If you know anything about developing a brand, you will know that boosting your online brand reputation is key. There are a number of ways to do this, including strong search engine optimisation (SEO) and delivering an excellent customer support experience. With so many businesses out there to compete with, building your online brand reputation and creating a brand that people hold in high regard is vital. Otherwise, you may struggle to stand out from the crowd, allowing your competitors to become your customers’ ‘go to’ brand.
Thankfully, we’ve put together seven of the top ways to help you build up your online brand reputation. When it comes to achieving the best results, it is a good idea to use as many of the following approaches as possible. The better your brand’s reputation, the higher chance you have of boosting your sales and growing your name.
1. Display customer feedback
A lot of people choose a business based on customer feedback and reviews, which is why displaying positive customer testimonials is key. There are a variety of techniques to do this, such as showcasing reviews on your website or encouraging customers to leave feedback on social media. Someone is much more likely to view your brand as being trustworthy and reputable when they can see that other people have had a good brand experience.
2. Respond to customer reviews and comments
A lot of brands underestimate the importance of responding to reviews and comments, even though doing so shows customers that you care about their opinions. Respond to comments on social media and online reviews, as this shows that you are seeing and taking note of what your followers are saying and building a relationship with them. It’s a task that only takes a minute or two but has a big impact on your brand’s reputation.
3. Get savvy with your SEO
There is no denying the importance of search engine optimisation. For many people, the top results in search engines are reserved for the top brands and businesses. Therefore, reaching the top spot on Google is a fantastic way to show that you are a reputable business. Not only does SEO ensure that your business is found at the top of search engine results, but it ensures that any negative feedback and less than complimentary reviews are not as easy to find. With an effective SEO strategy, it’s harder for negativity to impact your online brand reputation.
4. Offer good customer support
You are sure to know that brands with a positive reputation are those that offer good customer support, so don’t overlook how important it is. Excellent customer interactions and quick, knowledgeable replies show that you have a friendly team that customers can rely on for support at every step along the buying journey. Whether it’s answering a customer’s question or solving an order dispute, you can’t underestimate the importance of good customer service.
5. Deliver a flawless customer experience
Delivering a flawless – or as close to flawless as you can get – customer experience is a key part of building your online brand reputation. Speedy deliveries, easy payment and top-quality packaging can all help to avoid an upset customer. Negative online reviews and a lack of customer retention brought on by a glitchy website or an unreachable service team can be avoided by putting customer experience (or CX) at the forefront of your business strategy. By delivering a good customer experience, an individual will feel as though you are a reputable authority within the industry, return to you for their next purchase, and will recommend you to others so that your customer base keeps on growing.
6. Take content marketing seriously
To build a strong online brand reputation, you need to showcase yourself as an industry leader. You must show that you are informed and knowledgeable about the industry, more so than your competitors. This can be done with content marketing, by posting educational and well-written content online. Plus, high-quality content is likely to be shared online and boost your SEO as well.
7. Act on feedback
Customers want to know that their feedback is being taken seriously, so listen to what is being said and act on it accordingly. This includes fixing any problems a customer reports, as well as responding to feedback on social media. This reassures the customer and lets them know the issue is being investigated, which portrays you as a brand with a reputation for taking feedback seriously.
Using the seven ways detailed above, building your online brand reputation becomes a lot easier. Failing to dedicate time to your reputation could see you slip behind competitors and develop a poor standing within the industry. When a brand is viewed as being respected and reputable, it’s more likely to attract positive attention and build up a loyal customer base.