In the modern day, there is no doubt how important online reputation is for a company. It can dictate what people think about you and how likely people are to become customers. If your company has a bad reputation, it can be hard to shake. Nearly every company believes that managing this reputation is very important, as well.
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Your online reputation will follow you throughout the internet, and can make acquiring customers much more expensive. While there are many important factors that can dictate your online reputation, Google is at or near the top. It plays an incredibly important role in how your company is viewed online.
But why? What is it about Google that makes it so important for your reputation? Well, that is exactly what this blog post is going to take a closer look at. Read on and learn more about why Google plays such a massive role in dictating the online reputation of your company.
Because of Google My Business
When many people are thinking about becoming a customer or want to learn more about a company, they will Google said company. In many cases, they will be led to a Google My Business widget that will appear next to the search results. This is a free profile that you can set up to allow people to learn more about your company, such as location, hours, website and a variety of other things.
These profiles also have ratings, so customers can rate you based on their experiences with your company. These ratings are very important as everyone will likely see them when doing a Google Search for your company. This has the potential to be incredible for your company, as good ratings can give them more confidence. Because of this, be sure to offer great customer service, deliver on any promises you make, and provide an amazing product or service.
On the other hand, a bad Google My Business page that is incomplete or full of bad reviews can look bad for your company. As a result, your online reputation will often hinge on how people rate their experiences with your company on your Google My Business profile page. If you are struggling, there are services like GMB Gorilla that can help improve and optimize your Google My Business profile.
Completing your profile and keeping it current, as well as doing your part to encourage positive reviews can be a huge help. The better your rating and the more clean and complete your Google My Business page is, the more reputable your company will seem to the public. Thankfully, this is something you can control, so take time to work on your page to really make it shine.
It is the Most Popular Search Engine
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Another reason Google is so important to the online reputation of your company is the sheer size and influence it has. There is no doubting the power that Google has on the internet. There are billions of Google searches every day from millions of people all across the planet. No other site can come close to matching this level of use and popularity.
With so many people using it, how your company is presented on Google will often directly tie into the reputation that you have. Whatever Google decides to promote on the first page of results, is likely to dictate how the masses think of your business. While you might have a certain reputation on different social media platforms, the importance of that will be dwarfed by what comes up when you are searched on Google.
If the first page is populated with positive reviews or articles of your company, your reputation will often be great. The opposite is true if it is populated with complaints, poor reviews or people who have had problems with your company.
While you cannot directly control where Google places these good or bad links, you can do your part to boost the content you want by using search engine optimization. If you use SEO tactics like link building, using the right keywords, optimizing page speed and providing valuable content, you can help push your positive content higher in the rankings, which should improve your initial reputation.
It Can Decide Your Fate as a Company
Google is also important for your reputation because of the control it has over the success or failure of your company. If someone makes a general search in your industry, and your company doesn't appear in the initial results, it will be tough to stick out above the competition. Many may even think you are a lesser company simply because of this rank, which will contribute to a lower reputation.
While no one is 100% sure how Google decides how to rank companies and pages, your reputation will certainly come into play and could get better or worse depending on your rank. If your company is absent from the first few pages of Google, no one is going to think you are a leader in your space.
While companies can succeed with bad page ranks (and a lower reputation as a result), it is often much more difficult. Because of this, your page rank on Google can ultimately determine your fate as a company, both in terms of your reputation and otherwise.
Tips for Boosting Your Online Reputation
Now that you know why Google is so important to your online reputation, let's go over a few tips on how to improve it. First and foremost, as we briefly touched on earlier, you need to make SEO a big part of your strategy. It gives you a little bit more control about what people will see first when they search for your company.
The higher the content on your own site ranks, the better. So take time to prioritize your own blog, and provide high quality content on a regular schedule. Also, make sure the experience of your site is simple, stress-free and intuitive. All of this should help content from your page populate the first page of Google, potentially knocking out third-party content that could bring your reputation down.
Another good idea when it comes to boosting your reputation is engaging with your customers. Be sure to answer any questions, thank people for kind words, and try to rectify issues or negatives as quickly and efficiently as possible. Whether people reach out to you via email, social media or even your Google My Business page, do your best to deal with their concerns in a kind, timely and informative manner.
Be sure not to ignore anyone simply because they are negative, and never start an argument. Treat them well and properly find out what you can do to make them happy or improve their experience. This is a great way to turn negative reviews or articles into a potentially positive situation. A little bit of empathy and understanding can go a long way.
Other helpful tips to boost your reputation include:
- Asking customers to write reviews of their experience.
- Expanding your reach on social media.
- Sharing content that is created by your users or customers.
- Working directly with relevant influencers.
- Maintaining consistency.
In conclusion, we hope this article has been able to show you the importance of Google when it comes to your online reputation, and helped you know some great ways to boost your reputation.