The social world is growing faster than ever and for a small business to survive, building an online reputation is not an option, but a necessity. The real catch is: that it’s not as easy to gain a reputation as it used to be. It demands a strategic approach, one that combines authenticity with savvy marketing techniques. From leveraging social media and content creation to mastering SEO and engaging with customers, in this blog, we will provide valuable insights and practical tips to help your small business thrive and gain popularity on social media.
Check out some of the best tips to build a reputation for your small business on social media:
1. Understand customers and their journeys
As a small business new to the industry, there are higher chances of messing things up because you haven’t got the chance to know your customers very well. So, before we get into the trickier part – focus on understanding your customers – what they like and dislike, when they majorly purchase, how they find you online, and more. No matter how great your service/product is, everything can fall apart if you skip this.
2. Go for agile methods
Well yes, we all want to publish an ebook, launch a podcast, host a webinar and so much more – but for a small business it might not be the ideal path to walk on. Instead, try to focus on agile methods like relevant and useful content that your audience would find useful because it is just the beginning and you probably aren’t sure about what asset your customers would appreciate the most.
3. Invest in a sentiment analysis tool
If you want to build a good online reputation right from the initial phase of your business, it’s non-negotiable to invest in a sentiment analysis tool like Hootsuite. How can that help? Well, such an advanced sentiment analysis tool notifies you about what your competitors and your target market are talking about your brand across different channels – even when your brand isn’t tagged.
The best part? Besides helping you with effective competition analysis, most of the sentiment analysis tools give you all the notifications in one single tab without the hassle of juggling multiple tabs. But don’t worry if Hootsuite seems out of your budget right now, because there are many Hootsuite alternatives that will allow you to enjoy all the advanced features of a good sentimental analysis tool at a much lower cost.
4. Repurpose your content
There are so many social channels nowadays, and to ensure you have a top-notch online reputation on social media – you need to present at least on two or three of these channels. But, as a small business with limited resources, it can be really challenging and that’s where content repurposing comes in.
For example, maybe you have written a blog post very recently, you can repurpose it into
- multiple social media posts, at least 2 to 3
- make a carousel for LinkedIn
- design an Instagram Reel
Doing so, not only saves you and your team from the brainstorming part of extra content but also helps to maintain a cross-channel consistency.
5. Try to get positive Google My Business reviews
According to the reports, 90% shoppers read at least one review online before they make a purchasing decision – can you realize how important online reviews are now? As online shoppers tend to share the genuine and real-time feedback in reviews, people are more likely to check those as a social proof of the brand’s authenticity and service quality.
If you want to establish your brand’s online reputation, you cannot leave online reviews out. Prepare a campaign, incentivize your customers, or come up with any unique strategy to convince your audience to share their genuine reviews about you online.
But, one major challenge here is to address spammy and misleading reviews as soon as they are posted. While you or your team can’t be there 24/7, you can opt for the Google review management software to manage reviews seamlessly and save your brand’s reputation from getting tarnished.
6. Engage with your audience via comments
Creating valuable content that your audience will find useful is only half the battle, the other half and the major one, is to reply to them in comments, engage with them genuinely and increase their activity frequency on your social page. But here’s the catch: you need to be prompt at this, and sadly, no AI tool can come to your rescue.
There’s no point in replying to a comment after eight hours because your audience would have probably made their decision/have forgotten about you by then. Moreover, when you respond promptly to the comments, you portray your brand as a positive and authentic source – which is especially crucial at a time when the physical concept of a brand is gradually becoming null and void.
7. Have a reputation repair strategy ready
Anything can happen on social media – even if you are getting a lot of positive attention on social media, one negative comment or feedback can tarnish it all. That’s why it’s important to have a reputation repair strategy ready for your social media. A reputation repair strategy consists of all the essentials that you might find useful during a crisis – such as comment templates that can be easily edited, message/email formats that can be easily customized and more such things that can help to mend your brand’s reputation.
8. Share wins and losses for transparency
While you are working to maintain a positive brand reputation, it becomes crucial to maintain transparency with your customers as well. Your customers are probably wondering what you do and how you do it – so don’t hesitate to share a couple of case studies and results you brought in with them. It’s not just about sharing positive results as well – you can also share negative results as well with an explanation of what went wrong and how you fixed it.
Takeaway
Building a strong online reputation for your small business on social media is a journey that demands patience, creativity, and consistency. Remember, the key is to understand your audience, engage with them authentically, and provide value through your content. By leveraging the tips discussed in this post, you are setting the stage for a thriving social media presence.
Interesting Related Article: “Online Reputation Repair: Strategies to Rebuild Your Image”