Photo | Courtesy of Julia Becker Collins
Julia Becker Collins is the chief operating officer at Northborough marketing agency Vision Advertising. She can be reached at julia@vision-advertising.com.
Updated: September 2, 2024
Know How
The perils of ignoring your business reputation
By Julia Becker Collins
Do you know what people say about your business online? Information on your company online is being created, reviewed, and commented on constantly, regardless of whether you know about them or not. If you’re not keeping up, you’ll be caught unaware of blows to your reputation. It’s time to find, manage, and respond to the criticisms leveled at your company.
Do you know where people talk about your business online?
If people wanted to say something good or bad about your company, where would they go? There are many places on the internet to do so, but some speak louder than others:
• Google listing: When people type your business into search, your business listing will be one of the first things to show up. This includes a review section with a star rating.
• Yelp & Better Business Bureau: These are the two premier review sites for businesses, and they’re the next step for people digging into your company’s reputation.
• Social media: Facebook has a star-based review system built right into the interface, but platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., can all still have negative messages, comments, and mentions of your business.
Depending on the industry, other listings include Trip Advisor or Glassdoor.
Are you managing your online reputation?
One thing that’s true for almost all the above websites is entries for your business are created without your input, automatically or by users. This means people are already talking about your company, even if you’re not aware. You need to be proactive and claim these accounts, set notifications when new reviews or comments come in, and learn the gentle art of responding to negative feedback.
Similarly, it’s a good idea to set up notifications from Google whenever your business is mentioned, especially in news articles.
How do you respond to reviews and complaints?
Two instinctive ways to respond to a negative review or comment aimed at your business are to ignore it or respond to it confrontationally. Both are the wrong reactions. While you should respond, as these comments are both public statements on your business and customers engaging with your brand, you need to:
• Gather information about the situation. Were they a customer, and were the statements they made true? This will help you formulate a response.
• Respond diplomatically. It’s okay to apologize and be conciliatory. Your first goal is to make them feel heard. Your second goal is to solve the problem.
• Take the conversation private. It’s a good idea to switch to phone, messenger, or email to get more information or discuss compensation.
• Know when to stop. Sometimes, the reviewer will act in bad faith or want to hurt your brand’s image. You may need to leave a statement to set the facts straight and walk away.
Be polite and professional, but have a plan to respond to any criticisms. Knowing these listings exist and leveraging tools and time to respond can make a huge difference to initial reactions when people find your business online.
WBJ Web Partners
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