{"id":13819,"date":"2023-02-27T11:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-27T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.repscan.com\/blog\/what-is-online-reputation-and-how-to-improve-it-in-2023\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T10:06:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:06:22","slug":"what-is-online-reputation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.repscan.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-online-reputation\/","title":{"rendered":"What is online reputation management and how to improve it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Online reputation management is not easy. It is one of those tasks that we consider invisible:<\/strong> when it is done well, it is hardly noticeable, but if something goes wrong… we know it goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is such a particular area, that is why you should pay special attention to how to take care of it correctly and, above all, to understand its evolution over time and create it in a conscious way. If, like us, you believe in the importance of a good online reputation<\/strong>, read on because this is of interest to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will give you the keys to understand it in detail and improve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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What is online reputation? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the perception of a brand or individual online is becoming increasingly important. Online reputation refers to the general opinion or perception that customers and the public hold of a brand or individual on the Internet<\/strong>. It is not just based on personal opinions, but also on the association of the brand with certain values, characteristics, and personality. A good online reputation is crucial to building a strong digital presence<\/strong>, and it should be an essential aspect of any digital strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Factors that contribute to online reputation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The factors that contribute to a brand’s online reputation are numerous and complex. A brand’s online reputation is based on various factors<\/strong>, including its website’s design and functionality, its social media presence and engagement, its reviews and ratings, and its content marketing strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other factors that can influence a brand’s online reputation include its association with certain groups, its customer service, and its responses to negative feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Building a positive online reputation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A strong online reputation can significantly impact a brand’s success<\/strong>, which is why building a positive online reputation should be a priority for any business or individual. A positive online reputation can lead to increased trust, credibility, and authority, which can ultimately lead to more sales and revenue.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build a positive online reputation, it is crucial to monitor and manage online reviews, ratings, and feedback. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and addressing negative feedback can help improve a brand’s reputation. Additionally, creating valuable and engaging content, developing a strong social media presence, and showcasing positive news and achievements can also contribute to building a positive online reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why online reputation management is essential?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Online reputation management is the process of monitoring and managing a brand’s online reputation.<\/strong> It involves actively monitoring online reviews and feedback, responding to customer inquiries and complaints, and developing a strategy to build a positive online reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today’s digital age, where consumers have access to a wealth of information at their fingertips, a negative online reputation can quickly damage a brand’s credibility and reputation<\/strong>. Therefore, investing in online reputation management is essential to protect a brand’s reputation and ensure its success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In conclusion, building and maintaining a positive online reputation is essential for any business or individual with a digital presence. With the increasing importance of digital media, it is crucial to invest in online reputation management to build trust, credibility, and authority. By actively monitoring and managing a brand’s online reputation, businesses and individuals can ensure long-term success and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How do I improve my online reputation management? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reputation is the ultimate goal that a brand aims to achieve over time. It determines to a large extent its identity, and the way it is regarded by society and has a direct impact on the company’s income statement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we stop for a second to consider well-known brands such as Apple, Amazon, Louis Vuitton or Coca-Cola, they base their strategy on brand positioning but, above all, on their reputation. You don’t get to be that big without a good reputation and brand concept, and it is becoming increasingly relevant in the digital environment. In line with what we discussed in this article, it is also interesting to know how to manage online reputation step by<\/strong> step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What to do to take care of your online reputation? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One thing must be clear: On the Internet, if we manage a company, a business or directly our personal identity, there is what is called digital identity and it will exist, whether we want it to or not<\/strong>. That is why we must control and build our online reputation from a conscious and proactive perspective<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must be able to design a plan and execute it <\/strong>so that this reputation matches the perception we want the network to have of us. This is why we must take into account a series of aspects. We are going to list what we consider to be the top 5<\/strong> and which can be extrapolated to all brands, whether online or offline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Coherence:<\/strong> This is something we overlook, but it has a great impact on people’s perception of our brand<\/strong>. Being consistent with our values when communicating them is key. Feeling that a company acts as a single entity gives more credibility and trust, as it is perceived as a symbol of unity and professionalism.
    This involves using your corporate image correctly, the tone of communications should always be the same and the level of media exposure should always be the same<\/strong>, whether things go well or badly. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Transparency:<\/strong> We always insist on this, but we do not usually put it into practice. Behind brands and companies, we know there are real people. Conveying this is paramount to building a solid and reliable brand.
    By this we do not mean that processes cannot be automated or that we use artificial bits of intelligence.
    Being a transparent company means being a company that is present to its customers in a clear and straightforward manner when necessary.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Empathy:<\/strong> We must have our business idiosyncrasies, but we must <\/strong>also be malleable and adaptable to the demands of the moment<\/strong>. There is no greater pleasure for a customer or user than to feel that we put ourselves in their shoes and really understand them. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Research: <\/strong>We must always remain attentive to what is being said about us and especially to what is being said within our sector about the rest of the competitors. As we have said, a reputation on the Internet must be built proactively and, if it is with data, all the better.
    It analyzes what we are doing well, what needs to be improved, how our rivals are performing and, from that, what we can take to our field.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Brand alliances and partnerships:<\/strong> There is no faster way to advance trust than partnerships. Surrounding yourself with the best in your industry will make your reputation grow by leaps and bounds. <\/strong>On the other hand, you should try to position yourself on the Internet within your market niche<\/strong>. Google is an excellent place to create a positioning strategy that lasts over time<\/strong> and where users can find you when they need something related to what you offer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    Step-by-step online reputation management<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    One of the points to keep in mind in your digital strategy is online reputation management. We always insist that reputation is something that will be created, whether you want it to be or not<\/strong>, so it is better to create it in an active, positive and conscious way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let’s take a look at 3 key steps in managing a brand’s online reputation<\/strong> and how to actively work to build it. If you are interested in growing your business you can’t miss it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Monitor online reputation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Creating a solid monitoring system is essential<\/strong> to start actively working on your online reputation. But before you start taking actions, choosing tools or publishing content, you must analyze one thing well:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What is your business like?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    This is key before starting to work on this aspect, since it is obviously not the same to work on the reputation of a company such as Boeing, as it is to work on Ahrefs or a Mexican restaurant in Madrid. They all have characteristics specific to their form of business and reputations are built differently<\/strong>. For example, if you have a restaurant, a physical business or you are a freelancer, you should monitor review sites such as Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, G2, TrustPilot, Houzz or Habitissimo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you have an e-commerce you should keep an eye on your own brand, but also places like Amazon, eBay, Aliexpress and retailers,<\/strong> as your items will most likely be sold there. Finally, third-party sites such as forums, blogs and, above all, social networks, <\/strong>are places to keep a close eye on, as they pose a major challenge and are completely beyond your control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, let’s see how to proceed with this section:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Be efficient and concrete with keywords<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Once you are clear about the type of business you have and where you can or want to be present, you must specify specifically how to identify those mentions of your brand in order to identify when they are talking about you<\/strong>. The easiest way to do this is to use specific tools<\/strong> and both free and paid accounts. You can start by setting up Google Alerts<\/a><\/strong> or using a specific one such as Mention or Brandwatch. It all depends on your resources and the depth of analysis your business needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Check the first page of Google<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    This should be one of the first things you do when it comes to understanding what the perception of your brand may be. Start by entering your business name and analyze what comes up.<\/strong> Normally you will see your website, your social networks, links to App Stores, your brand advertising (or not…) and even your Knwoledge Panel and some enriched results. Information over which, a priori, you have control.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you don’t see anything unusual, it’s a good sign. We can then move on to more specific research, entering the name of your brand plus keywords such as opinion, review, news<\/em>, etc.<\/em><\/strong> With these searches, things can start to get ugly because believe us if we tell you that people do these types of searches. If you stop and think about it for a moment, you’ll realize that you make them yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If there are problems here, the best thing to do is to start taking action and remove or move that content from there<\/strong>. So far it is more or less clear to you that you should actively work and “listen to the Internet”<\/strong> to know everything that is happening around your brand. Once we have this contemplated we will move on to the next scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    2. Value and analyze what they say about you.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Once you are collecting and listening to what is being said about you on the Internet, we will move on to what we do with that information<\/strong>. Shall we act? We do not act? To illustrate this, we are going to give you two points to reinforce the idea that online reputation monitoring is important: Opinions impact purchasing decisions, always.<\/em><\/strong> Put yourself in this assumption: You’re in a new city and you want to eat at that restaurant you think is so cool. What are you likely to do before you enter? Right, you go to Google and see what they say and how it eats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another assumption: You’ve watched hundreds of comparison videos on YouTube and you’ve finally decided to buy that phone. You search and you find it at an incredible price on a website that you have never visited in your life. What are you likely to do before you buy? Again, you got it right. You’ll be looking for reviews from other people to make sure you can buy with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Internet has become a kind of passive word-of-mouth<\/em> where if you need an opinion on something, you’ll find it.<\/strong> On the Internet there is (almost never) a delete button.<\/em><\/strong> Keep this in mind: a bad review will stay on the Internet<\/strong> until the end of time<\/em><\/strong>. You can cover them up with others or hide them in some way, but they will still be there, so minimizing and addressing them is important in the long run. Take care of them to minimize their impact<\/strong> in case someone finds them. Now that we have reinforced your appreciation of online reputation, let’s look at the 2 most important aspects<\/strong> when it comes to analyzing what is said about us and how to analyze it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The feeling<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Okay, we all know how to distinguish when they are talking bad about us and when they are talking good. But are we able to understand the sentiment behind that opinion or what they express? In the end, it is important to properly understand what is behind the mention of our brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Identifying what is a genuine experience of our product or service from a simple opinion is key.<\/strong> A person may say they do not like the design; this is an opinion. However, another may complain directly that the cell phone battery does not last as long as she would like; this is an experience. And we must also understand if it is a user’s appreciation or if it is really a problem<\/strong>. The battery life of a cell phone is an assessment that is given by the use made by that person or the expectations according to the specifications. That the cell phone stops working within a week of purchase is a real problem. Assessing these things will help us understand how to act, whether we should respond and the priority<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Where is it published?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Along with understanding sentiment, it is also important to see where our brand has been named and by whom<\/strong>. It is not the same for a person on Twitter to say something bad as for an influencer to make a video on YouTube talking about our product. And an opinion on a review site that activates a Google search of our brand is not the same as an opinion on a forum lost on the Internet. The analysis of what is said is key<\/strong> and keep in mind that, in many cases, both negative and positive, it is advisable to act. We will see this in the next point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    3. To act or not to act<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    To begin with, it starts from the idea that sometimes there is little you can do in terms of correcting a reputation problem<\/strong>. Sometimes your product will be flawed, you will have made a mistake in your service or what you offer will be bad. There will be things you have to be honest about and to some extent count on. In these cases always think about minimizing.<\/strong> The Internet talks, you listen… and you respond. It’s as simple as that. Let’s look at a few ideas that will help you work on this last part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Apologize if you are wrong…<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    If you have made a mistake, apologize as much as possible, but also actively ask for ideas for improvement<\/strong>. Avoid being condescending like “we’ll consider it next time” or “we’re getting better”. There is nothing worse than seeing a bad review that has been responded to condescendingly. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Instead, try to offer something, and let your customer express himself again. A person who reads a review with some dialogue feels more confident because, even if there are problems, he or she will feel heard<\/strong>. On the other hand, it will also help you avoid penalties or major problems. People, if they hurt our pride (and\/or our pocketbook), we can do a lot of damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    … and be thankful when you are praised<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    If someone speaks positively about you, thank them whenever you can. Believe it or not, you will be creating a closer bond<\/strong> with that person just by showing your sincere appreciation. To reach people’s Top of Mind in a deep way you need many impacts and in this case the ball is in your court. Take advantage of it.<\/strong> In this case you don’t have to look for great arguments and a sincere thank you is enough to secure more potential future customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The transition from the public to the private sphere<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    When you receive a bad review, you must understand that there are times when you must move from the public to the private sphere as quickly as possible, and if it is in a direct way, all the better<\/strong>. We know that it can be lazy and sometimes it is impossible to reach everything, but in specific cases it can prevent a greater evil and prevent losing a quality customer or prescriber of your brand. A phone call or a formal personal email<\/strong> can go a long way and turn a potential crisis into a happy and satisfied customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Have a contingency plan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    When you start to grow it is possible that almost every day you have problems or your brand is named. Hence the importance of having a contingency or action plan<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Either because you have an ORM team and need to create a unified action protocol, or because you want to have quick and unified action processes in case of serious problems. Whatever it is, you must document several important aspects such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n