head spin if it’s all new to you. SEO vs SEM, digital marketing, content marketing and social media marketing. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
There are several ways to improve (or even build) your digital reputation. Here are a couple to help get you started.
Word of mouth is one of the top ways to grow your business. Asking customers to give reviews and recommendations will be key. Offer an incentive for people that do this for you. Create a loyalty program, urging people to tell their friends and offer a special promotion for return customers.
Have an established social media presence. Maintaining consistent and relevant social media platforms will be instrumental in this step. This isn’t “Field of Dreams”, you have to keep up the work, they won’t come just because you built the business. Be sure your posts are applicable to your brand; you reply to messages quickly and address any negative comments publicly (keep in mind the age-old rule that the customer is always right).
Expand your presence. You figured out how to post to Twitter and your following is solid and active. Good for you. Imagine how many more people you could be exposed to if you worked in a Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Yelp page.
Your brand is your reputation. Your digital footprint is here to stay. The two come hand in hand and require a consistent effort to maintain and grow. You have to make this a part of your daily routine. If that seems overwhelming, there are many companies out there offering to help manage your online reputation including us here at Making Waves Marketing. We can help you make waves, not ripples.
Quoted sites: https://www.quicksprout.com/how-to-improve-your-online-reputation/