Social media reputation management can benefit brands in any industry, especially at a time when consumers rely heavily on social media to discover and evaluate businesses.
Consumers today base their purchasing decisions on a company’s online reputation on social media and business review sites, rather than on advertising, direct sales messages, or promotional content.
54% of people use social media to do product research (GWI).
According to 79% of people, user-generated content on social media has a significant impact on their purchasing decisions.
Customers do not trust businesses with less than four stars. The most common filter is to see only companies with four or more stars. (Statistics from Online Reviews)
It is critical not to believe that your digital brand reputation is solely shaped by your own website and marketing communications. External online properties, such as social media and reviews, also have a large impact on how customers perceive your brand.
What is the definition of Social Media Reputation Management?
Traditionally, social media reputation management refers to the various strategies that marketers employ to increase brand awareness and reputation on social media.
This includes posting strategic content, monitoring social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on), and engaging with consumers who talk about your business or brand on those channels.
There is more digital ground to cover nowadays. Customers are sharing their brand experiences on business review sites, local listings and directories, and business discovery apps.
While the primary goals of social media reputation management remain the same, marketers have broadened their efforts to include these new digital spaces.
7 Success Factors for Social Media Reputation Management
If you’re just getting started with how your company manages its social media reputation, keep reading for your keys to success and some important considerations.
Post Interesting, Relevant Content
It’s critical not to let your social media pages go dormant. Create your pages and post relevant content and updates such as news, announcements, special offers, photos, videos, and links on a regular basis.
Use social media analytics tools to gain actionable insights about your audience and learn how to communicate more effectively.
Remember to avoid being overly self-promotional as your team decides what types of content to post. In addition to posting content that communicates your brand values, you should consider utilising user-generated content to encourage organic word-of-mouth marketing.
Make Use of Social Listening Tools
Tracking every single conversation about your brand on every social media channel can be extremely difficult, especially if you manage a brand with multiple business locations.
Social listening tools such as Hootsuite, Brand watch, and Talk walker assist brands in anticipating and acting on consumer trends while saving time and effort.
With an effective Hoot suite reputation management strategy in place, your team can listen to the customer’s voice on social media while monitoring online reviews.
Increase reviews rather than likes and followers
We’re not suggesting that you delete your Twitter accounts or stop checking people’s follow activity, @mentions, and direct messages. Continue to take control of your social media presence and engage with current and potential customers. After all, a strong social media reputation management strategy can boost your search engine rankings and give you more control over what people are saying about your company online.
Simultaneously, pay equal attention to your online reviews. Check out what customers are saying on business review sites like Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor, and Facebook as part of your social media reputation management efforts. Rather than simply increasing your likes, hearts, and followers, invest in efforts that generate more feedback and reviews.
Resolve Issues Affecting Reputation
Not every social media interaction will be positive. If a customer problem arises, it is best to have a plan in place to address the problem and communicate with the customer.
Resolving issues will increase not only audience engagement but also consumer trust. Chip Bell, best-selling author and customer service expert, says:
“The clock starts ticking in the customer’s mind when they post a negative review. Your reputation suffers for every hour you don’t respond. Be truthful, apologize, and provide an easy way for the dissatisfied customer to contact you. Unanswered negative reviews indicate to other customers that you are uninterested. It also contributes to the perception that the negative report by an irate customer was most likely accurate.”
Learn how to respond to negative reviews and social media comments as part of your social media reputation management strategy. More importantly, act on the insights you gain from their unsolicited feedback to provide better customer experiences.
Keep an eye on Google and Facebook
According to online review statistics, Google and Facebook account for 76% of all reviews. While it is critical to focus on as many social media channels as possible, pay special attention to Google and Facebook, two platforms where the majority of consumers read and post feedback about your company.
Share Your Favorite Customer Reviews on Social Media
If you consistently receive five-star ratings and glowing reviews on review websites, brag about it. Using a tool like Amplify, you can share the best reviews on your popular social profiles or even on your company blog.
Remember that user-generated content has a greater and more powerful impact than loud sales messages or promotional brand content. Positive feedback on social media drowns out negative feedback. It can also provide the social proof that people require in order to convert or make repeat purchases.
Convert Social Media Data into Actionable Insights
In order to gain insights into the customer experience, savvy brands are extracting insights from social media comments and customer-generated reviews.
By leveraging your valuable social media data, you can support the goals of your social media reputation management strategy while also making sound business decisions that will earn the trust of potential and existing customers.
Natural language processing and customer experience analytics, for example, make it easier than ever for teams to decipher customer sentiment in feedback. Successful brands also use data to gain a more accurate picture of the customer experience. They have the ability to comprehend — in seconds and at scale — what customers truly mean when they express themselves in their own words.
Final Thoughts
A well-managed social media reputation management strategy can make or break your brand’s ability to attract customers. With an effective strategy in place, you can broaden your reach on relevant platforms, increase engagement with your fan and follower community, and build long-term relationships that attract and retain customers.
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