On the internet, anyone can give an opinion, and anyone can read an opinion. In that sense, it is impossible to stop the public from posting negative comments about your business, whether they are true or not. The only way to manage your reputation is to constantly monitor what is being said, and to be prepared to respond promptly.

According to a recent survey published by MDG Advertising, 92% of consumers trust opinions posted online by other consumers. Most consumers will use search engines such as Google as their main tool for sourcing information. Therefore, Google should be your first step when managing your company’s reputation (Angels Media’s social media specialist, Chanel Miller, talks about this topic in depth in her blog).

What can you do if you discover negative comments posted online about your company?

1. Try to have it removed

One of the obvious ways to deal with content is to try and have it removed. On some platforms, such as Social Media, some forms of comments, such as those on your own page, can simply be deleted. However, some forms of content are much harder to remove, and involve contacting the platform directly to request the removal of the comment. Although this can seemingly deal with the problem, many people may have already seen the comment, and may well draw further negative conclusions if the comment is removed without a counter-comment.

1. Think before you respond

Responding to negative comments can be a useful way of building relationships with your customers, if you know how to do it. You need to think of negative comments as an opportunity to engage with your customers and turn a negative opinion into a positive conclusion. The worst-possible response is an angry or defensive one! Instead, investigate the complaint. If it has substance then a public apology along with how you will set the issue right can receive positive ‘thank you’ messages and a great boost of the perceptions of your company. If the complaint has no basis, explaining why the comment lacks validity, in a calm, non-accusatory fashion will likewise highlight your company as one that has the humility and customer service to respond to all. More about this issue in our next edition!

1. Positive content to outweigh negative content

One of the strongest ways to guard against isolated instances of negative comments is to ensure that you have a strong online profile. By ensuring that your company’s website is properly optimised (more on SEO here) and that you have a strong presence on Social Media, you can ensure that the most readily available information about your company is positive. By taking these steps you can ensure that you are in control of what content is being displayed.

Similarly, encouraging your customers to leave positive feedback of your company is also a good way to control the flow of information by ensuring that there is a greater presence of positive comments. In our next issue we will feature a guest blogger, Liya Fateh of Meet My Agent, an online agent review site, who will discuss how review sites specifically can be used to create a positive impression of a company.

For any further assistance on how to improve your online reputation please contact team@angelsmedia.co.uk.