With its indubitable popularity, BRM (Brand Reputation Management) has been practiced for quite a long time now.
Most major organizations have this serious concern about their reputation and today, small businesses are now slowly adapting this movement. Back then, it is called PR and word of mouth marketing.
However, with the advent of user-generated feedback through social site and review networks, the arena for BRM has changed fundamentally since then.
Now that the world have immersed into the digital era, launching and developing an excellent website with brilliant content is no longer enough to obtain a successful online presence without thinking about BRM.
With the upsurge of social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, enterprises and professionals alike need to be able to manage their presence nearly for 24/7.
Whilst these fresh paths of communication have open a myriad of new doors for marketers, they also need a whole new list of responsibilities that must be continually monitored to enable a more maintained brand reputation and an increase online influence.
With the users becoming more empowered, BRM today is already about actively managing various references and feedbacks on your business that typically happen online. However, being mindful with your offline reputation is as just equally important with being cautious about how your consumers see you online. An inside-store complaint, if not dealt accordingly – may invariably make its way into the virtual arena; thus, things like this should not be left unheeded.
So, what particular way of actions should you be taking? Knowing some offensive and defensive techniques is a great approach to slay BRM. Below is an outline of key things that you should address:
Dominate The Search Engines
When users directly search for your business name on a search engine, the first listing they must see is your company website. Though the remaining listing may vary due to various factors like device and geography; they must usually include various social profiles, Google places entries or maybe a series of news stories. Business listing and review sites can also make the front page or even a Wikipedia article about your brand, so check closely if the facts stated there about you consist no errors.
Your goal must be geared towards the domination of the first page results of the search engines. Make sure to have key social profiles set up specifically for your business, this helps.
In exuding further authority, you must aim to appear prominently in the search results for various search terms on your industry. The more consumer notices your brand out of the search results, the more they are going to regard you as an important player in your respective agency.
Example below shows results when you type in ‘Coca Cola Company’ in Google:
Constantly Monitor Thy Brand
Depending on your business size, several people could be talking about your business online. Regardless of numbers, it is important that you are able to understand every single bit of things that are said about you. You need to respond with accuracy to stories, deal with upset customers accordingly or maybe, simply reply to an answered question. Know that with a small amount of mentions you get in the web – positive or maybe negative – can have great implications in your business.
You can monitor brand mentions through tools like Google Alerts.
You must aim to monitor brand mentions every time they take place online to enable you respond to each them accurately.
Public Relations And The Social Media
One crucial facet of BRM is about projecting a positive image about your business. Social sites offer an exceptional platform for doing so, giving you a good opportunity to foster your desired public personality.
Remain active on various networks that are relevant to your business and attempt to create a character as an authority, this will add credibility with everything that you’ll have to say.
Your social activities must also extend to the social profiles of your employees. Their accounts (e.g. LinkedIn) must be connected with your company’s account and it must be accurate and up to date.
Positive Company Culture and Quality Customer Service
It is reasonable that not all your staff are familiar with BRM. However, you must understand that with its underlying importance, it is completely crucial that they understand its significance. So you must initiate actions to make it part of your company culture.
Also, it is noteworthy that in every interaction you have with your clients is a potential of creating good impression. So, in every customer you serve, do well and offer a fitting customer service irrespective of their spending capacity. Remember, often, first impression lasts.
Also, be clear about your boards and goals with your customer service staff and constantly ensure that everybody knows and reminded with the importance of maintaining a good brand reputation.
Better Consumer-Generated Brand Advocacy
Finally, no one could endorse your brand better than your avid customers could. You would want to send your most valued clients some free items and ask them to take part in giving a company feedback.
Most likely, these individuals will quite happily speak about their experiences with your business online, projecting a completely favorable viewpoint about your enterprise.
Author Bio:
Patrick P. is the founder of LinkVista Digital Inc, a digital marketing firm based in the Philippines. They specialize in web design and SEO management for both medium and large enterprises.
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