The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media Reputation Management

No doubt, in today’s digitized world of e-commerce, 53% of consumers are curious to research, like or follow a brand’s social media pages on different handles. Social media handles are an easy to access anytime platform for consumers who want to learn about their preferred or newly launched brand’s new products and services.

Thus, business’s social media reputation management has become more crucial in the contemporary world. A positive reputation may distinguish between gaining new clients and losing them to rival businesses. With so many social media channels, it is very easy for a business’s online image to suffer if not properly handled.

Table Of Content

Social Media Strategies And Trends

The Do’s

• Plan a strategy
• Choose the correct platform.
• Monitor your online reputation regularly
• Build a strong social media presence
• Respond quickly and appropriately
• Tracking the metrics
• Post regularly to increase engagement

The Don’ts

• Don’t ignore negative comments
• Don’t engage in online arguments
• Don’t rely solely on automation
• Misrepresent Your Brand 
• Post Inappropriate or Irrelevant Content
• Buy Followers or Likes

Conclusion

Social Media Strategies And Trends

Social media is one of the most adaptable and powerful marketing tools. Studies have shown that:

• Facebook (82%) and Instagram (67%) are popular among those new to social media marketing. However, social media managers with more than five years of experience have diversified across several platforms.
• Facebook and Instagram are the most popular channels for B2C marketers, each used by 94%.
• Facebook and LinkedIn are the two main platforms used by B2B marketers (85% and 81%, respectively).
• 61% of marketers will increase their Instagram engagement with organic social media reputation management strategies.
• With 68% of marketers expecting to boost their video marketing for Instagram, 67% for YouTube, and 56% for Facebook, most marketers agree that they want to do so.

The Do’s of Social Media Reputation Management

Plan a strategy

Having a strategy for social media reputation management is essential for any business or individual looking to establish a strong online presence. A well-defined social media strategy can help define goals and objectives, identify target audiences, create engaging content, and measure success. It can also help in understanding the best platforms to use, the frequency of posting, and tracking progress. 

With a clear plan, social media reputation management can become more effective, efficient, and less time-consuming. Precise social media strategy allows for consistent messaging and branding, crucial in building a strong online reputation. 

Choose the correct platform

Choosing the right social media management platform is important to ensure efficient and effective management of social media channels. It’s important to consider features such as scheduling, analytics, team collaboration, and integrations with other tools. Finding a platform that fits the specific needs of the business or individual can save time and improve overall social media management. Research shows that the typical person switches between seven social networks monthly.

Monitor your online reputation regularly

It is essential to regularly monitor your business’s online reputation to ensure that your brand’s messaging aligns with your values and is in compliance with legal requirements. Monitoring social media platforms, blogs, review sites, and news mentions can provide insight into your audience’s thoughts about your brand, enabling you to respond better.

According to a study, 79% of U.S. Internet users are on Facebook, and 32% are on Instagram. It means businesses should have an active presence on these social media platforms and should monitor them closely for social media reputation management.

Build a strong social media presence

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer businesses multiple ways to connect with their target audience and build a robust online presence. Creating and sharing engaging content can help businesses improve their reach, audience base and raise their profile on social media. The fastest-growing social network is TikTok, which had a startling 100% increase in users between 2020 and 2022.

Respond quickly and appropriately

Responding promptly and appropriately to user comments can build trust and goodwill, especially during a crisis. According to a survey, 79% of consumers feel more positive about a brand when it responds quickly to their queries or complaints.

However, remaining professional and tactfully engaging in negative comments is essential. Social media responses should always be polite and respectful to maintain positive and unbiased social media reputation management.

Tracking the metrics

Tracking metrics is crucial for effective social media management as it provides insight into the performance of your online presence. Understanding engagement rates reach, and conversion rates can help you evaluate your content strategy’s success and identify improvement areas. Tracking these metrics allows you to refine your social media strategy, optimize your content, and better connect with your audience. Consistent metrics monitoring can help you stay ahead of trends and achieve your marketing goals.

Thus, social media metrics are crucial since they demonstrate that you can gauge a campaign’s effectiveness, the effectiveness of your social media strategy, and ultimately if you will influence your entire organization.

Post regularly to increase engagement

Engagement is crucial in social media management as it plays a significant role in building a strong online presence. Encouraging engagement with your content can increase brand awareness and loyalty, ultimately driving conversions. Engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and direct messages provide insight into how your audience interacts with your content. 

By actively engaging with your followers, responding to comments, and asking for feedback, you can foster a community around your brand and build meaningful relationships with your audience. A high level of engagement can also help boost your visibility and online reputation on social media platforms.

The Don’ts of Social Media Reputation Management

Don’t ignore negative comments

Ignoring negative comments on social media can harm a brand’s image and reputation. It sends a message that the brand does not value its customers or care about their concerns. Ignoring negative comments can also drive customers away, causing a loss of revenue and market share to competitors.

Brands should address negative comments promptly and professionally. Acknowledging the customer’s issue, accepting responsibility, and offering a solution are crucial to resolving the problem and showing customers that their feedback is valued. Responding to negative comments publicly demonstrates a brand’s commitment to customer service and transparency, which can benefit the brand social media reputation management in the long run. Social media managers should have a protocol for addressing negative comments, including a clear escalation process for unresolved issues, to avoid further damage to the brand’s reputation.

Don’t engage in online arguments

Engaging in online arguments or heated debates can harm a brand’s reputation in the digital age. As a social media manager, it is crucial to maintain a professional image and avoid taking negative comments or reviews personally. Responding emotionally or aggressively can worsen matters and reflect poorly on the brand. Instead, social media managers should remain calm and collected and respond constructively to comments and disputes. 

By acknowledging the customer’s concerns, providing accurate information, and offering solutions, social media managers can build trust and show that the brand values its customers’ opinions. It is essential to address negative feedback promptly and respectfully to prevent it from escalating into a public relations crisis. Social media managers should also have a crisis management plan in emergencies.

Don’t rely solely on automation

Automation can be a great time-saver for social media managers, but they should not rely solely on it. Automated responses can often sound disingenuous and robotic, potentially damaging a brand’s image. 

Social media managers should customize their responses to address the individual’s concerns and craft them in a tone that suits the brand’s personality. According to 79% of respondents, user-generated material on social media greatly influences their buying choices.

Misrepresent your brand

Companies should not misrepresent their brand on social media platforms. Falsely advertising a product or service can lead to legal and financial consequences, as well as damage the company’s reputation in the long term. 62% of consumers claim that they will tell others about a negative experience they had with a company.

Misinterpreting your brand in social media reputation management can have severe and long-lasting effects on your business. Misunderstanding your brand’s voice, message, and values can confuse your audience, losing trust and loyalty. Posting content that does not align with your brand’s identity can lead to a decline in engagement, negative feedback, and damage to your reputation. To avoid misinterpreting your brand, it is crucial to establish clear brand guidelines and ensure that all content posted is consistent with your brand’s message and values.

Post inappropriate or irrelevant content

Posting irrelevant content in social media management can harm your online presence. It can lead to decreased engagement, negative feedback, and even damage your brand’s reputation. Companies should avoid posting inappropriate content on social media platforms. Posting insensitive or offensive content can lead to public backlash, affecting the company’s reputation.

Irrelevant content can be seen as spam and cause your followers to lose interest in your brand, leading to a decline in reach and engagement. Additionally, irrelevant content can confuse your audience about your brand’s message and values, leading to a loss of trust. Ensuring that all content posted is relevant and adds value to your audiences’ experience with your brand is important.

Buy followers or likes

Buying followers or likes on social media platforms is common among small businesses. However, this practice can harm a company’s reputation more than good. It can lead to a lack of customer trust and may even be flagged as shady business practices.

Buying likes in social media reputation management can harm your online presence. While it may appear to increase your engagement metrics, it does not guarantee genuine engagement or lead to conversions. It can damage your credibility and reputation, as purchased likes are often from fake accounts. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have algorithms that detect fake engagement, decrease visibility, and even account suspension. Investing in organic social media growth strategies and creating valuable content is a more effective approach to building a loyal and engaged following.

Conclusion

To believe the reports, an average consumer wants to see at least 10 positive reviews prior to trusting a business. Research indicates that consumers enjoy the liberty to express negative and positive experiences with a brand’s goods and services alike on social media platforms.

With social media becoming a powerful tool for businesses to connect with customers and build brand awareness, it is important to understand that social media can be a double-edged sword damaging a company’s reputation in minutes.

Social media reputation management is crucial for businesses to maintain a positive brand image, navigate the complexities of social media and mitigate the potential for reputational damage.