Your Online Reputation Can Make or Break Your Company
In this day and age, there is no way a business can become as profitable as it should without being online. That includes having a website, social media pages, and monitoring what is said on those pages as well. Consider this; word of mouth is still as powerful an advertising tool as it has ever been. The main difference now is that the word of mouth travels even faster with online reviews and social media. It’s important that you understand what your online reputation is and what your current and potential clients may see about your business.
Here are a few things to be aware of when it comes to your website and online presence.1. Must be online
Having a website where consumers can find your business is a must now, not a suggestion. People want to be able to sit down at their computer or on their phone and find your business before they ever step foot in your location. They want to be able to read about your business, find out what all services you offer, and read reviews.
2. What those reviews say
As mentioned before, “word of mouth” is still alive and well only it is much faster now than ever before. Reviews online are very important as they can help to make or break the business you’re trying to build. Statistics have shown that nearly 79% of consumers will believe and trust the reviews they find online about the business before going in to experience it for themselves. They trust these reviews just as much as if it were a friend or family member giving it to them.
It is very important that if you have negative reviews you respond to them in a timely manner and try to help resolve the situation. Even if there are negative or less than flattering reviews, if you show that you’re responsive and care about the situation, that can make a dramatic difference in a potential client or a lost one.
3. A snapshot of your online presence
When someone wants to know about their “online reputation”, they want a snapshot of how they appear to everyone on the web. What do potential clients and those who are using your services already see when they search your company? What type of presence do you have online? Are you doing enough with social media pages, reviews that are posted, and putting out information that is useful to your clients?
You want to make sure that if you have social media pages you have someone responding and monitoring them on a regular basis. Be sure your website is working, not too slow, and offers valuable information that anyone new to your business would want to know. You want to take a good look at how you’re perceived on the web and what lies around those virtual corners about your company.
Your online reputation can help to build up your business or it can do detrimental damage. Consider hiring a company such as Talk Out Loud to help you in monitoring your presence and making sure you’re successful on the web.
