In this fast paced digital world we find ourselves, the importance of online reputation cannot be emphasized enough. The internet is an effective and efficient tool for any brand. This effective tool also has the potential of becoming a destructive factor if not managed properly. A brand’s online presence makes it easily accessible to it’s target group, especially when this presence is heavy on social media.
There are various ways of managing your online reputation on social media; through engaging with your customers, maintaining transparency and building trust. Follow these tips and your brand will benefit from having a great online reputation.
ENGAGE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
It is important for every brand, no matter how big or small to be on top of its online reputation on social media. Brands cannot completely control what is said about them but they can act on what’s said to influence what will be said later.
Brands need to constantly follow what people are saying about them and use that information to fine tune their activities. It is also very important to engage with your customers on social media; start a conversation and keep it going.
In a world where recommendation and word of mouth carry as much or even more power than paid forms of marketing, what people say about you on social media and how you engage with them can make or break your brand. What’s more fascinating; that can happen in a matter of minutes.
MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY AND CONSISTENCY
In managing social media platforms of brands, it is important to bear in mind the need for transparency and consistency. These two have an immense effect on trust levels. Your target audience should know that they can get trustworthy information from you online and in addition get that information as often as possible.
This is an awesome plus for any brand in the eyes of a customer. Timely response to client concerns is another quality that will raise any brand ahead of its competition. Use social media for customer service and build trust and goodwill through your relationship with them. This will give you an edge over your competitors.
BUILD TRUST
A good name has been known to have a huge effect on the success of brands. Trust is important to everyone. The reputation any brand has affects the level of trust that they are able to ignite in their customers. A good online reputation on social media means that your target audience gets to grow their trust for you where they spend most of their time. Honor your brand promises and commitments, and communicate it on social media. If you run a competitions or draws online, communicate the winners so people know you are genuine. Allow people to easily redeem their coupons, discounts or free gifts.
The amazing follow up effect is that, when they trust you online where they spend most of their time, it flows right into offline trust as well which is where you mostly need them to engage with your brand and act, unless of course you are a full scale online brand.
In this fast paced digital world, your online reputation management is as key as any other brand management activity because if it goes right, the benefits are ever flowing. When it goes wrong, it goes wrong hard and fast.
Nigeria
