When it comes to learning about and building your online reputation, there’s bad news and good news. The bad news is, whether you hear it from your colleagues, business partners, or even poorly researched blog posts, misinformation about online reputation is a rampant issue. The good news is, at Top Rated Local®, we are online reputation experts, and we’d be happy to share some information with you to get you on the right track. In this two-part blog series, we’ll explore some of the most common myths people believe about online reputation and help you to understand the truth of the situation.
Myth: You Can’t Control It
Bad reviews happen. That’s a fact of life. However, you have the power of reaction. How you react to the negative reviews you receive is what’s going to determine whether or not you get a chance to make things right. Responding quickly and politely with an offer to resolve the situation makes you more likely to get an edited review and maybe even return business. It also serves to show anyone visiting the review site that you truly care about providing your customers with the very best service.
Myth: You Are In Complete Control
As we said, bad reviews do happen. No matter how hard you try to make sure you are making every single customer happy, some people just aren’t going to be. You cannot make everyone happy all the time. If you get a bad review, don’t sweat it. Just respond appropriately and things will be okay. These negative reviews actually give you great insight into what can be improved to make sure your customers are well taken care of. Take negative reviews in stride and make sure you’re doing everything in your power to make things right.
Myth: Publishing Fake Reviews Is No Big Deal
Publishing fake reviews is a very big deal. We cannot stress enough how bad fake reviews are for business. Fake reviews are lies you’re telling your potential customers and, frankly, are incredibly easy to spot. Your customers are smart. They’ll sense it if something is up. No matter how enthusiastic these fake reviews are, they will absolutely make your business look bad. Focus on getting good reviews from real customers that you’ve impressed. That will, by far, make your business look the best.
Myth: You Don’t Have An Online Reputation, Because You Don’t Do Internet Marketing
In this day and age, everyone has an online reputation, whether it be individually or as a business. Chances are, even if you don’t have a website or any sort of social media presence, people are still going to talk about the service they received online. Your best bet is taking control of your online reputation so that you and your team can shape it to be what you want it to be.
Myth: Reputation Management Isn’t Worth It
Hiring someone to do your reputation management or dedicating a team to it in-office is one of the best investments you could possibly make for your business, especially in this era. Making sure you have a good online reputation can be a lot of work, and it is best done by people who know what they’re doing. If you aren’t interested in hiring someone for this specific purpose, be sure to educate yourself on the ins and outs of reputation management.
Stay Tuned For Part Two
There are lots of online reputation myths left to explore, so stay tuned for part two of our series on Online Reputation myths. In part two, we’ll tell you even more about how you can be the boss of your own online reputation and success. Be sure not to miss it.
