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One of the biggest challenges businesses face is protecting their online reputation. Now that virtually everyone can access the Internet from the convenience of their mobile device, many consumers are using online reviews to share their experiences or make informed purchasing decisions. Therefore, many companies are looking for new online reputation management methods to build a positive online reputation.
Strategic storytelling is one of the most important tools a brand needs to survive challenges to its online reputation. A strategic narrative defines the brand’s identity, values and purpose, which should guide every interaction the brand has with its customers. If a company’s online presence and interactions with its customers don’t align with this narrative, it could damage the company’s online reputation.
How online reviews affect your brand’s reputation
Reviews are extremely powerful for a brand’s online image in both directions. Positive reviews create word-of-mouth recommendations that could attract new customers. On the other hand, negative online reviews can scare customers away, and even those who aren’t scared may view your brand negatively.
However, while negative reviews are just as important as positive content to a company, illegitimate negative reviews can be used in an attempt to destroy a company’s positive reputation. These fake reviews, whether created by bots or someone violating the review platform’s terms of service (for example, former employees or a competitor), can have a disproportionately negative impact on brand reputation if left unchecked.
Related: Your online reputation is powerful – use these methods to improve and protect it.
How to remove fake online reviews to build a good reputation
Thankfully, most online review sites realize the unfair negative consequences of these fake reviews and allow businesses to report and remove illegitimate reviews. As a business owner, platforms like Google and Trustpilot allow you to log into your admin panel and report the review that violates the platform’s terms of service.
In general, these platforms all work similarly and are effective at removing illegitimate reviews. For Google, some reporting may be necessary as different moderators may come to different conclusions about the legitimacy of the review. Trustpilot offers premium support, sometimes even going so far as to track the IP address associated with the review to see if it is a competitor’s registered address. Employee review services like Glassdoor are an exception, where it can be much more difficult to remove reviews due to the nature of these sites.
While these steps are convenient for handling illegitimate reviews, they are not recommended for legitimate reviews. Even if you successfully get a legitimate review removed from a site, this will leave the customer even more angry and likely to take action against your reputation, as you will not be trusted. Instead, when faced with legitimate negative reviews, respond in an ethical and well-thought-out manner.
Related: Don’t fall victim to a digital hitman: here are 6 ways to protect your online reputation from fake reviews
How to deal with legitimate negative reviews online to manage your reputation
When dealing with legitimate negative reviews, all reputation management companies will tell you the same thing: having a crisis management strategy in place is essential. While online content may not seem like a major crisis, it can spiral out of control if you don’t know how to handle it. If you don’t respond appropriately, you could escalate and worsen the situation, ruining your brand image online.
Remember, with negative reviews, you’re dealing with someone who is already dissatisfied with your company, so it’s critical to respond quickly to remedy the situation. Ideally, you can help the customer reach a resolution that encourages them to delete or at least edit their review upwards. The first step in dealing with a legitimate negative review is to identify the root cause of the problem. If the reviewer left their name or contact information on their profile or in their review, find their order or account with you and identify what went wrong.
Sometimes the reviews you receive will be anonymous, in this case the best solution is to reply by indicating a contact point to contact so that they can provide more details. It’s a good idea to apologize for his negative feeling, but don’t admit fault – you’re not sure of the details yet.
Once you have identified the person who left the negative review, try to remedy the solution. Typically, this means giving them a chance to improve their experience. For service-based businesses, the ideal solution might be a free month of service or reassigning the customer to a different team, depending on the issue they’re experiencing. For restaurants, the best solution is probably to invite them to return for another meal on the house.
How to proactively address online reputation management
The best way to handle negative reviews is to proactively prevent them. Of course, you won’t be able to leave every single customer satisfied, but not every dissatisfied customer will leave a negative review. Strategies like transparent communication and authenticity across all platforms can help prevent dissatisfied customers from becoming so unhappy that they write negative reviews.
Additionally, you should conduct online reputation monitoring for any mention of the brand. There is specialized software that business leaders can use to monitor mentions of their company name online. However, the “do it yourself” method of social listening – using search engines and setting up Google or social media alerts with your name as a keyword to flag relevant search results – is also an effective way to be notified when a customer said something about social listening. Business. These alerts can allow you to respond to negative comments about your company in a timely manner.
While it’s not always possible to remove negative online reviews, there are other proven methods to repair and restore your company’s online reputation through effective crisis management. By actively engaging with your audience, implementing constructive feedback, and demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction, you can gradually rebuild trust and improve your digital footprint. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity to demonstrate your dedication to excellence and to turn a negative situation into a positive outcome for your brand.
Related: 9 steps to build a reputation management plan that wins customers and gives you an edge