Social media is the battleground where online reputation is won and lost. There’s a prevailing myth that social media platforms benefit B2C companies, however reputation management professionals strongly disagree with this assertion. It’s just as important for B2B companies to participate in the online dialogue and develop their reputation among social media users.
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Domain Authority
Because of their domain authority, social media websites maintain very high rankings on search engines. Business profiles on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn appeal to individuals searching for your company online. Active participation on these networks can benefit your search results and ensure that no negative links will rise to the top of a direct search. The same participation can also be used to further repair online reputation in case reputation gets compromised.
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Clarify Your Position
What is the best way to respond to a negative review? Some forums don’t allow for comments or direct responses. If you are able to respond to a review, make sure the reply doesn’t evolve into a longer conversation. This can raise the authority of the domain, especially if the exchange includes multiple mentions of your business or brand name. Responding to negative reviews is easier through social media networks. It’s a secure place to communicate your position.
Brand Presence
Social media platforms are an ideal venue for publicizing positive news. Promoting positive content on social media platforms about your brand can shield your business from negative criticism. This positive content could differ across different areas. For legal professionals, this positive content could be client testimonies or case studies that become a factor in reputation management for lawyers. Similarly, for local businesses specializing in online deliveries, this positive content could focus on convincing the readers of the quality of one’s products. Promoting positive content about your brand shields your business from negative criticism and facilitates brand reputation management.
Get Active
Major B2B companies actively participate on social media platforms. Businesses like Microsoft and Cisco have learned to successfully navigate these platforms. A company with a strong online presence is seen as sophisticated and au courant with emerging trends. Regular participation on social media can have a major influence on your status in the marketplace. By monitoring online developments, you can reduce the risk of any negative reviews that could damage your personal reputation. Also, an ongoing presence on social media can help you to connect with business partners and new clients while reducing reputation risks.
Improved Search Results
For businesses with a limited online presence, a negative review from a client or consumer is likely to register as a relevant search result. In order to control these negative links, it’s imperative that you remain active on social media platforms. Social media is one of the easiest ways to skew results in your favor. ORM firms utilize business websites with domain authority to modify search results. There are a number of tools used by ORM firms and large businesses to tailor search results.
Navigating Social Media
There’s no official rulebook when it comes to navigating social media. However, we advise our clients to carefully consider the following points:
- There’s no need to get defensive. When responding to a negative review of your product or service, maintain a calm and composed tone.
- Share positive news across forums and networks. Don’t focus solely on profile creation.
- Choose platforms that help you to reach your target audience. Domain authority should be a secondary consideration. For example, LinkedIn is the ideal platform for those looking to build their professional network.
- Link your various social media accounts. This cross-promotional activity benefits your search engine ranking.
- Avoid creating multiple accounts on the same network. This can lead searchers to mistake your business for spam.
- Highlight strategic keywords on your profile page. This will further benefit search results.
More and more B2B companies take social media more seriously. The advantages of social media engagement are too significant to ignore. Research suggests that 75% of users will click on a negative link over a positive one if the negative link ranks higher. For this reason, B2B companies must adopt a proactive approach to maintaining their online reputations.
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