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Online Reputation Management for Small Businesses

What is Online Reputation Management?

As a small business owner, you know that your reputation is everything. It can make or break your success, and in today’s digital age, your online reputation is just as important as your offline one. That’s why it’s crucial to prioritize online reputation management for small businesses.

Online reputation management (ORM) is the process of monitoring and improving the online reputation of a business or individual. This includes monitoring what is said about your business online, responding to reviews and comments, and taking proactive steps to improve your online presence.

Why is ORM Important for Small Businesses?

Small businesses often rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing and referrals, and in the digital age, that means that online reviews and ratings can have a huge impact on your success. According to a study by BrightLocal, 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend or family member.

In addition to the impact on your sales, a negative online reputation can also affect your search engine rankings. Google and other search engines use various factors to determine how to rank websites, and online reputation is one of them. So, if you have a lot of negative reviews or comments online, it could hurt your search engine ranking, making it harder for potential customers to find you.

How to Improve Online Reputation Management for Small Businesses

There are several steps you can take to improve your online reputation:

Monitor Your Online Presence: The first step in ORM is monitoring what is being said about your business online. This includes keeping an eye on review sites like Yelp and Google My Business, as well as social media platforms and industry-specific forums.

Respond to Reviews and Comments: It’s important to not only monitor what is being said about your business but also to respond to reviews and comments in a timely and professional manner. This shows customers that you care about their feedback and are willing to address any issues they may have had.

Happy customer receiving a text message review request is one way to perform online reputation management for small businesses.
Requesting reviews via text message from happy customers is a simple online reputation management strategy for small businesses.

Encourage Positive Reviews: It’s not just about responding to negative reviews, but also proactively encouraging happy customers to leave positive reviews. This can be as simple as including a link to your Google My Business page in your email signature or asking satisfied customers to leave a review on social media.  In a previous post, we provided information about the benefits of using text message review requests for your business.  This is an invaluable strategy for businesses of all sizes and can be extremely simple to implement with tools provided by ReviewTrigger.

Use SEO to Your Advantage: Optimizing your website for search engines can also help improve your online reputation. This includes using keywords, optimizing your website for mobile, and using external links to reputable websites.

Utilize Social Media: Social media platforms can be a great way to connect with customers and showcase your business. Use social media to share updates, respond to customer inquiries, and show off your products or services.

Online reputation management for small businesses is an essential aspect of running a small business in today’s digital age. By monitoring your online presence, responding to reviews and comments, encouraging positive reviews, utilizing SEO, and leveraging social media, you can improve your online reputation and set your business up for success.

Ready to get started with an easy online reputation management strategy? Visit ReviewTrigger and discover how QR codes and text messages can help your small business thrive!

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