Why your business should pay attention to its online reputation

Across every sector, purchasing decisions are hugely influenced by a company’s online reputation.

Prospective customers need to know they can trust you; that’s why the first thing we do when we’re about to spend money on something is to read the reviews.

It’s the same with restaurants, hotels, energy providers, technology purchases and almost any other product or service you can think of. Customers want to know if a brand’s products actually work, how responsive their service is, whether their item descriptions are accurate, and how established they are as a business.

Even if you’re selling directly to other businesses rather than consumers, your online reputation can make or break a future sale. It gives prospects that level of reassurance they need to approach you with confidence.

So here’s why you should pay attention to your online reputation – and how you can improve it.

No reputation equals a bad reputation

Having no online reputation is, unfortunately, equivalent to having a bad reputation. If you don’t stand out online or appear in searches, your customers can’t be sure you really exist. While it isn’t always necessary, businesses with a physical premises should have a Google Business page.

Beyond that, you can invest in search engine optimisation (SEO) to make sure you’re appearing in Google searches – not just for your company name, but for searches relevant to your industry, like ‘logistics companies in Wolverhampton’ or ‘IT support specialists in Coventry’.

Encouraging positive reviews

Great reviews from happy customers can do wonders – not only for your online reputation, but for your Google search rankings. Negative content can significantly harm your online visibility, while positive content will actually boost it.

If you haven’t already, encourage clients to leave reviews on your Google page, as that’s the first place your prospects will look. Google reviews carry far more credibility than the testimonials featured on your website, because they appear on a third-party site.

Staying active on social media

Your social media profiles are an important part of your overall online reputation. Are you posting fresh, regular content? Are you sharing positive company news and achievements? Do you interact with clients and other businesses?

Not only do these actions help Google to rank you higher, but they showcase your company as being involved, engaged and proactive; all qualities prospects want to see in a business.

Maintaining multiple social media accounts can be daunting; it’s better to do a few really well than to do several half-heartedly. It’s unlikely you need to be on TikTok, for example – especially if you’re B2B!

Continue to read more about why you should pay attention to your online reputation on the Osborn website: https://osbornpr.com/why-your-business-should-pay-attention-to-its-online-reputation/

If you’d like support with building or improving your online reputation, we can help with that. Osborn’s clients benefit from our years of experience generating positive online content and we run packed-out Content Workshops to help you better engage with prospects online. Drop us a line to book in a chat.