How To Protect Business Online Reputation — And Your Privacy
Large companies and major corporations don’t think twice when it comes to spending huge sums to protect business online reputation. During a time when all information seems to flow to and from the internet, it’s certainly a valuable investment. However, small companies and independently-owned businesses don’t have the luxury of investing quite as much into online reputation management — but that doesn’t mean it’s any less of a concern.
Never fear: Large or small, your company’s online reputation is truly in your hands. We’ve talked about how dive into online reputation management with ease — but once you’ve built that reputation, how do you protect it? The answer isn’t as complicated as you might think. Here’s how to protect business online reputation that your company has built, as well as your privacy.
- Monitor your reputation frequently. This means repeatedly searching for information about your own business online, and taking note of your feedback. If there are things you can control, such as how your feedback is viewed or what information comes up on your Google My Business page, do so.
- Be aware of what’s happening in your industry. Just as it’s important to listen to your customers, it’s also crucial to stay on top of your competition. Take note of industry developments and news that could inform the next choices you make for your business online.
- Actively search and respond to social media. On social media platforms, things can easily spiral out of control. What one customer says about your company, however false, could be upheld as truth unless you’re there to respond to it. Seek out mentions of your company on social media, and respond to any and all comments you might get. This also applies to finding and managing your company’s reviews.
- Publish positivity. Consider every positive thing you put out onto the internet — a social media post, a blog, or even the promotion of a great review — a positive asset. Though they might seem small individually, these create a glowing presence for your company that reflects the experience a potential customer could have while working with you.
- Be vigilant. The more attention you get (yes, even positive attention), the more your company’s privacy could be at risk. Take extra care to safeguard credit card numbers, bank statements, addresses, passwords and more at all times. Protecting yourself from this kind of fraud is just as imperative to maintaining your online reputation as any of the above.
As Warren Buffet once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” It’s true: Being aware of what you can do to protect your online reputation is just as important as knowing how to build it.