Copy link to learn more: http://www.mdgadvertising.com/blog/have-you-seen-your-online-reputation-infographic/ - The digital revolution has made it increasingly difficult for a brand to maintain control of its online reputation. From talk on social media to articles on other websites and mentions via search engines, it seems like everyone has an opinion about brands and an abundance of online channels to share these views. While positive posts can have a great effect on brand image and sales, negative talk can cause serious harm that could damage a brand for the long-term. This is why it’s essential for a brand to constantly monitor its Internet image and do everything possible to ensure a strong online reputation, from keeping customers happy to continually engaging with the social media community and constantly updating content. MDG Advertising has developed a fact-packed infographic that offers advice for building a better online reputation. It features specifics on the state of online reputation management (ORM), along with both savvy and sorry ways that brands have handled their digital reputations. It also offers tactics and tips for getting started and managing mistakes. After all, how a company manages an online slip-up can make a world of difference in how the online world sees and speaks about the brand. The infographic illustrates the need for ongoing online reputation management, revealing that 92% of consumers trust brand recommendations from friends and family, while 70% value online opinions from other consumers. It shows that more than half of consumers on social media have used a social channel for brand research, including 70% who like to hear about a customer’s experience with the brand, and around 50% who either compliment or criticize the brand to the social media world. It also discloses that more than half of brands feel unprepared or unsure of whether they could handle an online image crisis. MDG’s infographic cites examples of how brands have handled online reputation crises both perfectly well and painfully wrong. It cites negative cases by American Airlines and Progressive Insurance, along with lessons for both dodging and dealing with such situations. It also includes positive examples by Target and KitchenAid, whose savvy actions serve as models of reputation management. It offers smart strategies to help brands create good online reputations, as well as ways to cope if things go bad. To build a company’s good name, it suggests focusing on establishing the brand’s voice before its products, along with striving to develop brand advocates, paying attention to every online user, constantly monitoring online mentions, and practicing smart SEO. Build a better online reputation for your brand. Contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797 or visit http://www.mdgadvertising.com.

1. SOURCES: TNSGLOBAL.COM, EMARKETER.COM, SATMETRIX.COM,
HUFFINGTONPOST.COM, WPR.ORG, CNN.COM, MARKETWATCH.COM,
BUSINESSINSIDER.COM, PCWORLD.COM, BUSINESS2COMMUNNITY.COM
What’s said about your company and how your brand is perceived across social media, external websites, and search
results can have tremendous impact on your business and your bottom line. A strong online reputation requires happy
customers, honesty, engaging content, and proactive work on your end. Here, we take a look at online reputation
management (ORM), showing which companies are doing it well, what happens when it isn’t done right, and how to
gain control of your company’s online reputation.
ARE YOU READY?
THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY
AMERICAN
AIRLINES
To existing and potential consumers or partners, your online reputation matters.
Things said about your brand are important to your audience. Every month, consumers using social media:
Still, less than half of all corporate-communication professionals feel ready to take on bad brand buzz if a crisis arises.
When it comes to maintaining or defending an online reputation, there’s a wrong way and a right way.
REPUTATION MANAGEMENT LESSON:
Develop a formal communications plan to deal with crises and train staff to implement it.
Ensure consistent communication across all channels.
REPUTATION MANAGEMENT LESSON:
Monitoring tools can be used to help, but never replace human interaction and judgment.
HOW TO
of clicked search
results are organic, not paid.
Hear other consumers’ experiences
Learn more about brands’ products and/or services
Compliment brands
Express concerns or complaints about brands
70%
65%
53%
50%
TRY THIS!
THE DON’TS
THE DOS
TARGET Target has earned a reputation for
being fun, helpful, and engaging
with its customers.
Their Facebook and Twitter campaigns
show that online interaction goes beyond
sharing coupons.
The “Give With Target” Facebook
campaign allowed users to vote for
schools to receive gift cards.
PROGRESSIVE
INSURANCE
THE PROBLEM:
When a woman’s family
sought policy collection
after her death in a car
accident, Progressive
Insurance took the
wrong approach.
KITCHENAID
The Problem: KitchenAid tweeted “Obamas gma
even knew it was going 2 b bad! ‘She died 3 days
b4 he became president’. #nbcpolitics" during a
2012 presidential debate.
Reputation Management: KitchenAid deleted the tweet almost
immediately and tweeted an apology. KitchenAid’s marketing
head tweeted several personal apologies and suggested the
media DM her through Twitter for follow-up.
+ f
facebook reputation management
Social media is
about your brand’s
voice first and your
products second.
Proactively build a
positive online
reputation with
happy customers.
Foster brand
advocates and
positive online
reviews and
mentions.
Your reputation
across social
media will affect
search results.
Every online user
has power, so
don’t be quick to
ignore anyone.
GoogleGoogle
GoogleGoogle#yourvoice
AND BE SURE TO:
DESIGNATE an individual
or team for online
reputation management.
Continuously MONITOR
mentions of your
brand online.
IMPLEMENT and LEVERAGE
proper SEO practices.
Always ENGAGE
with your audience.
REPUTATION ESTABLISHMENT
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
To build a good online reputation, remember:
It’s easy for a mistake or misunderstanding to become a disaster.
Status Photo Place Events Video Product Polls
1
To head off a crisis as it starts, your company should:
Utilize tools to monitor for negative social media mentions.
Implement a practiced social media crisis-response plan.
Try to resolve the situation before it develops into a crisis.
Evaluate the situation and communicate appropriately.
If the crisis escalates:
Respond quickly and decisively.
Take responsibility for the
situation.
Be honest and transparent.
Correct misinformation.
THE PROBLEM:
From celebrity
complaints on social
media to a viral video
of a ranting flight
attendant, American
Airlines built a
negative reputation.
IN 2013, American Airlines
suffered a nationwide flight
grounding.
AA’s failure to communicate
a consistent message
created a crisis.
AA’s social media updates
reached passengers before
gate agents.
This caused more frustration,
increasing online customer
complaints.
When the family attempted
to collect, Progressive sided
with accused killer.
The woman’s outraged
brother’s blog post blasting
Progressive went viral.
Progressive used automated
sympathy tweets, meeting
“contractual obligations.”
Within days, thousands
claimed to drop or never do
business with Progressive.
ALL PLANES
GROUNDED!
#ourbad
UPDATE:
THIS IS A
TRAGIC
CASE...
THIS IS A
TRAGIC
CASE...
Both of them are making strong points while avoiding some of
the questions. #debate
Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! ‘She died
3 days b4 he became president’. #nbcpolitics
KitchenAid @KitchenAidUSA
If these two had a show, it would make either the best or worst
sitcom ever, right? #debateobservations
Lane Knoxville @laneisagent
“...I take full responsibility
for my team...”
Remedy the situation creatively.
REPUTATION MANAGEMENT TODAY REQUIRES TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR
OWN BRAND MESSAGE ONLINE BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES.
Don’t over-inform.
Begin a plan to rebuild the
reputation.
94%
That’s how much your online reputation matters.
of U.S. adults have searched someone
before doing business with them.
discovered things online that changed
their minds about doing business
42%
Of those, 45%
40% feel prepared 29% feel neither prepared
nor unprepared
30% feel unprepared
of consumers trust
opinions posted online
by other consumers.
of consumers trust brand
recommendations from
friends and family.
*Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding.
BUILD AN ONLINE COMMUNITY AROUND YOUR BRAND,
AND ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR ANY SITUATION
70%
92%
HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR
ONLINE REPUTATION?