With the message of online technology safety being further reinforced through this year’s annual Safer Internet Day campaign, we’ve taken the opportunity to explore the implications for businesses.
The global campaign may predominantly target children and young people across the world, but there are many lessons companies can also learn from this awareness raising campaign.
This includes the importance of using the internet and mobile responsibility and the wider, more over-arching issue of online reputation and how best to manage it.
Why should you care?
When people search for you online, what information are they presented with about your business? It is a positive news piece about your company vision and recent successes or a string of negative comments shared on social media by a customer with a gripe?
Like it or not, your prospects, competitors and customers are all online and, if you don’t control your brand, somebody else will. It’s as simple as that.
The real picture
Your online reputation matters. To put things into perspective here’s an interesting stat for you – ‘1 billion names are searched on Google every day.’ Speaks volumes, doesn’t it?
The results of a negative online reputation may be as subtle as someone clicking on a competitor’s website instead or yours or as damaging as a viral hate campaign.
Besides the obvious financial implications of having a company’s credibility called into question, there are potential legal ramifications that could seriously damage your financial sustainability.
Online reputation management – overview
Here’s 3 reasons why you should pay attention to your online reputation:
- Customer retention
- Maintain a positive brand image
- Generate new leads
And here’s why you shouldn’t neglect your online reputation:
- You won’t appeal to prospects
- You’ll struggle to keep hold of your current customers
- Your business could ultimately suffer
