Reputation Management & The eCommerce Industry: You Are No Better Than What Your Customers Think

August 26, 2020

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The evident interconnection between the services our digital agency performs and the online universe can lead to an understandable misconception. The misconception is that we only sing the praises of internet marketing, and don’t personally buy into it. We confess that some of us see our job responsibilities as nothing more than that – part of our job, which we must execute to the best of our abilities. If we don’t, we risk joining the tens of thousands of unemployed all across the Philadelphia & Central Jersey region, and many more millions of Americans from coast to coast.

Top 3 Online Reputation Management Mistakes for The eCommerce Industry

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No one herein can deny paying at least some homage to that trivial detail when going about our daily chores. However, there is a sizable majority within the 1SEO family that proudly practices what we preach – in essence, we believe our hype. Yes; there is a definitive bias among us towards topics like Social Media, Email Marketing & Content Marketing. Our pulses do pick up the pace when we think about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. And on occasion, we still giggle when we say “Google” as if it was the first time – nevermind the dozens of times per day we professionally use that word!

We hope that our “love” for what we do comes through everything we do, and have done for many years now. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that this infatuation has become synonymous with our reputations. Prospective clients come to 1SEO because they want to work with an agency that is as passionate about its business as they are about theirs. There are a few situations where we’re required to manage our reputation actively. More often these days, our clients are seeking our skills in this area and hiring us as their business’s Reputation Management agents.

Different types of businesses go about their reputation management in a wide variety of methods. Any method is okay, as long as the net result is a positive one. Unfortunately, many eCommerce companies assume that they can hide behind their customers’ touch screens or monitors. As such, they don’t put any effort into actively managing their reputations. It is for these reasons, and these businesses, that we put together our Top 3 Online Reputation Management Mistakes made by the eCommerce Industry.

RSVP, or…?: It is the obligation of every business, even an eCommerce business, to accept any feedback they receive from their customers graciously. That responsibility extends into requiring a response from the company to the customer, no matter what the input is. Suppose a business is operating smoothly, most of the time. In that case, these reviews are positive, and a simple “thank you for your kind words, and your business” will suffice. But when a business does receive a negative review, they are equally obligated to respond. Companies looking to minimize the quantity & intensity of negative reviews should use them to look into the nature of the issue(s) raised. These opportunities may also allow them to address potential shortcomings in their operational procedures.

Be Consistent: Your brand should have a unique “personality,” in line with the nature of the business itself. Furthermore, just like every person has their voice, your business should have a specific “voice” of its own. You may be required to minimize the number of employees assigned to review responses. Their personality will drive each employee’s responses. You don’t want your business to have as many different voices & personalities as your business has employees. It’s all about being consistent.

Don’t Fake It – Make It: At one time, you could get away with having friends & family members posting reviews of your business. Assuming those fictitious reviews are also stellar, your company will initially come across as a top-notch business. However, the chinks in your business’s armor will still be visible, and perhaps even more so if a customer’s experience is nothing like the online reviews they read. The only genuine way to manage your business’s online reputation is by earning the positive reviews that contribute to your status, and not falsifying it.

Hopefully, you didn’t see your reflection in these common errors. Still, if you did, now you know more about what is wrong with each, and can avoid driving over these potholes with your business’s reputation.

Is your eCommerce business in need of some professional assistance in managing your online reputation? Contact 1SEO’s experts for a free digital marketing assessment today!

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