4 STEPS TO A HEALTHY ONLINE REPUTATION
1. Be in control
Ensuring that you have a large online presence with a controlled message is very important. Below are several ways to ensure that your business has its best foot forward.
- Company Website
- Social Media Channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc...
- Company Blog
- Online Advertising including Google Adwords or other sponsored content
2. Follow Review Networks
The following list is just a few places to check for reviews to monitor your online presence. Some are industry-specific and you can certainly do a search to find more review-based sites:
- Yelp
- Google Reviews
- Angie's List
- Zocdoc
- WebMD
- Angies List
3. Setup google alerts
This is a great free tool that allows you to monitor what is being said about your company online. You can set it up to monitor different ways and frequency based on your preferences.
- Enter a term you want to monitor (i.e. company name, high-level employees, etc.)
- Prioritize alerts (i.e. "company name + fraud")
- Use it to monitor everything from your competitor to current industry topics
4. Research and Maintain
- Do a general Google search of your company to see where you appear
- Use yext.com, a free tool that will discover online directory listings for you. Use this to claim your listings and be sure to maintain.
- Be sure to check your own social media site reviews on a regular basis
FINALLY
Being aware of what is online about your company is key to creating and maintaining a healthy online reputation. If, and when, you run across negative feedback (you will, because it happens to the best of us) be sure to respond in a prompt, professional manner.