Image is everything in marketing. Thus, companies spend a huge sum of money building their company images or reputation for years. But all that can collapse suddenly like sand castles when a wave of negative propaganda sweeps by. And this is more so today with online marketing where communication is fast, easy, and far-reaching.
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But highly efficient company name handling can take care of all that. Brands can be safe even online through proper and wise image handling. In fact, more effective brand development through online image enhancement is possible with a sufficient working knowledge of how reputation management helps in brand building. And this is something no one can ignore when almost everything today can be brought into the open worldwide through the Internet.
Reactive and Proactive Management
It works this way. Reputation management ensures that a company is presented in a positive way—like a favourable press release–in search engine results. Or, it may mean countering anything that challenges the company’s goodwill. Search engines are constantly monitored for any negative opinions about the company and are dealt with immediately. This is called reactive management of company name or image.
A better version is proactive build-up of the company’s reputation. This is something like a press release of high calibre content so that it makes it to top ranking in search engines. This may take the form of blogs with high quality contents putting the company and its products in a favourable light. This easily achieves brand development through online image enhancement.
Effective brand managers will strike a balance between proactive and reactive management. While proactive remedies can pre-empt unfavourable comments and write-ups before they appear online, they fail to address attacks that are based on new developments and issues surrounding the company.
Reactive remedies, on the other hand, are effective for countering small details that a proactive solution has missed. Loopholes like that are easy target for detractors and need minute, on-the-dot response from the company to prevent the issue from becoming full blown.
Doing both solutions, company image is always given credence and steady patronage from people it serves. Image assaults become practically harmless and easily thwarted. The company and product stay on their pedestals. This shows how reputation management helps in brand building.
Maintain Blogs
Pro-company blogs are like satellites around the company and feed it. With quality articles that highlight company strengths and progress, and with everything equipped with the right keywords and links leading back to the company mother website, blogs are perfect propagandists.
Blogging is an excellent tool in brand development through online image enhancement. Search engines give way to blogs because of their updated nature. Blogs are designed to be updated with fresh and unique articles that magnify company gains, vision and mission, and future expansion. Blogs are also the favourite venue for customers’ and prospects’ comments and queries.
A blog busy with discussions and conversation reflect good brand building and is a surefire reputation management tool. With a blog like that, any demolition job would face serious challenge and may die down with trepidation.
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Silence
Some brand and reputation managers, however, strongly believe in the silent treatment where bad propaganda against the company is concerned. They say silence disturbs and sends fear in the hearts of detractors. Moreover, people are apt to appreciate humble silence and side with the “victim.” They are even known to initiate fights for the disadvantaged.
image courtesy flickr: Pictorescue, prlog
