Melneka Parker | What Is Reputation Management?

Melneka Parker | As a business owner, whether you operate a Fortune 500 company or a small local shop, your reputation is important to your continued success. Not only are you concerned about building a positive reputation among your customers and in the community where you business operates, but you have built an online reputation as well. Now maintaining, or managing that reputation becomes a crucial aspect of your business.

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Reputation management involves three distinct aspects of managing your company’s reputation. First you must build the reputation, then you must maintain the reputation, and in some cases you might need to recover your reputation. (Melneka Parker) With regards to building a reputation, a new company and its employees take the time and care to create positive associations between the business and the products and or services they provide. Reputation management in the maintenance phase helps to ensure that an established company keeps that good reputation and positive associations in the public eye. Finally, businesses that have developed a bad reputation for any reason need to work to recover their public image. Enhanced marketing programs and self-promotion can help to restore a good reputation.

Today, online reputation management is increasingly important. Whereas in the past, before the internet had such an impact on business, a company’s reputation was built through word of mouth and positive interactions with clients, today, companies also face the added stress of maintaining their online presence and reputations. (Melneka Parker) Internet marketing firms can help your company develop a positive online reputation wherein the best reviews, comments, and results are more visible than negative reviews, comments, and results. In fact, effective reputation management will essentially suppress negative results so they are less visible than those results that create a more effective image.

A skilled and qualified internet marketing professional that offers reputation management services will track online references to your company name, brand, or business and use this information to create positive content that promotes your company. Meanwhile, negative references will be suppressed so that potential clients are less likely to evaluate your company with these negative results. (Melneka Parker) Through careful use of blogging, directory listings, direct reviews, online publicity and social networking, your internet marketing professional will drive positive outcomes.

Melneka Parker | Some of the methods involved in reputation management are quite similar to search engine optimization (SEO) practice. For example, your internet marketing professional will commission original articles that are linked to positive or neutral content about your company. Similarly, blogging and social media will be utilized to create a positive online reputation. However, business owners should be prepared for an intensive reputation management process. While you should expect to see results within a few months, building or recovering your online image will take time. As such, you should be weary of individuals who promise immediate results, and choose somebody who will put the time and effort into creating a solid, long-term online reputation for your company.