To say these unprecedented times have brought forth an accolade of hiccups and surprises for businesses, large and small alike, would be an understatement. Though many things have changed, something that still remains constant is that consumers value surveying online reviews when considering options in their buyer’s journey. Since even a single negative review can harm one’s business, online reputation management is of utmost importance. Research says at least half of a company’s market value depends on its reputation among customers.

Reading this, you might wonder: How should I build a good internet reputation for my brand? Is there a tried-and-tested strategy for business reputation management? What are the dos and don’ts while building an online reputation?

Hold on to your curiosity and keep reading. This post answers all of these questions and many more.

Let’s get started.

The SMART Online Reputation Management Plan 

Let’s discuss how to improve your digital reputation management goals by implementing the SMART technique.

Specific – Your online brand reputation management goal should be precise. 

‘I will improve my brand’s internet reputation by launching ‘Y’ campaign.’

Measurable – A measurable goal always keeps you informed – whether or not you are heading in the right direction.

‘The campaign should add at least 50 new customers every month’.

Achievable – You should set an achievable target after a careful analysis of available resources, skills, and the time you can devote towards the project.

‘I will dedicate a budget of X dollars for the campaign. The budget will be used to buy a reputation management service. Also, I will devote X hours every week only for the campaign.’

Relevant – The goal you set should be relevant and add more value to your brand. 

‘The campaign aims to improve our online presence (web, social media) and thereby attract more customers.’ 

Time-Bound – Your goals should be tied to a specified time frame to discipline your efforts and remain competitive.

‘We will have a good online presence across all platforms by the end of 6 months.’ 

Top 3 Objectives of Brand Reputation Management 

Get More Customer Feedback

A survey says that 90% of consumers admit that online reviews influence their buying decisions. Thus, to improve your brand’s online reputation, you should get more customer reviews and display reviews and testimonials on your website. 

SMART objective – 

Get 30 new online reviews every month for six months by assigning this task to an employee. To achieve good results, ask for reviews by encouraging customers to share their experience and make it easy for them to drop reviews. 

Connect With Your Customers On Social Media

You should interact with your customers on social media to develop a human-like conversation instead of using social media only-for-the-sales pitch. This research says that addressing customer complaints increases customer advocacy by 25% highlights. No wonder why customer engagement is important! 

A good business reputation management plan should include – replying to your customer queries, engaging with new customers by running a unique ad campaign, using hashtags to build a community, asking open-ended questions, etc.

SMART objective – 

Interact with at least five Twitter users each day for six months. Ensure that your customer queries are solved within 24 hours. For this, hire a person to monitor your organization’s social media platform.

Promote Your CSR Strategy

Your company should engage in CSR activities to develop goodwill among customers. However, being committed to social responsibilities won’t help your brand’s reputation if your customers are unaware of them. 

SMART objective – 

Launch a website to promote your CSR activities and rank this website on the first page of search results within six months. 

Which Reputation Management Services should you use?

Online reputation management services allow you to monitor customer feedback, promote positive reviews, social media monitoring, capture negative experiences to address them faster, etc. Such software has become a staple for reputation management teams, helping them achieve granular insights about the company’s online image.

Talking about which software to use, there is no one fit for all. Different software has different functionalities and costs. You have to assess your organization’s requirements and accordingly implement a reputation management service that fits with your business needs. Reach out to our team today to see if a reputation management service such as ReviewPush’s top digital reputation management software may be a good fit for your team.

The Bottom Line 

Thanks to the internet and the e-commerce boom, every business needs to know the sentiment of their consumer on online platforms. Online reputation management improves your brand’s digital image increasing credibility and trust among customers. Thus, it is recommended that you make internet reputation management a crucial part of growing your business. Reach out to our team today to see how we can help you crush those SMART goals you’ve set!

Lee McNiel