6 Secrets to Better Online Reputation Management

According to wikipedia.com Online Reputational Management (ORM) "is the practice of attempting to shape public perception of a person or organization by influencing information about that entity" online.  In other words, this process controls what someone sees online and ultimately thinks about you. It’s pushing the positive and cleaning up the negative...Helping you to soar in cyberspace.

1) Get Started
Over one billion names are searched everyday on Google. Understand people make judgments about you based on what they search for and find online. According to Google, 45% of those who are searching to buy and/or hire, have found negative information that caused them to take their business elsewhere or hire someone else. Because people can readily publish negative comments about you and/or your company, there’s not much you can do about it. EXCEPT, to have a robust ORM strategy and implementation plan in place.

2) Research
Search yourself. Search for your name, business, your image, and anything else that may be related. Taking notes and snapshots will help you later with your assessment and plan of attack.

3) Work It
Remember everything is recorded online. Everything. From Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, online searches and transactions, websites we visit, text/messenger conversations, years-old status updates, to private emails (they can be hacked), and more. So, as much as possible, keep private what should be private. And don’t hesitate to ask others to take down pictures of yourself that you think will compromise yours or your company’s reputation. Sometimes suppressing the negative is a full-time job, so be ready. Ensure your first impression stays a great one.

4) Invest
Buy your domain name. Buy as many as you can afford: Johndoe.com, Johndoe.net, Johnathandoe.com, yourbusiness.com, etc. The more, the merrier. Have a reputable design firm create your website and embed your content. You should include your company information, your bio, business interest, education, interesting articles, the benefits of your services, etc.

5) Focus
Increase your positive footprint by creating compelling and targeted content. Keep your content in one place and include your social media page links. Then make sure your social pages are completely filled out and active. Schedule and add new content at least twice a month. This will make your online presence stronger and push you up in search results.

By optimizing your online profiles you'll push down any negative content to the 2nd and 3rd pages within a Google search...which is where irrelevant content goes to die.

6) Stay The Course
Monitor. Set up a Google alert on your name or business to keep track of any new content that’s been published. Notifications will be sent to your e-mail.

Being proactive with your online reputation management will help make public perception your best friend, NOT your worst enemy. For more information and to get started on your own campaign, contact info@hornsbybrandesign.com.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reputation_management

Digital Marketing: The Plan that Won't Wait

First, there’s no silver bullet to success. Rather, it’s always a combination of tactics that will propel your brand towards new heights. Social media, email marketing, SEO, SEM, content marketing, etc. all work together toward a common goal. First and for most, plan your strategy around boosting your website’s search engine optimization. This will be your gateway into the digital world. If you’re not found on Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc., and if your website doesn’t provide quality information for its users, you won't accomplish your objectives.

Try our 9-step outline:

1. Know your customers and identify what you hope to achieve through your efforts.
2. Set a digital marketing budget.
3. Design elements that accurately reflect your company's identity.
4. Add your business to online listing sites to boost your local search rankings.
5. Set up social media profiles on targeted platforms.
6. Decide if you will be doing your own digital marketing, hiring a marketing employee, or contracting with a digital agency.
7. Build or update your website so that it is mobile-friendly. Remember to use relevant and consistent content that accurately describes your business AND appeals to your target audience.
8. Measure your website’s traffic through Google Analytics or other more sophisticated programs.
9. Monitor how well these methods are working for you, and then decide where and when to spend on paid advertising campaigns.

For help implementing your digital marketing plan, contact us at info@hornsbybrandesign.com.

8 Steps to Winning More Online Customers

Digital marketing is one of the best investments your business can make. Do it right and watch your business grow. Using search engine optimization (SEO-unpaid), search engine marketing (SEM-paid), and social media will help you reach more customers, make more sales, and elevate your brand. The following are eight tactics to help:

1. Content marketing (blogs, newsletters, web content, email nurture campaigns). Posting high-quality, relevant content (articles, photos, videos, etc.) will boost your social following, and keep traffic coming to your company website. Create a posting/media schedule and maintain it. A consistent online presence is key.
2. Business Directories. Make sure all online business directories have your correct and current information. These directories act like a personalized phone book, so listing your business on sites like Google My Business, Manta, YP.com, Yelp and others will help customers find your website and your physical location.
3. Online Reviews. Word of mouth marketing, positive online reviews, and satisfied customer responses will improve your company’s reputation. Inviting customers to leave their reviews on Google, Facebook, or other review sites is the best (and most profitable) marketing you can generate. Identify any questions your customers may have and answer them quickly.
4. Local Searches. Make sure you’re listed in local searches. This will recommend nearby businesses within your potential customers’ current geographic location. Online listings help your company website show up in local search results. This is geolocation-data-driven, so it will act like targeted advertising.
5. Organic Search Engine Optimization. Use proven SEO techniques to improve your website's rankings in search engine results. Successful SEO tactics are designed to organically earn (rather than purchase) a strong search ranking. The first page listings are the most likely to be clicked on. That’s where you want your website to rank—and SEO can help.
6. Search Engine Ads. Use SEM. This is the purchase of on line ads in order to improve your company’s visibility on search engine results pages. By identifying keywords, that your customers are most likely to use when searching for your services, and then paying for a certain number of customer views per ad (known as impressions), you will meet your sales goals faster and sustain your business growth.
7. Social media marketing. This is the purchase of on line, social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn) in order to build authentic interactions with followers and is often an affordable marketing tactic for small businesses with small marketing budgets.
8. Responsive website. A highly designed, intuitive, responsive website is the minimal effort you should implement to inform the public and communicate your online brand message. In an ever-changing world of mobile devices, this is a must.

For help with implementing your online marketing strategy, send us a note at info@hornsbybrandesign.com.