At SearchEngineOptimisation.co.uk we often find ourselves discussing internet reputation management. Quite a lot of companies are aware of the importance of managing the online world and what others think and read about you, however what a lot of companies do not realise is that factors that damage your online reputation are not always the same for each and every one of us. Whilst there are some obvious basics such as direct slander and extremely bad press, if you are not monitoring your online reputation closely, things which initially seem innocent can sometimes get out of hand.
An easy example to use is a local business such as a cafe. You may think that nobody on the web is bothered about a small business in a local town, but if you are listed in any local directories, which you should be, then you are exposed to the web as a whole. In fact, even if you do not have a strong online presence you can still be affected, as all your customers and competitors have free reign on the internet and can say what they like to the rest of the online world. Having no presence on the web at all actually increases your chances of your online reputation getting out of control, as you are actually not there to monitor it.
So, as a local catering business there are likely to be customer reviews posted on the web, and perhaps even on your website or pages related to your area or industry. A customer who has visited your establishment may post a review of your cafe which seems to you to be harmless, so you leave it where it is or do not respond. Imagine the review said something along the lines of, ‘nice place, pleasant staff, basic selection of food’. Granted it is not the most praising review, however it is not particularly damaging at first glance. What internet reputation management professionals would identify however, is the potential backlash that could occur if you ignore comments such as these.
There is not necessarily any need to respond to this particular post, but it is important to track what other posts follow. The next post could simply focus on the last part of the comment and state that they thought the food choice lacked variety and was very poor. The next comment could agree yet also highlight specific items and attack food quality. This is where it spirals out of control.
Of course, nobody can stop people posting negative reviews, as you are never going to please everyone so bad comments will catch up with you at some point. Removing comments unless they are abusive or an obvious competitor attack as part of your online reputation management for SEO is also not always a good idea. The best way is to respond and rectify as efficiently as possible. In this example, you could simply post that you have taken comments on board and improved any areas where necessary, which should nip the problem in the bud and prevent it from getting worse.
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Posted by Jon.
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