Reputation management used to be a word-of-mouth strategy, but today’s digital marketplace takes reputation marketing to a whole new level. Users talk about your company and brand via numerous digital avenues, and balancing all of them can be a full-time job. A good reputation can seal the deal, while a single bad review can turn off potential leads.

Reputation Management vs. Reputation Marketing

Reputation management refers to the efforts companies use to control, repair and/or sustain their image in the marketplace. Often reputation management comes into play after an undesirable incident. This may require corporate executives and spokespeople to address the issue or controversy that has already taken place and clarify what the company’s position is. Quite simply, it is damage control.

Reputation marketing, on the other hand, focuses on growth. Marketers draw value from the words, comments, reviews and mentions of your firm by clients and utilizes those mentions into your marketing strategy. It incorporates the tools, strategies and tactics professionals use to build a brand and create an image that is consistent with the company’s vision, mission and values.

Reputation Marketing Tactics

1. Showcase expertise through content to build reputation. One of the most effective ways to build a reputation is to create content that showcases your company’s specific expertise, standards, charitable acts and goals. Content such as blogs, bylined articles, videos, social media outreach and email newsletters can go a long way to demonstrate your organization’s knowledge and brand. When a content and distribution strategy is integrated into the marketing plan, it provides a solid foundation. After all, you’ll need to develop a reputation before you can manage and market it.
2. Repurpose positive reviews into shareable content. 70 percent of users trust online reviews. Testimonials and more in-depth case studies are an essential component of reputation marketing. Incorporate inbound and outbound links to capitalize on the impact of this type of content.
3. Highlight and share user-generated content. If your clients are talking about you via social media, or they are creating video or photo content about your products, don’t hesitate to incorporate that content into your reputation marketing strategy. Not only does user-generated content feature your client’s company in a way that builds a supportive network, it helps diversify your content and shows that your client relationships matter.
4. Maintain communications via the appropriate outlets. Your clients are active on a variety of digital platforms. Ensure you know where your target market congregates and maintain communication via those mediums. Users may post reviews on popular sites such as Google, Yelp or via social media, but they’re also active in forums, content comment sections, FAQs and more. If you’re unsure where clients and prospects are talking about you, consider tools such as BuzzSumo and Mention that allow you to discover when, where and what users are saying about you online.
5. Respond to and address clients’ and prospects’ issues. When you answer a question directly on a review or within a social media post, you gain a valuable marketing edge. Not only do you provide a direct response to the poster, other users can discover the same relevant information via search or direct linking. If an issue is unique or private, take it offline when necessary, but develop a response with the correct contact information to ensure a path is provided for all readers.
6. Utilize employee advocates. Your employees can be some of your most knowledgeable and passionate advocates. If they are active on your behalf, your brand and reputation marketing can increase trifold. LinkedIn is a popular avenue for sharing business-related content, and 74 percent of users use Facebook for professional purposes. Encourage employees to like and share your company’s content, but also to create their own content with a unique employee perspective.

Build Your Reputation

Your reputation will exist, change and grow whether you maintain it or not. So why not be proactive with a conscious effort to build and use it to your advantage?