In the digital world, people and businesses(social media team) spend more time online. Consequentially, content posted a month a go or a year might be relevant, off-putting or controversial. However, you cannot simply remove negative comments posted on your site made by customers.
Rather, businesses need to have a team set-up to address customer concerns in real-time. We do not have control over what people say about our business, good or bad. However, we have to create a strategy for how-to address negative comments.
In the following paragraphs, I will go over strategies businesses can use to address sticky situations. Some strategies might work for some businesses, whiles other might not.
That said, consider all of them.
Answer customer questions promptly
Most of the time customers post negative comments, a lot things have transpired. Take for example outages associated cable or internet. We all expect an outage to occur every so often; however, if the internet stops working for an 1 hour each day for seven days then frustration will build.
After these episodes one would expect a customer to call or setup a chat to resolve the ongoing issues. Of course the agent that receives this chat/call/email will not be fully versed with customers experience. That should not prevent them from expressing empathy, apologizing for the inconvenience; and working to provide a credit of some kind.
Negative situations, if dealt with swiftly, will not spiral out control leading to negative comments.
Without a doubt, customers are integral part of the business – without them your business would not exist. So if they have a complaint, concern, or want to your business to improve processes then listen to them. Also, respond with a reasonable time to the inquiry.
Respond to negative feedback with empathy
We have all experienced it, a frustrated or angry customer has left a comment or posted a video online. Now you’re tempted to delete it all together because it bad for business.
It is not possible to delete the comments, rather focus on crafting a response that shows empathy. Once you do, customers will respect you more and count your team to resolve issues that arise in the future.
Being empathetic shows customers that you understand the issue from their point of view. In other words, you were in that situation and understand the angst, frustration, and anxiety associated with it.
Collect and show reviews on your site
Displaying reviews on your site should be a given. It fosters transparency, being humble, and accepting improvement is never ending in any business.
Typically, there are companies which provide software to collect, review and display reviews on a blog or site. Frankly, it is not feasible or manageable to manage this process. Partner with companies such as BrandYourself, Gadook.com, or Yoono for reputation management services.
Generally speaking, online reputation management companies will provide following services:
- Remove and suppress negative comments
- Promote positive online experiences
- Clean up search results
- Counter negative comments online
Strive to remain at the top of Google search results
Preferably, when customers or anyone searches for your company on Google, your org will display towards the top. Of course there are a lot of factors, but relevant keywords can catapult the first page.
Whether you own a small, medium, or large business, SEO is driving factor for ranking high on Google. Google algorithms will rank a business higher when it has reviews/feedback on the site. This indicates the site is active, trustworthy, and the content is relevant.
Another use of SEO is to suppress negative content about your brand, thereby boosting your ranking and positive view.
As a business owner, it is important to know when delegate. SEO might seem like it easy but can be time-consuming updating it every so often. Consider hiring a SEO specialist to decrease your workload as well as improve the likelihood of being on the first page of Google.
Automate online reputation management
Frankly, it is not feasible to approve, update, or deny comments/feedback about your business on daily basis. Instead, set up Google alert(s) so that if your company is mentioned – you can reply.
Hire an online reputation management company
A search online will return numerous results for online reputation management. Businesses of any size need to seize the opportunity to partner with a company for these services. Associates at the companies are accustomed to dealing with a bevy of situations that may arise.
Rest assured they will build trust between you and customers. And, of course, constantly work on removing tasteless content.
Be thorough when choosing an online reputation management company. Compare and contrast reviews, plan prices; how long the company has been around, and overall features. After doing so, choose the company that best suits your needs.
Here are some of the best online reputation management companies online.
Summary
Online reputation management has always been important, but it is more so in the digital age. It seems every two or three months there is a new social media platform. If you don’t have a strategy, use the strategies I have suggested protecting your business. Answer customer questions promptly, this will ensure a small situation do not spiral out control.
Respond to negative comments with empathy, meaning show customers you understand their issue. Display reviews on your site to encourage new and existing customers that you have nothing to hide. If you’re versed in SEO, utilize it to remain at the top Google search results. If not an expert, outsource this work to specialist.
Automate online reputation management to save time and minimize mistakes. Lastly, hire a reputable(pun intended) company to handle your reputation management.
Sources
Bojkov,Kate. 2023, January 3rd. Online Reputation Management Strategies to Build A+ Online Presence[2023] EmbedSocial. www.embedsocial.com.
Shooley, Skye.2022, December 5th. Best Online Reputation Services of 2023. Business New Daily. www.businessnewsdaily.com.