During a Euro 2020 soccer press conference, famous soccer player Christiano Ronaldo removed a bottle of Coca-Cola from the table where he sat. He replaced it with a bottle of water, simply stating “water” in Portuguese.
Just like that, Coca-Cola’s market value dropped by $4 billion.
Your reputation matters.
One slight against a business’s integrity– like Ronaldo and Coca-Cola – can cost billions of dollars, because we live in the age of the internet.
What people say about your business, both good and bad, is now accessible to the nearly 7 billion people searching the internet each day.
Online reputation management for manufacturers (ORM) is important now more than ever for controlling how the world views your business.
Key takeaways:
- Secure your brand name
- Publish quality online content
- Promote good reviews
- Address negative reviews
- Remove inaccurate and harmful reviews
What is Online Reputation Management for Manufacturers?
A simple online reputation management definition is: “What people think of your manufacturing business.”
Over 53% of people will research their options before making a purchasing decision. When people conduct their research, about 80% only trust businesses with 4 stars and higher.
Online reputation management is the process of controlling how people view your business in a way that shines a positive light.
What Influences Your Online Reputation?
If you want to know your business’s reputation, Google your company name. You can also ask customers, friends, and employees for their opinion about the organization.
What are people saying about you?
Your online reputation is affected in three areas:
- What shows up when people search your business
- What people post on social media about your business
- The reviews people leave about your business
When people perform their searches, 25% will click on the top Google result. If you have good SEO, your business website should have that top slot. But that top slot might be a press release or website review.
Social media is a powerful tool – with nearly 4 billion users worldwide. Every post, mention, and review on social media will influence how people see your brand.
Social media isn’t the only place people leave reviews. Those who want to research your business can also see reviews on Google, Yelp, Indeed, and Glassdoor.
Why Do You Need an Online Reputation Management Strategy?
Managing what shows up on searches, social media, and reviews is key to effective ORM for manufacturers.
When you keep a positive reputation online, you build trust with clients. That trust leads to more conversions and better financial returns.
Customers aren’t just looking for the best price when shopping for products. They also want the best experience, according to studies.
People want to know that your business is trustworthy, likable, and easy to work with – not just that you manufacture quality products. You can show that you fulfill these qualifications through positive reviews and posts online from other customers.
5 Methods of ORM for Manufacturers
Here are five ways you can build this trust with your customers through online reputation management for manufacturers.
1. Secure Your Brand Name
Before controlling what others are saying about your business – start with what you’re saying.
Is your business the only one posting content using your brand name?
You can control who is using your brand name to publish online content by purchasing all forms of your business domain (.org, .com, .net).
Next, move on to social media accounts. Whether you use the social media account or not, create a profile under your business name to prevent others from taking your name.
Some social media accounts to claim are:
- YouTube
- Quora
Research the most popular websites that your targeted clientele visits, and create a profile with your name claimed and verified, so no one else posts using your brand.
2. Publish Quality Online Content
Once you’ve secured your business name across the internet, use your brand name to publish quality content. Effective marketing for manufacturers doesn’t just bring in customers – it also controls how people view your business.
As mentioned earlier, having that first spot on Google is essential for securing people’s opinions and trust. You can achieve that top result by using search engine optimization and keywords to rank higher in Google.
When your content is quality and consistent, you show your clients and customers that you’re knowledgeable, trustworthy, and accessible.
Don’t limit your engagement to your website. Use social media to engage as well, so people become familiar with your name and associate it with a positive experience.
3. Promote Good Reviews
Over 91% of customers between 18-34 trust online reviews.
If you want a positive online reputation, EARN positive reviews.
Here are a few ways you can encourage positive reviews:
- Create a business profile on top review websites (Google, Yelp, Facebook)
- Ask customers to leave a review after making a purchase
- Give a free product in exchange for an honest review (don’t require a positive review)
- Contact quality review websites and ask for a feature on your brand
4. Address Negative Reviews
Part of ORM for manufacturers is monitoring what people say about your brand. When people write articles or leave reviews, be prompt in your response.
When someone leaves a negative review, let them know you are listening. Begin with an apology for the negative experience – then seek to remedy the situation. Often companies will give a phone number or email that the reviewer can contact, so your business has a chance to improve the situation.
Video: How to Respond to Negative Online Reviews by Neil Patel
5. Remove Inaccurate and Harmful Reviews
Negative reviews help build trust along with the positive. If a customer sees a website with only positive reviews, they may be skeptical about your business’s transparency.
You may, however, run across extreme cases of negative reviews that will require more extreme actions – such as reviews and articles that post false information, offensive content, spam reviews, and explicit language.
If the review is on a site like Google or Facebook, you can report the review. Other times the post may be on someone’s personal site. In those cases, attempt to contact the author personally to discuss removing the offensive or harmful content. If they refuse, you can also take legal action depending on the type of content.
Get Help Managing Your Online Reputation
You can find online reputation management services through a reliable content marketing agency. At Shanahan Strategy Inc., we pride ourselves on creating personal strategies for industrial marketers in the manufacturing industry.
Contact us today to start discussing an effective online reputation management strategy for your manufacturing business.
