Happy New Year!

We hope that your new year has started off on a great note. Now that it’s officially 2020 (doesn’t that sound so futuristic??) it’s time to start wondering, is your company’s online reputation working for you? To be more specific, do your company’s online reviews sing your praises? Or are you lacking those invaluable positive reviews? Is your company’s information listing on every platform that consumers might conduct a search looking for help from someone like you? 

If you aren’t sure, or if you’re concerned that your company’s online reputation is subpar, we have some great tips for you to get things in order for the new year!

Where Can You Start in Building a Positive Online Reputation?

• Ask Happy Customers to Leave You Online Reviews: Every time you complete a service for a happy customer, ask them to leave a review for your business online. The best marketing is referrals, and nobody will choose a business that is lacking in reviews when there are so many options with glowing reputations. Don’t be shy about asking. Leaving a review for your business will only take a minute or two out of their day, but it will make a world of difference for you. 

• Get Your Accurate Business Information Listed all Over the Web: Consumers are searching for businesses like yours in a number of places online. Potential customers are using Google, Facebook, Yelp, Twitter and Bing when they’re in a pickle and they need some expert help. Having your business listed on all of these places, and more, online gives you the upper hand when it comes to who customers will choose to work with. Double check that your business information, including phone numbers and address, are accurate so people can get a hold of you easily. 

• Create a Strong Social Presence: Is your business on social media? We know that not everyone is a fan of using social media for personal reasons, but there are more than a billion people using social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If your business doesn’t have a social presence, you’re missing out on a lot of potential customers. 

How Can You Maintain Your Online Presence?

• Respond to Each and Every Review Your Business Receives: Respond to every review your business receives! All too commonly, businesses are only responding to the negative feedback they receive online. While this is important and you want to make things right with your customers, don’t forget about those who are praising you. Just a quick, “Thank you!” goes a long way when responding to those positive reviews, and it will increase your reputation online. Keep your responses professional and to the point. Leave any in-depth conversations about customer concerns offline. 

• Update Your Business Information Every Time it Changes: Once your business is listed all over the internet, it’s your job to be sure that your information is correct. It’s useless to have a business listing that showcases an incorrect phone number or address. If you change locations or your business hours, be sure to update your online listings to reflect the most accurate and up-to-date information. 

• Stay Active on Social Media: It’s one thing to have social media, and it’s a whole other thing to be active on social media. When someone sees your business page on Facebook or Twitter, they should be able to clearly tell that you’re in business and what you do. Post regularly on your social pages and respond to any messages or comments you receive there. It might seem like it’s just another thing to mark off your to-do list, but with how prominent social media is in today’s world, businesses need it to survive. Let your personality show on your business’ social pages, in a professional manner of course. Leave political and controversial topics on your personal page and focus your business pages around your industry and expertise. 

Do You Need Some Expert Advice?

Your FreshLime friends are just a click away and we are always happy to answer any questions you have and help you through the tricky process of online branding. 

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!