Online Reputation
MKT 301
Current Reading Assignment #1
Managing an Online Reputation
Our generation’s lives revolve around the internet. Our every need can be fulfilled by the internet. We can get anything and everything such as answers to our questions, or ordering clothing and groceries, and social media. We turn to the internet for most of our answers because it is private and quick. Almost everyone can gain access to the internet which can be a very powerful tool for businesses if utilized in the right way. Blogging can be done by professionals or amateurs and can affect businesses either in a negative or positive way.
The Yellow Pages used to be the first place to look when we needed a service from a business. Now, all we have to do is go on the internet and find reviews about the company. These review sites are a great marketing tool for small businesses especially with the reviews from happy clientele. Of course, there is a negative side when there are bad reviews lingering out there on the internet. There is a way to manage your online reputation, but it requires a great skill set. You have to monitor online conversations and engage with customers and the tech savvy’s to promote the business in the best ways. Based on a survey done by the Opinion Research Corporation, 84% of Americans have said online reviews influence their decision to purchase an item.
When monitoring, do a vanity search of your business. Ask yourself if you are easy to find, do you have a website and blog that is kept up to date, and check if you are being reviewed by others in online forums or blogs. Look at your business from a customer’s point of view. Know who the influencers are and build a systems to stay on top of the online buzz. A Google alert can inform you when your business is mentioned in a review. Now that you’ve begun monitoring, the next and tricky part is managing it. Claim your listings, respond to reviews, never argue with the customer, and never write false
Current Reading Assignment #1
Managing an Online Reputation
Our generation’s lives revolve around the internet. Our every need can be fulfilled by the internet. We can get anything and everything such as answers to our questions, or ordering clothing and groceries, and social media. We turn to the internet for most of our answers because it is private and quick. Almost everyone can gain access to the internet which can be a very powerful tool for businesses if utilized in the right way. Blogging can be done by professionals or amateurs and can affect businesses either in a negative or positive way.
The Yellow Pages used to be the first place to look when we needed a service from a business. Now, all we have to do is go on the internet and find reviews about the company. These review sites are a great marketing tool for small businesses especially with the reviews from happy clientele. Of course, there is a negative side when there are bad reviews lingering out there on the internet. There is a way to manage your online reputation, but it requires a great skill set. You have to monitor online conversations and engage with customers and the tech savvy’s to promote the business in the best ways. Based on a survey done by the Opinion Research Corporation, 84% of Americans have said online reviews influence their decision to purchase an item.
When monitoring, do a vanity search of your business. Ask yourself if you are easy to find, do you have a website and blog that is kept up to date, and check if you are being reviewed by others in online forums or blogs. Look at your business from a customer’s point of view. Know who the influencers are and build a systems to stay on top of the online buzz. A Google alert can inform you when your business is mentioned in a review. Now that you’ve begun monitoring, the next and tricky part is managing it. Claim your listings, respond to reviews, never argue with the customer, and never write false
Cited: Pattison, Kermit. "Managing an Online Reputation." The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 July 2009. Web. 13 July 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/business/smallbusiness/30reputation.html?pagewanted=2>.