Online Reputation Management Mythology

Brand management practices have been used by companies of all sizes for decades. It’s puzzling then to see that so many companies have yet to implement an online reputation management process to protect the brands that have taken so long to build. Part of the reason for not moving forward here probably lies in some of the myths that surround the practice of online reputation management.

Here are four of the big ones:

1) Online reputation management is an expense we can’t afford – The expense of reputation management really depends on whether an active campaign is being run or whether you’re just monitoring. Google Alerts and Technorati track online mentions for selected keywords like company and product names for free. If, on the other hand, you’re dealing with an attack of negative content the cost of a reputation management campaign can be a fraction of sales lost due to poor reviews or an attack from a competitor.

2) Online reputation management is for companies with bad reputations – This is absolutely false. Online reputation management can protect you from negative publicity but it can also be used to promote positive messaging about your company. People now go online for news, product releases, and research. If they’re finding positive commentary about your company because of your reputation management activity they’re going to be coming your way.

3) Online reputation management only works for companies doing business online – Most people that are going to go online to air grievances don’t care whether the company does business online or not. They’re going to rip the company regardless. Searchers are still going to see the negative content and it’s still going to cost the targeted company.

4) Online reputation management isn’t ethical – Like any industry, there are people that abuse the system for their own gains. Astroturfing, sockpuppeting, and spamming are a few examples of unethical practices. The fact is the companies that last do business the right way and deliver results to clients that protect their online reputations.

Reputation management provides an effective and relatively inexpensive defense that can save a company’s reputation and its sales. For more information on online reputation management for your business, visit: http://www.reputationmanagementllc.com/ or call (866) 530 7703.

ORM Toyota How not to Conduct Online Reputation Management

It wasn’t too long ago that corporations had defined processes for handling consumer correspondence, complaints, and/or product defects. In today’s environment where information can get around the world in a second, the corporations which are still relying on slow moving and methodical response processes are paying the price in terms of the online reputation of their brands, products and services.

Toyota is a great example of a corporation which was slow to react to a major issue and then paid a steep price once things spun out of control. With an accidental acceleration issue that had been in existence for some time, the company was slow to take measures to fix the problem and then way behind the curve as accounts hits the newswires and the web. Their slow reaction to both the original issue and the public outcry has become a case study for reputation management; unfortunately for Toyota the case study is used to demonstrate how not to manage a public relations nightmare.

While Toyota is in the financial position to throw money at the problem until it goes away, most businesses cannot afford the kind of runaway publicity that hammered the car company. Here are three ways to stay ahead of potential problems so they remain manageable and don’t harm your company’s online reputation:

1) Monitor the web – Whether it’s one of your employees talking about your company or a group on a social network talking about issues with your most recent product release, you need to know what is being said. The upside here is that you may find great ideas for product or service upgrades by following what is being said by customers and other industry experts.

2) Be a valuable part of the community – Being involved in activities and discourse related to your industry raises your level of authority in the minds of your customers and others in the industry. Becoming a media resource on current events in your industry is another way build authority.

3) Respond quickly – If things turn negative it’s very unlikely that they will go away on their own. Engage quickly to get ahead of the issue before it really blows up.

Managing online reputation is an investment that can pay off in a wide variety of ways. For more information, visit http://www.reputationmanagementllc.com/ or call (866) 530 7703.