Small but Mighty: Effective Reputation Management for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

As a small-business owner, there are many things that you need to know and keep in mind in order to successfully run your business. From accounting to production to marketing, there’s plenty that needs to be done. However, a mistake that many small-business owners make is thinking that they don’t need to worry about their reputation management. 
No matter how big or small a business is, there’s always a risk of a reputational crisis that requires a quick response and plan in order to combat and improve the situation. As a small-business owner, it falls to you to know what steps you can take to have effective reputation management for SMBs and how you can repair your reputation after a crisis. 

What Is Reputation Management?

Reputation management is a process of influencing the opinions of stakeholders and the public when it comes to your business brand. It could involve monitoring your online conversations and what other people are saying about your brand, knowing what potential threats exist against your reputation, and having a strategic plan in place to address any crises that might arise that could damage the reputation of your brand. Having a reputation management plan isn’t just for giant brands and major corporations; it’s important for SMBs as well. Even small businesses that have a single employee can be significantly damaged by a reputational crisis like a social media post, negative interaction with the public, or bad business practices. No matter how small your small business is, you should at least know what steps you can take to help protect your reputation and maintain your business standing. 

Tips for Effective SMB Reputation Management

There are a few key steps you can take so that your business is protected from damaging events or reputational crises. Here are some of the best tips to keep in mind as you plan your reputation management strategy.

1. Take Ownership of Your Business Name

The first helpful tip is to ensure you have ownership and control of your business name online. That means you must claim your business’s profiles on platforms like Google and Bing. It also means that you need to have a social media profile on relevant platforms using your business name so it can’t be taken by another account. Additionally, you want to check domain names so that no one else can make a website using your business name. 

2. Constantly Monitor Your Business

Another helpful tip is to constantly monitor your business reputation online. That might mean creating Google Alerts for your business name or other relevant business terms, checking on social media for what people are saying about your business, and monitoring your online reviews and other public forums to see what people are saying. This will allow you to see when a negative opinion is formed and create a plan for addressing those complaints. 

3. Look Inward

Part of reputation management is managing what your own employees say about your business. You want to be confident that your teams are happy at work and aren’t disgruntled by any part of your business practices. Working on your company culture, asking for feedback, and prioritizing healthy hiring practices and inclusivity can go a long way in protecting your reputation and keeping your small business safe. 

4. Work With a Team of Experts

As a small-business owner, your time and attention are likely pulled in a number of directions each day. Managing your business reputation requires a solid plan, and knowing how to address concerns or issues that come up requires experience. If you don’t have the time to work on maintaining your reputation, it might help to look for support from a team of experts like Status Labs. Status Labs can help you manage your small business’s reputation and work to avoid potential crises that can hurt your status in your community.