Manage your online reputation with quality content

Listener Question

Hello Tim,

I often hear you talk about how to build a good reputation, or preserve one through good customer service or becoming a “servile brand” (see I do listen!). But I am looking for some helpful tips for recovering from a bad or damaging experience, one that may have damaged your brand. The reason I am asking is, we have had two back to back projects which have not gone well and the relationships between us and our clients on these projects soured badly and eventually broke down. We have long term relationships with a few other clients but I want to minimize the potential damage that the bad experiences may have on other clients out there. The industry is a very small one and word of mouth is paramount! Any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Ryan

Response from Verity Meagher,
Marketing Manager at Netregistry

Hi Ryan,

Your situation is certainly common as reputation management can be difficult in today’s online world. With the help of social media networks and blogs it’s now easier than ever for your best clients to become brand ambassadors and advocates which exponentially increases positive word-of-mouth and brand awareness about your businesses. However on the flip side it’s also difficult to manage your brand’s reputation. Arguing the intricacies of an issue in a public forum can often exacerbate the problem. The best way to mitigate any negativity is a combination of quality content and as you say becoming a “servile brand”.

If strategically written and published, quality content about yourself and your business can help to push any negative comments that have been indexed on Google further down the rankings. What is quality content? Quality content is the creation of valuable, educational and engaging content that keeps readers coming back for more and correctly positions your brand in front of potential customers. Such content includes strategic or guest blogging, targeted email marketing, regular and consistent messages to the right consumers and whitelabel collateral to name a few. Google can’t help but rank good content and searchers love to consume and share it.

Becoming a servile brand can help to not only differentiate from your competitors but also to become an integral service on which a customer relies. Like us, our customers are time poor, informed and demanding these days and as a result expect a great service experience that empower them.

I would recommend you focus on the above tactics as well as strengthening your current long term relationships with other clients that are positive. It would be especially beneficial to encourage them to post reviews and testimonials to promote their positive experience. Remember testimonials can be just as successful as traditional advertising.

What strategies do you have to support your brand’s online reputation?