SERM and an impeccable reputation on the Internet

A spotless reputation is important in personal, business and virtual life, and in Internet marketing a separate area is devoted to this issue ... SERM (Search Engine Reputation Management) is a set of measures for managing online reputation. The article is dedicated to everyone interested in building a positive image of their own business on the Internet.

Negative reviews on the Internet can defame the name, significantly worsen the position of the site and reduce user confidence in any company. Potential customers listen to feedback, especially negative ones. Comments about the company's activities can be found on specialized websites, forums and blogs, in social networks and directly on the corporate website of the company. In the search results, a negative customer opinion can appear in the top positions or, even worse, a hint word with a minor color appears in the search bar next to the name of the company or product. Naturally, this kind of information about your own company should not be ignored, but before neutralizing the negative, it still needs to be found.

Ways to track reviews

To monitor information about a company or product, there are many useful and convenient services, including:

• Google Alerts ( http://www.google.com/alerts );
• Yahoo Alerts ( http://alerts.yahoo.com/ );
• Google Blog Search ( http://www.google.com/blog/search );
• Yandex. Blogs ( http://blog/s.yandex.ru/ );
• Omgili ( http://omgili.com/ );
• MonitorThis ( http://alp-uckan.net/free/monitorthis/ ).

All of the services listed above help to keep the good name of the company on the Internet, but only with the right approach. In addition to segmenting information about the company into several profiling topics, it is necessary to choose the right key phrases containing the name of the organization or product being manufactured, the names of key figures and the corresponding specific terminology. These requests will be notified of new mentions of the company or its products on the Internet.

What can worsen the reputation of a company on the Internet?

1. Poor service and unsatisfactory work of the staff. Most of all, clients are "pleased" with processing errors and untimely response to the submitted application, long waiting times for the order, inconsistency of the information provided by the site, and many other "charms" of an undeveloped service. Make sure that site managers not only perfectly master the art of sales, know the history, theory and practice of your company by heart, but also do not hesitate to answer calls and requests from potential customers in a timely manner.
2. Complete lack of customer feedback. At the very least, it is alarming, and sometimes annoying. Open communication with potential customers is a sure way to increase their trust.
3. Incorrect communication with the client. The solidity and professionalism of the company can be determined, including the adequacy of responses to suggestions and comments received from potential buyers. Use only verified information and competent arguments, while not forgetting the polite tone.
4. The appearance of unofficial company sites, false reviews, outright trolling. Cybercritics today can be anyone and everyone, including competitors, partners, and in some cases, their own employees. Do not hesitate to refute false information compromising the firm.
5. Ignoring negative reviews. Real users can also discredit your good name. It is important to timely, competently and correctly respond to impartial comments about a product or company.

How to create a positive image on the Internet?

First of all, you need to take an active position in the network , this will help to avoid a reputational crisis. Even complete calm in the comments from users should not deprive online business owners of their vigilance.

Here is a vivid, albeit worn out, example of the confident and skillful protection of the image on the Internet from the Coca-Cola company. Rumors and conjectures constantly hover around this brand, often ridiculous and unfounded. The owners of a multi-million dollar corporation have created a special section "Myths and Rumors" on their official website, in which qualified specialists refute these fictions.

An example from our portfolio is the website of the Kupyansky Dairy Plant, where a separate section contains information and photos of fake products, as well as detailed descriptions of genuine products. In addition, the site has an active dialogue with the consumer. The company's experts conduct surveys, respond to positive reviews, competently work with the negative, provide comprehensive information about the production, storage and product features.

Online reputation management is not only the leveling of negativity, but also the active dissemination of a positive impression of the company. To stimulate the interest and trust of potential buyers will help:

• PR;
• viral advertising;
• positive feedback;
• really interesting (!) press releases and company news, corporate blogs.

Do not leave negative reviews unattended, improve the quality of service and products provided, constantly monitor information about your company on the network, and your reputation on the Internet will be impeccable.