Franchise Advertising Tips: How to Manage Your Online Reputation

Even the best franchise advertising fails if your online reputation is tarnished.

Today’s post shares some online reputation management (ORM) tips from our franchise advertising experts!

What makes ORM NonNegotiable

Without ORM in place, your business is basically a sitting duck.
Disgruntled ex-employees, ruthless competitors, and angry customers will be free to say whatever they want about your brand.

These comments can rank in prospect searches for your company’s name (particularly the inflammatory ones people love to read and click on), which makes for an ugly first impression.

You may have a strong website and franchise advertising campaign, and that’s all very important. But people tend to trust what they read on social media and third-party review sites more than ad copy.

Most users don’t dig past page 1, so even a few bad reviews can really take their toll on your business.
ORM isn’t a fancy term for deceiving the public, manipulating reviews, or finding sneaky ways to advertise. It’s really about leveling the playing field in an internet climate where the balance is a little off.

When a single, unsubstantiated 1-star review can put a dent in your business, it’s obvious that we need to re-evaluate how we view (and filter) review platforms, but until that happens, ORM is a must-have for your business.

Fortunately, ORM has been a growing part of the franchise advertising world for a number of years, and much progress has been made.

At ClickTecs, we feel protecting brand image is a primary goal of franchise advertising. Though our full process is beyond the scope of this article, we can recommend a few basic tips to get you started.

Getting Started with ORM

• Shorten your customer service “response time.” Let’s begin with the basics. Word-of-mouth has never spread faster. Since mobile devices let people post damaging comments about your business seconds after negative experiences happen, speedy customer service is crucial. Do your best to offer the customer a solution to their problem ASAP so that they don’t feel public defamation is the only option.
• Establish a presence on the major platforms. Register your company to Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and all other relevant social media platforms. B2B and executive-level operations that franchisors may be running should emphasize LinkedIn. And don’t forget third-party review sites like Yelp. Use these accounts to respond publicly to any complaints. This is your chance to make amends or offer your side of the story. Whatever you do, it will encourage those who come across to think critically about the review they’re reading, and also show that your business responds to customer concerns.
• Push positive content. Fight a deluge of negative mentions with a flood of positive content. Though people tend to trust third-party review sites and social media more than company content, actions still speak louder than words. Offering people valuable content will always improve your standing in the eyes of the customer, and may encourage others to question what they read online.
• Engage your audience. Participate in social media discussions, make appearances on forums and review sites, and otherwise engage your online community. The more active you are online, the more likely it is that people will choose to contact you directly for answers, rather than besmirching your good name online!

Admittedly, there’s a lot more to it than this. But these tactics will certainly help. And if you want to learn more, get in touch with our team at https://clicktecs.com/online-reputation-management-orm/