April 1st, 2010 by Nick

A firm has few more important things than its image. Its image impacts on many things, from its profits to its staff retention. A whole discourse of corporate social and environmental responsibility has developed because firms care so much about what we think of them and their brands. Bad publicity is often rebutted quickly. Litigation may be used to silence potential threats to a firm’s reputation.

The advent of the internet has probably made more than a few managers a little anxious. The idea of disgruntled employees and irritable consumers criticising a firm’s products or spreading rumours about their working practices (when these activities can be on a global scale) is hardly conducive to their relaxation. In some cases, management have clamped down hard on personnel that have made unguarded comments on Facebook, for example. In other situations, candidates for employment have sabotaged their opportunity with material left freely accessible on the net. However, online reputation management is about much more than avoiding hiring potential troublemakers.

Part of a site’s search engine optimization campaign can involve leaving suitable sections for customer comments and reviews. These can generate the buzz associated with participation, encouraging visitors to linger longer on the site. The feedback may also incorporate keywords and help demonstrate to the search engines that activity is ongoing. Potential customers are more likely to put their trust in sites which publicly display genuine feedback. It really demonstrates transparency and confidence in what the firm typically delivers.

Nobody would lose much sleep over one negative review, but it is important to proceed correctly. The individual who left the item can be contacted and their issues addressed. Other customers may be impressed by a firm who does not surround itself with universal praise, particularly if they can observe how a criticism has been dealt with. The individual themselves may be very surprised that their moan has been greeted with a courteous, prompt and effective response.

Social media monitoring is something which may be facilitated by expert assistance. For example, if an unethical competitor starts an unsubstantiated and potentially detrimental rumour about a firm, it may be an error for the firm to respond independently. Internet reputation management can be too complex for some firms to handle without recourse to experienced professionals. Avoiding panic and inappropriate responses is easier if individuals have tackled similar difficulties previously.

While business can sometimes seem to be all about the bottom line, trust and goodwill are actually quite important ingredients in business success. This is illustrated by the fact that a positive corporate image is jealously guarded in the modern world. Seemingly diverse phenomena such as search engine reputation management and corporate philanthropy are connected with the strenuous efforts of firms to be viewed in a good light.

Outsourcing reputation management in the networked age makes good economic sense because it ensures that a firm can stick to doing what it does best. This kind of specialisation can be a very shrewd use of resources. It can also help to stop any embarrassing faux pas from being made if something undesirable does emerge.

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