Businesses have always had to manage their online reputation, the only things that have changed are the medium, the speed at which information is transmitted and the number of people that are reached by that information. A business’s reputation used to be what they said about themselves in their advertising and the limited reach their customers had via word of mouth.
Now, customers define businesses by providing real time feedback on review sites, social media, forums and other channels.
Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Foursquare have dramatically changed the way businesses communicate. A business’s reputation is both what they say about themselves, and what your customers say about them.
Social media is a two-way conversation — businesses can no longer broadcast the message they want people to see. There is a democratic nature to social, with brands, consumers and everyone having an equal voice in a shared space. Customers can rave about a business, or let everyone know they had a terrible experience.
While review sites and social media are essential parts of managing a successful online reputation, monitoring a business’s digital profile is about much more than responding to reviews and social media. It’s about being proactive and creating an online image with the help of customers.