Online Reputation Management: Guide For Online Businesses

506

While good online reputation management is imperative for all kinds of businesses, it is especially important for ecommerce. In E-commerce , the perception of brand image can make or break the business.

Online reputation Management has a strong impact on business sales, especially for E-commerce stores. We are now talking about a positive buzz. If your business becomes popular on the internet, your sales will increase. It is therefore essential to pay attention to this data to manage online reputation, a source of opportunities for your online store.

The reputation management of your business is essential, especially to start an online business activity.

Why does a business’s online reputation management matter?

Indeed, the online reputation management statistics figures speak for themselves:

• 85% of users read customer feedback before making a purchase.
• 71% of people trust a company after reading reviews on the internet.
• 79% of consumers believe the comments posted.

If you have an online store, put yourself in the shoes of Internet users . You want them to buy a product that they have never seen and touched. They must trust the elements presented on your ecommerce website. But, how easily would you trust a stranger?

Social proof comes into play here. To increase the sales of your online store, the goal is to gain the trust of buyers and overcome the digital barrier.

Having a good business reputation online has many advantages for businesses:

• Improve the conversion rate and increase sales.
• To convey a reliable, trustworthy and serious image.
• Strengthen the position of business in the market so that it establishes itself as an essential e-commerce in its field of activity.
• Hit the desired target.
• Develop the loyalty of existing customers.

---

2 Key Elements Of Online Reputation Management

The general image of your Business

No one matter the size of your business, whether you are the sole manager of the online store or have a team behind you, the overall image of your business matters. Consumers want to know who they are dealing with. You can have the best deal and a breakthrough product, if people don’t know more about your business, they’ll be suspicious and won’t buy.

Provide all the information necessary to gain their trust: your head office, contact points, your place of production, pictures of your teams… Create a bubble of confidence around your site with elements of reassurance.

Customer opinions on your offer and the products offered

In order to have a good online reputation management, always put yourself in the shoes of the consumer. By doing some research on the internet, before you buy, you will probably be looking at product reviews.

Customer ratings contribute to your branding and send a positive message. When faced with 1 or 2 star ratings, you will be reluctant. The potential customers of your online store will be too. Monitor customer comments and analyze what is being said about you is an important step for brand reputation monitoring.

---

Impact of customer reviews on your online business reputation management

Contrary to what many businesses think, negative reviews can be positive for online business reputation. Still, for reviews to have a positive impact on your online store, adopt the right attitude.

Ecommerce customer reviews are essential in the decision-making process, as they help customers get a better idea of ​​the product or service online. Consumers now have the opportunity to share their experiences and opinions with their peers online, in an extremely influential and powerful way. Online reviews give customers a voice, increase consumer confidence, improve product visibility, and can dramatically increase sales.

In e-commerce, the big challenge is to gain the trust of consumers. The objective of an online store is to convince without the buyers having the product in their hands. In this industry, social proof through consumer reviews is an asset to prove the reliability and quality of your offer. Working on the digital reputation management of an e-commerce site is essential for success on the internet.

Importance of Negative Feedbacks For Digital Reputation Management

The important thing about negative feedback is to solve the problem and find a solution. If the person is happy, they can edit their comment or highlight your company’s ability to respond. Alternatively, it will help in your Digital Reputation Management. Offer an alternative adapted to the inconvenience caused. Above all;

• Do not copy and paste.
• Personalize your approach, show that your business is available to rectify the problem and improve the customer experience.

To ensure the success of your business and increase your sales, improve your customer relationship management through customer feedback. The process of improving conversion on an Ecommerce site involves building consumer confidence through reassuring elements.

Key Statistic Data To Know for Adopting Reputation Management Best Practices

In order to give you an accurate idea of ​​the impact of consumer reviews on your sales, it is essential to look at the studies published on different sites.

The essential data to know for adopting Reputation Management Best Practices:

According to various analyzes of the Brightlocal site:

• 91% of people between 18-25 years old give as much importance to opinions on the internet as to the opinions of their relatives.
• More than 50% of consumers do not buy a product if the score is less than 4.
• 70% of Internet users need to read at least 4 opinions on the offer to get an idea.
• 49% of people consider the number of opinions left to be an essential criterion in decision making.
• 50% of users aged 18-25 always look at reviews before buying. This proportion is 6% for people over 55.

83% of users no longer believe advertisements and 77% of customers do not believe reviews older than 3 months. These figures prove the reluctance of consumers in the face of e-commerce, whose reinsurance elements are not sufficiently relevant.

For this, it is important to know the online reputation management best practices to promote your online business.

Why are reviews important for online reputation management?

Many companies overlook the reviews they leave. Two actions should be banned from your habits: not responding to consumers and not motivating them to evaluate their experience.

According to the publication of a study on the Statuslabs site, 30% of buyers like when companies interact and respond to the opinions left.

Key Benefits of Customers Reviews For Online Reputation Management

Following are the key advantages of Customer Reviews for your business online reputation management.

1. Increase your business sales

Social proof plays a vital role in online commerce. Before making the act of purchasing, users need to feel the reliability of the business. They don’t want to feel alone with their expenses. Having the opinion of consumers increases the sales of an online business. The satisfaction of your customers motivates people who are hesitant to buy, to strengthen the buying process and to reduce cart abandonment in E-commerce.

Interpret consumer reviews as digital word of mouth.

In addition, beyond reassuring Internet users in their choice of purchase, consumers’ opinions provide additional information about your offer. Through the use of other people, interested parties can find information not present on your site and answer questions from potential customers.

2. Improve consumer engagement

Leaving a review for a product, an offer or a business creates a community. Writing an opinion and sharing a user experience helps bond your customers.

For example, a person gives their opinion on a characteristic of a specific product. While sharing her experience, she will check out the other comments left to see if another user had the same feeling. Internet users can interact with the use, material and resistance of the product and thus interact with each other.

This information sharing develops a commitment around a company and they will automatically improve your business online reputation. Consumer opinions unite a community.

3. Improve your Business SEO

When writing reviews, people get straight to the point. Most customer feedback is straightforward and effective. The use of certain keywords is inevitable for some people. This practice boosts the SEO of your online store.

For example, your e-commerce sells sports shoes. A consumer’s opinion may be “Quality sports shoes!” They allow me to run (or jog) in complete safety ”.

If another user searches for “sports shoes” or “safe running”, the algorithms may highlight this notice and therefore your e-commerce.

In addition, consumer reviews provide search engines with regular, up-to-date and recent content. Many analyzes have shown that regularly published content helps a site’s SEO and improves its position in the SERPs.

5. Gain user trust

Feedback helps earn the trust of customers who don’t know your business. Thanks to the published opinions, they manage to form an opinion. If they have a positive feeling, your conversion rate increases.

Reviews also have the ability to build loyalty among current customers. They take the time to write a few words about your offer. This practice brings them closer to you. The feeling of belonging grows. The loyalty phase begins.

However, to take advantage of these Reputation Management Best Practices advantages within your online store, build a successful website where reviews are highlighted on the home page as well as on the product pages. Read our Guide on Building Customer Trust!

Having good opinions: How To Manage Online Reputation and Reviews?

1. Create a customer experience

According to studies published by the Kinsta site, 64% of users find customer experience more important than price.

The validation of the cart is not the end of the customer journey. Keep in mind that the customer experience begins from the moment the buyer is in contact with your brand until they receive the order and use the product.

To get a fair and objective opinion on your offer and the user experience you offer, put yourself in the shoes of consumers.

• Are you having a good time on your site?
• Do the pages load quickly?
• Is all the information accessible?
• How is the product packaged?
• Is the shipment safe or is there a chance that the order will arrive broken?

Having answers of above questions, allow you to put the odds on your side to optimize and improve the customer experience.

2. The implementation of chatbots for managing reputation

To facilitate the exchange between the customers and your company, put forward a chatbot. This technique allows consumers to have their questions answered quickly. They no longer need to wait endless minutes on the phone or send an email. Thanks to this chat, they have information about your offer and can thus decide more quickly.

3. Access to voice assistance

Thanks to the microphone built into smartphones, consumers can search your site orally. In 2020, this approach should represent 50% of the research carried out.

4. Integrate personalization

Online stores sometimes have difficulty creating a human relationship with customers. For managing reputation, To overcome the digital barrier and offer an unforgettable experience, bet on personalization. This involves creating product recommendations based on the research carried out or by integrating localization.

5. Have omnichannel marketing

Improving the customer experience means simplifying the buying journey. With the implementation of omnichannel marketing, consumers can buy on various platforms: the site, social networks, physical stores, on marketplaces like Ebay or Amazon, at events or from pop-up stores.

6. The importance of customer service for managing reputation

7. Allow mobile access

Customers take their smartphone everywhere with them. Wherever they are, easily and quickly, they can access the necessary information, make a purchase or compare the prices of several offers. Allowing them to access your online store from their phone earns you points. They don’t need to open their computer to get your product.

Facilitating the user journey is the key to having good customer feedback. In addition, in a few seconds, it is possible for them to publish an evaluation of your services.

8. Don’t forget about social networks

Having good customer feedback also goes through reputation online management. Motivate users to engage with your brand by leaving comments. For this, write captivating descriptions. Make them want to share their experience.

how do I get comments and reviews to manage online reputation?

But how do I get comments? Indeed, users can get your offer without sharing their opinion afterwards.

1. Ask the question directly

Within your online store, integrate an order tracking system. After a few days of receipt of the package, do not hesitate to send an email to know the customer’s opinion.

• Is he satisfied with the product received?
• Was he able to track his package?
• What are the ratings he would put on the site?
• His suggestions for improving your offer?

If you choose this option, simplify your approach. Ask simple questions:

• Last name First Name.
• Email-address.
• The note in the form of a star.
• An insert for specific comments.

You can also ask customers to rate your services on the dedicated pages. To do this, integrate the links of the sites (your Facebook page, the evaluation tab on your site, your Google Business profile). This way, in seconds, the customer can get back to you.

2. Create a give-and-take relationship

Giving a gift, an exclusive discount coupon, loyalty points or entering a contest can be a good way to motivate customers to give their opinion on their order.

Gaining consumer reviews for your e-commerce means gaining customer attention. The goal here is for them to be interested in your request for feedback.

3. Focus on photos

With the use of social networks, Internet users are used to taking pictures of everything. Ask them to send them to you. The visuals of the orders received give more strength and authenticity to the opinions left by consumers.

If you feel some reluctance from your audience, the alternative is to go to the networks and search for publications that showcase your products. As soon as you are faced with a profile who is a customer of your online store, do not hesitate to send them a message to ask for their opinion. Beyond obtaining feedback, you strengthen the customer relationship.

How to deal with negative reviews for online review management?

Faced with this one, you must have the right attitude:

• Apologize and acknowledge your share of responsibility.
• Thank the customer for his feedback.
• Ask for clarification on the situation. If you have all the elements to solve the problem, suggest a suitable solution.
• Offer compensation for the inconvenience caused.

To minimize the impact on your online business reputation, respond to all negative consumer reviews. Your answers prove the responsiveness and reliability of your business. What interests users is not knowing the source of the problem, but rather knowing how you will handle the situation.

Consumer reviews, whether good or bad, have an undeniable impact on online reputation management. Responding to online customer reviews is fundamental in E-commerce and is one of the fundamental processes in the relationship with consumers and online brand reputation management.

Motivate feedback and have the right reactions to gain the trust of Internet users. Read our Guide in Detail on How To Manage Positive and Negative Reviews?

---

How to have a good reputation management in the long term?

Building and maintaining a strong reputation management strategy is crucial for long-term success in today’s digital landscape. By proactively monitoring and addressing feedback, leveraging positive reviews, and transparently addressing any issues that arise, businesses can establish trust, credibility, and goodwill with their audience.

A comprehensive reputation management plan involves cultivating a positive online presence, actively engaging with customers across various platforms, and consistently delivering exceptional products or services to reinforce a positive reputation over time.

Online Reputation Management: 10 Best Practices

Effective online reputation management is vital for businesses to thrive in today’s digital landscape. Discover nine best practices and online reputation management tips to safeguard and enhance your brand’s online reputation, ensuring trust and credibility among your audience.

Practice # 1: Check reviews regularly and respond

So that your ecommerce has a good image on the internet, regularly check what is said about you. Control search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) but also social networks. It’s important to respond to negative reviews tactfully and find solutions to show your commitment.

Practice # 2: Ask customers for feedback

Identify your most loyal customers and ask them to write a review about your business and products. If you are reluctant to this idea for fear of disturbing them, offer them a gift in exchange: a promotion, a product offered on their next order, participation in a competition… In this way, you establish a win-win relationship. .

Practice # 3: Create partnerships with websites

As a business owner, your goal is for consumers to hear from you. To do this, do not hesitate to contact well-known sites to present your products. Strengthen your store’s online reputation through digital magazines. By submitting a product for free, you can gain a few lines in their content.

If you have setup blog on your ecommerce store, send out invitations for specialists or bloggers in your field of activity to speak. In your message, make it clear and simple that you would like them to write an article for your site.

How does this reputation management practice improve your business reputation? 

If the people concerned accept your invitation, it means that they love your products and your business. They will tend to talk about it to those around them, on their site or on social networks and will distribute your online store. This way you reach more people with a positive message.

Practice # 4: Respond to interviews

In order to build a long-term online business reputation, contact journalists and specialized sites. Introduce your business and express your desire to answer their questions. This type of content is usually published in physical journals. This is the reason why you should target. Contact only journalists with digital journals and magazines.

Practice # 5. Work on your SEO

Creating your digital place is essential to stand out from the competition and appear in the first results of search engines. Especially on Google, having a good SEO allows you to increase the number of visits to your website. On your product pages, use relevant keywords.

In addition, be present on strategic sites, forums. Consumers are asking their questions. Provide answers or solutions to their problem with the products sold on your online store. The goal here is not to spam all sites with your URL. You are going to create an amateur image. Filter and be relevant.

For example, your website offers acne creams. Go to all the forums where the problem concerns buttons. You will find an audience potentially interested in what you offer.

Practice # 6: Manage online Reputation Management on Google

Google is also the calling card of your brand and business. Manage Online Reputation on Google helps set yourself apart from your competition and reassures consumers. An agency specializing in Online reputation management on Google can help you manage your image and develop a positive online presence and removing negative google reviews.

You can read more in detail our guide on Google Reputation Management! and How To Remove Negative Reviews From TripAdvisor!

Practice # 7: Content production

Getting people talking about your business means being present and creating quality content. Bet on the variety of your media. If you’re blogging, doing podcasts, or imagining videos. They have the power to captivate Internet users and are easily shared.

Practice # 8: Make sure what it says about you

To Manage online Reputation, pay attention to what is said about you. A simple rumor can ruin your brand image. For this reason, kindly ask for the removal of misconceptions or made-up ideas about your e-commerce. If you find that this approach does not bear fruit, do not hesitate to file a libel action.

In this type of situation, if you see that ideas are circulating about your business, speak up. On your site, post a press release or denial.

Practice # 9: Be transparent

By opening an online store, prepare to be exposed to criticism. Indeed, thanks to social networks and evaluation platforms, consumers have more opportunities to give their opinion on companies.

On the internet, customers are prepared to find negative business reviews. If there isn’t one, Internet users will doubt the transparency of your business. When faced with negative comments, take the time to respond and understand the situation.

Practice # 10: How Community Managers Can Help in Managing Online Reputaion?

1. Create a community around your brand

The Community Manager of your company aims to animate your digital media to captivate Internet users. To do this, he creates an editorial strategy in line with the target and the sector of activity. As soon as people like the content produced, they will follow your news. The goal is to take care of these subscribers.

These communities exist mainly on social networks. These platforms provide access to the profiles of Internet users interested in your online store and your products. It is then possible to interact directly with them, like or comment on the photos until sending a private message. This in-depth work breaks the digital barrier and creates proximity between users and your company.

2. Improve visibility

These ideas of communities are especially true on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Consumers follow and interact with their favorite brands. Faced with the competition, the Community Manager has the power to find the reputation management tips to make you a place on the home pages. To achieve this result, it is especially necessary to work on it. Only people with digital marketing skills have the keys to making your online store visible.

3. Generate reactions

More and more companies are hearing the word “engagement”. It corresponds to the participation rate of people on brand accounts. This figure gives the percentage of users who exchange and react to published content. The Community Manager has the potential to write engaging descriptions and thus generate reactions.

A high engagement rate is an important legitimacy factor for posts. This means that people like what you present.

4. Respond to consumer questions

Customers are used to using social media. It occurs to them more quickly to ask the brand the question on Twitter rather than going to consult the frequently asked questions available on the website. One of the missions of the Community Manager is to answer questions from customers or potential customers. Having a quick and personalized response shows your company’s interest in consumers.

By having a constant presence on social networks, the Community Manager has the power to retain customers and get closer to them.

5. Monitor competitors

Almost all businesses have a social media marketing strategy. This is probably the case with your competitors. Competitive intelligence must be carried out by the Community Manager. He will thus identify what they are doing to differentiate themselves or analyze the trends to follow in order to be visible. Without this analytical work, your message is at risk of not being heard.

You Also Consult With our Guide on What is Community Management!

---

Equip yourself with the Online Reputation Management Software’s

Online Reputation Management Software Free and Tools can help you in managing it:

• Google Alerts: receive personalized notifications when the name of your company is present on a site. You can also activate them for any type of content you want. More advanced monitoring Reputation Management Software’s also exist.
• Facebook notifications: be informed as soon as a user leaves a comment or quotes you in a publication. The system is the same on Twitter or Instagram. If you want to receive notifications, activate them directly from your profile. Solutions allow all information to be centralized to simplify management.
• Protecting your brand: by registering your brand with dedicated organizations, your business is protected. You get rights and protections. There is nothing worse for the reputation of your online store than counterfeiting. Pay special attention to products similar to your offering, to spoofing your name.

Conclusion: How To Manage Online Reputation

In conclusion, mastering the art of online reputation management demands a multifaceted strategy. It begins with vigilant monitoring across various platforms to promptly address any feedback, be it positive or negative. Proactive engagement with customers fosters trust and loyalty, while swift resolution of issues demonstrates commitment to customer satisfaction. Additionally, consistently showcasing positive experiences through testimonials, reviews, and social proof reinforces your brand’s credibility. By prioritizing reputation management, you not only safeguard your brand’s integrity but also cultivate a strong, resilient online presence that resonates with your audience and sets you apart from competitors.

The online reputation of your business influences consumers to purchase your offering. Learn how to take care of your business reputation and control what is said about your business.