In today’s digital world, reputation shapes others' perception of your business, so it’s critical you manage this well. This is just as true on an individual level as it is as an organisation. It can seem like a minefield, but it doesn’t have to be.

Get to know more about online reputation management for your personal brand or business with Adobe Express. Explore some useful strategies and get tips on how to address any negativity.

What is reputation management?

Reputation management shapes how a business is perceived by the public both online and offline.

Your offline reputation might include how people talk about you to their friends and whether they recommend you to others. You can monitor this by conducting surveys to find out what people think about your brand, or hosting pop-ups where you can interact with your customers and get feedback on your products.

In the digital world, your customers’ opinions tend to be more public – whether it’s a good review or a bad review. This makes online reputation management is even more important.

It usually involves monitoring and influencing search engine results, checking your social channels to see what people are saying about you and keeping tabs on customer reviews. That way, you can get regular updates on your online reputation and prepare responses to help build trust and authority with your customers.

Why is it essential to manage your reputation online?

Your online reputation can quickly impact someone’s impression of you or your brand. For example, if they see a negative comment about your company on a social media post or see poor reviews on your Amazon shopfront, they might question the integrity and reliability of your brand. This can have a great impact on brand trust.

Reputation management can also:

• Influence how customers perceive your brand. Positive feedback reinforces brand credibility. The public’s opinion is often shaped by what they see online, including user reviews and news mentions. On the other hand, unresolved complaints and misinformation can be damaging.
• Boost your visibility in search results. A strong reputation can help boost your brand’s authority in the search landscape too. Search engines often consider review volume, ratings, and brand mentions as part of their ranking process. Seeking authoritative links from other websites that uplift your reputation can also help boost search rankings.
• Build direct relationships with your audience. Connecting with your audience gives your brand a voice. Responding to questions, reviews, and comments reassures customers they’re being heard.
• Help you manage crises and negative feedback. Responding tactfully and quickly to criticism can prevent potential PR disasters. Actively managing complaints shows accountability, helping to strengthen brand trust. Be real and authentic – people will see through false bravado.
• Reinforce brand values and trust. Producing good quality content often adds to your company’s authenticity and public image. As well as user-generated content and testimonials, behind-the-scenes updates can be the cherry on top of the sundae. Be consistent in your tone of voice across platforms to build familiarity.

Tips for online reputation management

A strong online reputation doesn’t happen by accident – it’s a conscious effort which is monitored regularly. A business that has good reputation management maintains trust with its stakeholders in the digital space.

Some things you need to consider with online reputation management are:

Develop authentic content that showcases your brand’s purpose and principles.

Your content should reflect what your brand stands for. Have stories that demonstrate your company values. Include things related to the people who work for you and hat they do for your business.

Behind-the-scenes videos of the launch of your latest product or service can give customers an intimate look. Show community involvement too – perhaps you helped a local council with a project or partnered with a local charity on a recent collection. You’re not just an organisation – there’s humanity in your work.

Use both earned and paid media to expand your reach.

Use a balanced digital marketing strategy by having both earned and paid media, to stay visible across many platforms. Earned media might include things like positive reviews, user-generate content, press coverage, and the like. Paid media are any posts that you pay to feature on, such as influencer marketing and digital ads. It’s strategic placement that gets your content seen by people most likely to view it, in places they’re most expected to see it.

Acknowledge all feedback to show you’re listening and responsive.

Show customers you’re listening to them by engaging with them, whether that’s responding to a positive or negative review. It shows you’re responsible and offers them a level of care. Even a simple thanks can make someone feel heard.

But don’t just respond to the good ones – dealing with bad reviews and comments also shows you’re ready to listen and resolve any issues. And it’s a chance for you to turn it around. Make them feel special by saying a simple thanks can reinforce loyalty.

Request positive feedback from customers after a great interaction.

Don’t shy away from asking happy customers for a review – especially if they’re a repeat customer. If they’ve had a positive experience, you can usually make a polite request for them to spread the word. This could be during or after the sale.

If they’re shopping in-person, you could give them a business card or QR code with a link to your preferred review site. Or, if it’s an online experience, you could use a pop-up banner or follow-up email to ask them for a review.

Consistently audit your online visibility and reputation.

Look, look, look some more, and keep looking around at what’s being said about you online. Set up alerts for your brand name and monitor your ratings. You can also do regular checks to see how well your content is faring on search engines, identifying trends and gaps early to erase potential issues.

Remember, a strong reputation isn’t just a one-time thing – you’ve got to maintain it. And that only happens with good online reputation management.

How to repair a damaged business reputation.

Reputation damage can be challenging, but not impossible to overcome if you know how. Good recovery, and the possibility of an even stronger reemergence starts with a good reputation management recovery strategy.

Here are some tips to help:

Respond to criticism with calm, constructive messaging.

Don’t get defensive as this will trigger customers’ defensive mechanisms, fuelling even more negativity. Instead, acknowledge their concerns respectfully, thanking them for their concerns. Take responsibility when needed and provide solutions.

Strengthen your online presence with consistent branded content.

Producing positive content can offset negative press. Think well-written blog and social posts. Customer success stories go that extra mile, even more than reviews, demonstrating how people have benefited from your organisation’s offering. Remember, controlling these lets you shift the narrative in your favour.

Bring in experts to manage serious reputation issues.

If the problem is more than you can handle, hire professional help. Reputation management services offer personalised strategies to rebuild your brand trust.

Turn scrutiny into momentum for change.

Public opinion isn’t just what people think about you – it’s simply feedback. Use it as an opportunity to drive real, lasting improvements to your products or services. After all, even bad feedback is data you can use to improve.

Reputation management asset examples and template ideas.

How can Adobe Express help enhance your business’ reputation management?

Adobe Express offers a range of tools you can use to establish and improve your brand reputation.

1. Design professional visuals for social media responses.

Make engaging social media posts and visuals quickly with Adobe Express. You’ve got full creative control to create posts that reflect your brand and encourage followers to comment their love for your brand.

2. Create branded templates for consistent messaging.

Make sure your responses are true to your brand – whether it’s saying thank you for a positive review or acknowledging any negative feedback. Use the One Click, Apply Brand tool to create consistency across your templates and designs.

3. Quickly customise crisis-response visuals and comms.

A crisis can be stressful for everyone involved. That’s why it’s best to be prepared and make branded templates in advance. Get tips on how to construct effective crisis communications with Adobe Express.

Maintain a strong brand image with Adobe Express’ AI tools.

Maybe you want to create your own templates, but don’t have the tools or the time to do so. That’s where our AI template generator can help.

Make the most of quick creation and full editability – whether you’re crafting a social media response or making a flyer to show offer some customer testimonials.

Simply input your prompts, with as much detail as you can, and watch the AI tool bring your design to life. Don’t like the output? No fret. Simply go back and edit it until you’re satisfied with the result.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

How long does it take to repair a damaged reputation?

Repairing a damaged reputation can take a few months or even longer, up to a year or more in some cases. It depends on the severity of the issue and how quick you were to address it. But a consistent reputation management strategy can turn things around. Be patient if it happens and have a positive mindset with a proactive approach.

Why should I publish positive content to boost my reputation?

Publishing positive content helps balance out any negative search results. The more positive content there is, the less negative ones will appear. In your content, always highlight benefits and reinforce your brand’s strong points to help reshape your public perception.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.