Three Ways to Take Control of Your Online Reputation (Plus: Free Tools to Help!)
Just like your brick-and-mortar business, who you are online matters. We all know the importance (and ongoing maintenance) of keeping our in-person reputations intact, but how does your online reputation measure up?
Just like your brick-and-mortar business, who you are online matters. We all know the importance (and ongoing maintenance) of keeping our in-person reputations intact, but how does your online reputation measure up?
75% of consumers say that word-of-mouth referrals are a key influencer in their purchasing decisions, which is why it is crucial to have an impressive online reputation. Three ways to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when clients and prospects look up your business online include registering with local listing tools, publishing quality content, and being active on social media.
Registering Your Business
Sometimes, organizing the logistics of your online footprint can be a nightmare. From Yelp to Google to Bing, plus hundreds of other sites, it can be hard to nail down the correct information for your business. Add in changing images and business names and you may feel like your hands are full.
It’s important to monitor these facts, though, and make sure all the information online is accurate for your business.
Publishing Quality Content
Content is the fuel that powers an inbound marketing strategy, which is why the stronger your content is, the more powerful your outreach will be. There are few things worse in the marketing world than a spotty blog, a static website, or canned, impersonal emails.
There are countless ways to ramp up your content marketing, including:
- Automating your content — By utilizing automation, you can create a consistent, customized online reputation.
- Posting about your industry on your blog — We always talk about the benefits of regular blogging, and often hear advisors wonder what they should blog about. We often recommend blogging about changes in the industry, such as the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule, because it sets you apart as a thought leader and knowledgeable source for clients and prospects.
- Setting up a drip campaign — Drip campaigns are personalized emails that go out to clients and prospects depending on their activity. Rather than sending a general, canned email to all your contacts, you can segment your lists, send targeted emails, and reach out to your network in a more efficient way.
- Keep your website updated — Websites no longer serve as merely an online business card. They are now dynamic, updated, and a crucial part of your user’s experience with your firm. Make sure your website is updated with new material regularly, whether that means adding new calculators, articles, blog posts, or custom content.
These are just a few of the ways you can use content to build your online reputation. Being consistent and available to your web visitors is a key element in the online branding process.
Be Social on Social Media
As its name entails, the social part of social media is what makes it a great marketing resource for businesses. While there are other avenues to speak back and forth with your clients, social media is dedicated solely to these kinds of interactions. You have a chance to lend a helping hand with client concerns, express your interest in industry topics, and share what you and your firm have been up to.
One way to manage your online reputation is to respond to your followers’ comments, both good and bad, in a timely manner. This shows that you care about your level of client service and aren’t going to shy away from problems that they may have.
Tools to Monitor Your Online Reputation
There are countless tools online that can help you continuously monitor your online reputation and stay up-to-date on changes. Some of our favorites are:
- Social Mention – This site allows businesses to input their name and see all mentions of them on social media and ranks who mentions you the most, if those mentions are positive or negative, and where you can see the original post.
- Google Alerts – Google Alerts can be configured to any mention on the Internet, which means business owners can set alerts for their firm’s name. Google sends emails when these keywords are mentioned.
- Naymz – Naymz is a platform that allows you to measure your online reputation on social media and compare it to other members. This might be helpful to business owners who are looking to broaden their network and further establish their brand.
Taking control of the logistics of your business’ data, publishing informative content, and staying active on social media can help you launch your online reputation to new heights. Thinking of your online persona as an extension of your firm’s brand is at the heart of inbound marketing.