In our daily lives, we often worry about our reputation. Be well-liked and reap the benefits. Get a bad rep and never live it down.
In the professional world, a company’s reputation isn’t just a valuable asset—it’s everything it has. Unlike in the personal world, companies can’t afford (literally) to just “not care what other people think.” Appealing to consumers and maintaining positive customer relationships are at the heart of a company’s success. Blows to a company’s reputation often won’t just blow over as in daily life, but can negatively affect sales, morale and profits—or even ruin its image for good.
As PR professionals, we work hard to make sure that doesn’t happen to our clients. We know that reputation is often manageable; we correspond favorably with media, build excitement around clients’ announcements and get their name out there in a creative, appealing way. And, when crises do arise, we help clients’ face them strategically, with sensitivity and poise.
However, one often-overlooked—yet highly influential—aspect of a company’s larger reputation is its online reputation. With the advent of review sites like Yelp and the capability of Internet users to create and write whatever they please, search-engine content and online comments now contribute hugely to a company’s image. Negative reviews and unfavorable news at the top of search engines can hurt a company’s brand much more than many realize, making it valuable to monitor online content for successful reputation management.
As proof, a recent infographic from Digital Firefly, re-posted in a PR Daily article, released some startling new facts that address exactly why online reputation management is so crucial. We highly recommend you visit the whole article, but here are a couple important takeaways to consider:
- 83 percent of companies will face crises that will negatively impact their share price in the next five years.
- 70 percent of consumers consult review or ratings before purchasing products.
- 97 percent of users who made a purchase based on an online review found the review to be accurate.
- 51 percent of consumers use the Internet even before making a purchase in stores.
- Traffic to the top 10 review sites grew on average by 158 percent last year.
In the face of such statistics, the answer isn’t to panic, but rather to focus efforts on managing online reputation. Given appropriate attention, online image is as controllable as it is impactful. Our blog post, “Best Practices for Managing an Online Reputation,” offers some helpful strategies for putting your best foot forward online. And, if you need a little help along the way, feel free to reach out—we’d be happy to discuss reputation management strategy with you.