How to Cultivate a Great Online Reputation
Just as physical stores and services thrive on a good reputation, online ones do too. It doesn’t matter whether you’re running business to business or if you’re selling directly to the end-user. Focusing on your reputation and ensuring you have a good one is important to your business longevity.
Whether it means focusing on how you and your team interact with your customers, right the way to how your online content is presented. Depending on how you run your business, reputation will mean something different to you, as well as how you can best cultivate it.
Be Seen In The Right Places
Depending on where your company is seen can influence whether or not people have the confidence to actually purchase from you.
For example, if you’re advertising in spammy places or have tried to force your way to the top of Google with black hat measures you won’t necessarily garner the best reputation. So make sure you get seen the right way. If you’re not entirely sure about this then you should find a reputable SEO company to give you a hand.
Remember, results don’t appear overnight, but if you can be seen on the first page of google it’ll lend your customers or clients some hefty confidence in what you’re trying to do as a business.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Focus On Reviews
Google reviews, third party seller reviews, and any other number of reviews are pretty important on the internet these days. If you get enough bad reviews, your online reputation is going to take a bit of a hit.
If you’re struggling with how to get reviews then start off with your offering. Make it as amazing as you possibly can.
After that, start asking with slip inserts or email follow-ups. Remember, don’t ask for a positive review, just a review.
If you can approach industry-leading reviewers or influencers you can garner some reviews with power. Nothing lends consumer confidence like reviews of like-minded individuals who took a punt on your product. If you can edge your reviews up into the four or five-star area then you’ll reap the rewards.
Deliver On Time And To Good Standard
Deliveries are important. The delivery experience can ruin the whole thing if it’s that bad. It’s why you need to make sure that you’re using good, top quality couriers and that you’re packing your products properly.
If you’re using the Shopify dropshipping method of eCommerce then you have to make sure that the supplier is using top quality delivery materials. It’s your reputation that will suffer long term if you don’t.
If things aren’t working out, switch over your couriers or use better quality packaging. Not only does it save your reputation, but it also ensures that you don’t get damaged products returned by annoyed customers, which of course costs money.
Ensure that you’re not overly ambitious with your delivery time scales. You need to be honest with people and not promise it’ll be with them in 3 days where in reality it takes 7. Better to overestimate than under.
Final Thoughts
Every business is different, of course, and only you know what your clients expect from you.
If you want to keep a good name in any business, the most important thing to do is to deliver on your promises.
What have you been focusing on in your business to cultivate a great online reputation?