Keys to Successful Brand Reputation Management
Brand reputation management is critical to growing a business. A positive brand reputation builds loyalty and increases customer confidence in your brand and product, ultimately driving sales and bottom-line growth.
In today’s cutthroat competitive environment, brand reputation management has become a bigger priority for companies, especially when online conversations about your brand take place on a 24/7 basis. On social media, online forums, blogs, news sites, search engines and other Internet sources, it’s important for your brand to be prominent and positioned as a knowledgeable, industry-leading resource and solution for your customers.
Brand Reputation Management Strategies
There are several key initiatives that are integral to an effective brand reputation management strategy:
- Public Relations: A strong PR program positions you as a thought leader and expert in your field in major newspapers, business publications, blogs and lead generating trade outlets. As a critical component to successful brand reputation management, PR can improve brand perception, manage negative sentiment, inform customer opinion and increase your web presence. A good PR team can also secure high profile speaking engagements and award opportunities.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Lasting SEO strategies put you at the top of search engine results, where customers are searching for resources and solutions to timely problems. If you are not present where consumers are searching, you will be left behind to competitors who are there. In brand reputation management, SEO leverages strategic keywords and useful content that drives traffic to your website and grows sales.
- Content Marketing: White papers, a company blog, contributed articles and industry research reports are examples of content marketing’s role in brand reputation management. Producing lead-generating content across an array of channels raises awareness about your brand and benefits of your products. By positioning your company as an informative industry source on topics your audience is interested in, you will gain more website visitors and potential customers.
- Website Development: A strong website with easy to navigate features and an enjoyable user experience can improve your brand reputation management efforts. Focusing on customers and making it simple for them to find the information they need will improve brand loyalty and reduce site abandonment.
- Social Media: Although social media is a relatively new arena for many B2B companies, it is an integral part of brand reputation management. Social media is a great way to make your business accessible, personable and focused on the customer.
In the hustle and bustle of normal business operations, it can be easy to lose sight of the importance of brand reputation management and its impact on corporate growth. But lack of brand reputation management can significantly and negatively impact an organization’s overall success.
Walker Sands works with leading enterprises and startups in technology and B2B sectors, providing public relations, search, social and marketing support as part of a comprehensive brand reputation management program.