Have You Seen Your Online Reputation? [Infographic]

The digital revolution has made it increasingly difficult for a brand to maintain control of its online reputation. From talk on social media to articles on other websites and mentions via search engines, it seems like everyone has an opinion about brands and an abundance of online channels to share these views. While positive posts can have a great effect on brand image and sales, negative talk can cause serious harm that could damage a brand for the long-term. This is why it’s essential for a brand to constantly monitor its Internet image and do everything possible to ensure a strong online reputation, from keeping customers happy to continually engaging with the social media community and constantly updating content.

MDG has developed a fact-packed infographic that offers advice for building a better online reputation. It features specifics on the state of online reputation management (ORM), along with both savvy and sorry ways that brands have handled their digital reputations. It also offers tactics and tips for getting started and managing mistakes. After all, how a company manages an online slip-up can make a world of difference in how the online world sees and speaks about the brand.

[jump]

The infographic illustrates the need for ongoing online reputation management, revealing that 92% of consumers trust brand recommendations from friends and family, while 70% value online opinions from other consumers. It shows that more than half of consumers on social media have used a social channel for brand research, including 70% who like to hear about a customer’s experience with the brand, and around 50% who either compliment or criticize the brand to the social media world. It also discloses that more than half of brands feel unprepared or unsure of whether they could handle an online image crisis.

MDG’s infographic cites examples of how brands have handled online reputation crises both perfectly well and painfully wrong. It cites negative cases by American Airlines and Progressive Insurance, along with lessons for both dodging and dealing with such situations. It also includes positive examples by Target and KitchenAid, whose savvy actions serve as models of reputation management.

It offers smart strategies to help brands create good online reputations, as well as ways to cope if things go bad. To build a company’s good name, it suggests focusing on establishing the brand’s voice before its products, along with striving to develop brand advocates, paying attention to every online user, constantly monitoring online mentions, and practicing smart SEO. If crisis management is needed, it advises identifying negative remarks on all social media channels, executing a pre-determined crisis response plan, and trying to solve the problem before it turns into a full-blown crisis. It also offers words of wisdom for worst-case scenarios, such as responding immediately and decisively, being open and honest, admitting and correcting mistakes, devising creative solutions, and establishing a plan for rebuilding the brand’s image. These are all important lessons for brands to learn since mistakes are easy to make and much harder to correct.

Overall, the infographic provides a clear guide for cultivating, maintaining, and reclaiming a brand’s online reputation. Remember, an online crisis can happen to any brand at any time, so brands had better be prepared to handle the worst in the best way possible.

Spread the Word

MDG, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Boca Raton and New York, NY, is one of Florida’s top content marketing agencies. Our 360° integrated approach uses just the right mix of traditional and digital marketing to reach your advertising goals. Our core capabilities include branding, logo design, creative, online advertising, print advertising, media planning and buying, TV and radio, web design and development, infographic development, email marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. While some industries may fare better in print and others online, we strive to create a balanced approach, where traditional, social media, and digital marketing efforts support each other and your message is tailored to the medium. To learn more about the latest trends in marketing and advertising, contact MDG today at 561-338-7797 or visit www.mdgsolutions.com.