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What is Online Reputation Management?

Posted: 21 Jul 2019 10:00 AM PDT

Building an image used to mostly depended on word of mouth or acquaintances. That limited your brand's exposure to a small group of people. Prior to the internet, as we know it today, only larger companies with substantial advertising budgets, or access to celebrities, had the ability to become household names by promoting themselves in traditional media, such as television and newspapers.

Today, digital media has revolutionized exposure and improved access to an individual's or a company's profile. Social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube — and search engines – Google, Yahoo, Bing — have disrupted commerce and the global economy by providing instant access to unfiltered information. The first page of search engine results, which generally show news, videos, images and third-party content, now represents a key foundational pillar of company's overall reputation and brand. Moreover, these results often remain in perpetuity on the internet, unlike in traditional media where the news appeared for a short span. Fortunately, these results can be properly managed and influenced through various tools such as search engine optimization (SEO).

Editor's note: Looking for an online reputation management service? Fill out the questionnaire below to have our vendor partners reach out to you with more information.

 

The digital era provides a more level playing field for young, smaller companies that can leverage the social media platforms to gain more website traffic. On the other hand, failure to create a digital presence can jeopardize a company's chances to compete effectively.

How search engines impact your reputation

According to netmarketshare.com, Google has a market share of 70% and 90% on desktop and mobile/tablets respectively. Internetlivestats.com shows that there are around 65,427 Google searches per second or 5.6 billion searches per day, which means that approximately 75% of world population, per capita, makes at least one Google search every day.

These online searches can be about anything, including a company's business, partners, management and so on. Whenever someone searches about a company's name, product or management, a set of search engine result pages (SERPs) appears. The information contained on the first page will tell a story about the company. If there are positive links, then people researching are more likely to assume that the company is trustworthy, while any negative links can potentially raise doubts and erode trust. [Are you looking for reputation management software? Check out the business.com best picks and reviews.]

A recent study conducted by Internet Marketing Ninjas (IMN) showed that the click-through rate (CTR, a measure of clicks per impressions) for page 1 results was around 60% and about 15% for page 2 results. This shows that the majority of people searching online do not move past page 1 results. Generally, the information consumers find will have an anchoring bias, which can influence their decision-making process. In other words, internet users will place greater importance on what they read on page 1. If a positive search result becomes an anchor, it will be beneficial for the company. However, if it is negative, then it will likely harm the reputation of an individual or detract from the perception of the business. It is important to note that most people have a bias known as the "isolation effect" or the "Von Restorff effect," in which even if there were even one negative result among a slew of positive results, the negative result is more often remembered than the positive one. Therefore, it's imperative to manage the first page of search results so they display the most representative digital assets.

Plan of action to manage negative results

Negative reviews or search results often originate from dissatisfied customers, disgruntled former employees or mischievous competitors. These reviews are typically available on online review sites such as Glassdoor, Avvo and Yelp, and social media websites, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Defamatory content may also be found through blogs of online aggregator websites, including Forbes and Reddit. The negative results can appear from past or current allegations against the company at large or specific members of the executive management team. The company could be named in an allegation without being at fault or have been found innocent of charges, but older website links with select key words continue to appear and resurface.

There are a number of strategies to repair a digital reputation. Dedicated internal team members may not have the knowledge to address these issues. Depending on the situation, expertise offered by professional advisers may be required to suppress the negative search results, and where possible, remove the content.

For example, direct negotiation with publishers or managers of domain authority to hide the content from search engines often yields limited results relative to experts with an understanding of the legal ramifications. Building content that reflects the mission, vision and values of the business is helpful when addressing short-term issues or deploying a long-term strategy.

The last one is the most important defense because it is fundamental to counteracting negative reviews. To do this, the company should build its own website, create authentic social media profiles and share original content. If a negative search result appears on the first page, the company should increase its efforts by posting timely technical content that will shift the ranking of the negative result to the next page. It is imperative to monitor digital presence as it continuously changes and manage the negative results by using appropriate SEO tools. 

Understanding Online Reputation Management (ORM) assets

The most obvious online reputation management asset is the content on the company's website. When someone searches for the company or its brand name on Google, the first link, in most cases, is the company's website. Moreover, Google also appears in certain organic site links for free when the algorithms have clarity on the architecture of the website. This will direct the information consumer to the most relevant company website sub-page. Therefore, it is important to have relevant content on these sub-pages. Meta tags and meta descriptions are also important for organic search engine optimization.

There are a number of inorganic methods in which a company acquires ORM assets, including managed assets (social media profiles and their content), influential assets (information aggregators such as Wikipedia), earned assets (positive news articles in media and blogs), and paid assets (advertisements on Google search pages).

Managing ORM assets

All types of ORM assets should be managed together rather than separately to improve your ranking on Google's desktop and mobile algorithms. However, the assets that are managed in-house by the company (i.e., the company's own website and managed assets) should be improved on an ongoing basis and optimized when first deployed. Google and other search engines will automatically investigate some important components — such as URL, location of business, keyword strength, site encryption and important tags — from the website and social media handles, which provides more reason for managing these assets first.

After looking at these components, the most important consideration is whether the company is publishing engaging content. A website with images, videos and infographics to complement authentic text will generate more traffic, as these images would often appear on the first page of SERPs. Some other ways for a link to receive a higher ranking on search engines include publishing news with a hyperlink to third-party news websites, answering frequently asked questions, and adding jargon-free content with keywords that might commonly be used by the consumer.

As far as manageable assets are concerned, social media content should always be back-linked to the company's website to improve its visibility. This also improves social media appearances on search engine results. Social media platforms often encourage user engagement because they improve the quality of backlinks on SERPs. Successful strategies on one social media channel may not correspond to another. Understanding the nuances of each platform is critical. For example, a video link from YouTube shared on Facebook will receive less engagement and views relative to the video file being uploaded directly.

In regard to earned assets, it is important to have a public relations or reputation expert professionals that manage digital content published on trade publications, newspapers, or broadcast stations. This team should be dynamic and attentive to displacing negative results by strategizing, making tactical decisions, and continuously monitoring the company's reputation. Finally, paid assets attract traffic to the website, with links on SERPs receiving the highest ranks possible.

Conclusion

A negative result on a search engine can have a damaging effect on a company, while a positive result can enhance its profile significantly. We don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Therefore, it is vitally important that a company manage its digital reputation assets seriously and carefully before it's too late to salvage its reputation.

 

What Small Businesses Need to Know About Windows Virtual Desktop: FAQs

Posted: 21 Jul 2019 04:00 AM PDT

Virtual desktops offer many advantages for small businesses. An organization can deploy and manage several computing sessions across a variety of hardware with a much higher level of security than managing several separate machines.

As businesses continue to embrace remote work and share hardware for computing tasks, virtual computing becomes a more viable solution. Microsoft recently announced a public preview of Windows Virtual Desktop, a service built to power the future of this cloud-delivered scenario.

Here are a few questions that small businesses may have about this service and what it could mean for virtual computing.

What is Windows Virtual Desktop?

Microsoft recently launched Windows Virtual Desktop into public preview as an Azure-based service to provide virtual Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus sessions across different devices. 

What operating systems can Windows Virtual Desktop run?

According to the official Windows Virtual Desktop site, the service supports Windows 10 multi-session, Windows 10 single-session, Windows 7 single-session, Windows Server 2012 R2 and newer operating systems.

Which hardware supports Windows Virtual Desktop?

In a video demoing the software, Microsoft described the virtual desktop as working on "any device." The demo included Windows PCs and an iPad – though Android and Mac will also be viable platforms.

What are the main advantages for a small business?

With access to Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus in a managed environment, IT staff can have full control over the software. By managing virtual desktops, a company can spend less resources on the upkeep of a series of PCs, since employees can sign in and out of sessions on the same device.

For a business with remote workers or contractors, another key advantage is that they can access their desktop externally from a device of their choice.

When will the service leave preview?

In its announcement, Microsoft said the service will achieve general availability in the second half of 2019.

Will the service work on mobile devices?

Windows Virtual Desktop is accessible on iOS and Android. Additionally, Microsoft partnered with Samsung on a full Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus experience with Samsung DeX. This targets what the company calls firstline workers – the ones interacting with customers or products most directly.

How do I get started?

Windows Virtual Desktop requires an Azure subscription. You can then select the number of virtual machines and storage you need for your teams. See the Microsoft Azure site for additional terms, particularly if you want to deploy Windows 10 or 7 Enterprise.

How do I know if this is the right solution for my business?

The right choice is going to depend on the needs of your business – virtualization requires more technical know-how than just buying a few computers and handing them to employees. That approach can set you up for security risks, as employees may use unsafe Wi-Fi networks or introduce other unsavory applications.

How can I learn more?

The Business News Daily guide on setting up a virtual machine for your business can get you started on this journey. It may also help to dive into related topics, such as remote PC software and how to best make use of the cloud for your business.

Should Your Business Customize Its Products?

Posted: 21 Jul 2019 04:00 AM PDT

  • Customization is a fresh trend that is popular with customers and can add an edge to your business.
  • Small businesses, however, should carefully review if customization can fit into their business plan.
  • A well-thought-out plan is key if your business wants to add customized products.

Branding and marketing are changing rapidly to suit an ever-evolving market. Among the latest trends is a growing interest in customization, a response to customers increasingly wanting new ways to feel special and "seen" by big companies.

Coca-Cola made a big splash when it came to personalization in 2014 with the launch of its Share a Coke campaign, which features bottles with popular names and colloquial sayings to inspire customers to seek out bottles with their own name or the names of loved ones. There has been a veritable onslaught of personalized products since then – shampoo, vitamins, meal kits, clothing and more.

Part of the impetus for this new trend, dubbed the "market of one" by Michigan State University, is increased competition. Much of the modern marketplace has become optimized to the point where companies are constantly seeking out new ways to stand out from the crowd, and offering custom products is an easy, profitable way to do that.

"If you don't customize your product, at the end of the day, there isn't much that separates you from your competitors," said Cameron Zoub, co-founder and head of growth at Varfaj Partners.  

Allowing your customers a hand in creating exactly the product they are looking for adds significant value to the product and the customer's time. It also has an enormous psychological effect in that it creates a personal connection between the customer and the product, and, by extension, between the customer and your business.

Personalization also brings you closer to your customers by making your business seem more human and authentic.

"Personalization adds a human element to any brand by making it all about the consumer, as opposed to the product," said Jason Brown, CEO of Persona Nutrition.

Because personalization has a big impact by making your product stand out and hold more meaning for your customer, it can be tempting to jump in and start offering customization right away. But before you do make the leap, there are a few things you should consider.

What's the difference between personalization and customization?

While personalization and customization might seem identical at first glance, there are a few fine distinctions between the two.

In the book Future Perfect by Stan Davis, "customization" is defined as "the process of delivering wide-market goods and services that are modified to satisfy a specific customer need," while "personalization" is defined as a marketing strategy that "aims to create personalized or one-to-one communication with a single consumer or consumer segment."

Think of personalization as receiving a marketing email that uses your name in the salutation, or Amazon suggesting items for you based on your previous purchases. Customization is more like receiving a box of products chosen specifically for you, based on your expressed interests or needs.

What value can personalization or customization add?

One of the first things you should do when considering personalizing your business is to determine your 'why.' Whatever the reason, it should be something that adds value to your business. It could be that it increases customer satisfaction or attracts new customers, or offers your business an opportunity to grow. It should not be forced, because then you run the risk of disrupting your mission and confusing your customers by offering a service that doesn't make sense for your business.

Customized or personalized products or services should attract new customers, add something that entices existing customers to stay, or collect useful data about your customers that can help you better deliver what they are looking for.

"[Businesses should customize] as long as the customization represents high value that the customer is willing to pay for," said Susan Trivers, founder of Trivers Consulting Group. "The company has an extraordinary opportunity to increase profitable revenue at a low risk."

Does it make sense for your business?

The next thing you should do is determine whether or not personalization/customization makes sense for your business.

"If it takes substantial resources and distracts from the core business, or if it's not feasible financially, then it may not be beneficial," said Antonella Pisani, founder and CEO of FACT Goods.

Not all businesses or products lend themselves to personalization or customization as an option. Think about what your business offers and whether that product or service can be tailored to individual customers, as well as whether your business has the capacity – both financial and human – to support it.

While personalization and customization have become popular, a recent study by Bynder found that a majority of businesses reported wanting to personalize their marketing. Yet 50% of respondents were only somewhat confident or not confident at all about their ability to create personalized or customized experiences, and 90% were unsure about what technology they could use to support the goal.

Many companies, such as Persona Nutrition and Stitch Fix, use detailed quizzes coupled with data collection and AI to create custom shipments that fit each customer's needs. Others use more traditional personalization methods, like printing names or sayings based on direct customer requests on physical products.

If you do choose to try personalization or customization, make sure you know your customers well. The key to successful personalization or customization is having as much data as you can about your audience to make sure your products are fulfilling your customers' expectations. Provide plenty of opportunities for customers to contribute information – like surveys, questionnaires and feedback forms – and make sure that you have a system to analyze and use that data.

Do you have a strategy in place?

The customization/personalization trend is heavily rooted in human psychology. People love to feel special, talk about and identify aspects of themselves, and receive products made specifically for them.

"Once a customer [has personalized a product], they're more likely to see it as a representation of themselves and thus are often more content with the product," said Michael Anderson, marketing specialist at GeoJango Maps.

It is vital to have a plan for how you will execute your personalization or customization, however, or you run the risk of annoying your customers – for example, if they spend too much time inputting information into a quiz or survey without getting the product or service they're looking for.

Because most modern customers have limited attention spans and do not want to spend too much time on a quiz or inputting information, make sure your setup – whether it's a form, quiz or block of information – takes less than five minutes to complete and that you have access to technology that can accurately and effectively analyze the data.

A combination of human touch and AI is an effective way to make sure you are fulfilling your customers' expectations. The AI can quickly analyze the data, and you can ensure that the details are correct.

Customization or personalization can bring significant value to your business and add a new level of connection for your customers, but it should not be forced. Take the time to carefully consider if and how you should implement customization or personalization.
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