Brand Reputation can make or break a small business. The process of branding gives a business an identity. This allows customers to relate to how a business operates and works with their customers. A strong and positive brand helps a business establish reliability, credibility and trust. The look and feel of a brand’s assets (website, brick and mortar, social media) as well as the voice, tone and manner of the brand should be in line with the business’ goals and mission. And obviously, the brand should speak to the target market.
In today’s digital world, small and medium-sized businesses can develop a strong brand reputation through online campaigns. If you are a new business owner or have minimal knowledge on where to start, here are some useful tips on how to establish your own brand online.
#1 Be found online, with a website, social media and relevant info.
A website is an essential asset for every business today. It serves as the cornerstone and foundation to establish a strong online presence and brand reputation.
A website can enable you to reach out to online prospects and customers in an efficient way. A website allows you to create content to advertise your products and services. It is a good avenue to discuss more about your business – it’s mission, vision and goals. Build a responsive website, and let your brand be found across the world wide web!
Social media allows you to be where your clients are and to present your brand in positive ways. Being social enhances your brand reputation. Be sure that both social media and website content are useful and relevant for your target audience.
#2 Build a support system, submit your business to top directories.
Boost your online presence and your website’s searchability by building a support system. The easiest and most cost-effective way to build back links towards your site is by submitting your business to local directories. Google is the most used search engine across the globe, creating a business profile through their Google My Business platform can strongly increase your brand’s reach and searchability. To start, register your business with them, verify your business listing and pay attention to the impressions and traffic for your site.
Submitting to other top directories and niche-based websites helps a business gain online exposure. Add Yelp, Angie’s List, Yellow Pages and other reputable directories to your list. Make sure that all of your business details are consistent with proper business name, branding, address and contact information.
#3 Get Positive Feedback, seek Customer Reviews.
You have built a website, submitted your business to top directories, attracted traffic and gained a strong online presence. Customers have been coming in to your store and business is doing great! What’s next?
Most business owners tend to overlook the importance and value of getting customer reviews. A feedback from an actual customer is gold in the digital word of mouth world. If harnessed and managed properly, these reviews can power your brand to the next level as reviews build more trust and reliability. Additionally, feedback can enable your business to focus on the strengths and improve on your brand’s weaknesses. Here’s our old blog post on how to get customer reviews.
#4 Make use of reviews and feedback and get them online.
Due to the convenience of the internet, a lot of services and product shopping is done online. However, your business should develop a strong reputation and have a reliable purchase history to gain the customer’s trust and avoid hesitations. Published online reviews from actual customers are a great source of brand reputation, trust and reliability.
The steps stated above are some of the few online campaigns you can use to establish a good brand reputation. Always remember to keep a positive and consistent tone and voice and be recognizable to your target audience to make them remember your business’ brand.
If you want help to build your brand reputation, give us a call and we can have a free consultation. If you want to find out what others think about your brand, we can help you there too!