The Top Three Reputation Management Trends
A business’ reputation is one of its most valuable assets. Because of this, it is essential that a business owner stay aware of reputation management trends, as your business’ reputation is also delicate and needs constant care. Whether you know it or not, your business already has a reputation, and as its owner it is up to you to ensure that reputation is good and be cognizant of the latest trends in reputation management, including the following three:
No. 1: User-generated content.
This essential component of reputation management comes from a business’ clientele, and includes content such as video, blogs, discussion forums, posts, tweets, digital images, audio files, and any other form of media created by consumers or end-users. It is critical for enhancing your brand; in fact, it is one of the top online reputation management trends of 2016. Fortunately, you can turn to your social media community for content. For example, sponsor a contest, such as those implemented by National Geographic where it turns to its social media community and asks them to capture images of the people and places around the globe that have impacted their lives and connects with people emotionally, and then gives a prize such as a photo safari to an exotic destination. The key to a contest is to recognize why your audience follows you and choose a prize that matches their interests. Keep in mind, contest or not, that your clients are unlikely to generate content about your business if you don’t inspire them.
No. 2: Social relevance.
How a business ranks reputation-wise is heavily influenced by its social relevance. A high, or positive, ranking signifies that a business is valued and trusted. Keep in mind that social relevance can be accomplished without the aid of the products and/or services your business offers. Take, for example, a business that supports a humanitarian organization such as Soles4Souls, a nonprofit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing. Many businesses assist Soles4Souls in its vision of eradicating extreme poverty by 2050 by hosting shoe donation drives in their communities, thus boosting their social relevance ranking while helping people in need across the globe, simultaneously cementing their reputation as a business that cares about making the world a better place.
No. 3: Big data.
Big data, according to Forbes, is a collection of data from traditional and digital sources inside and outside a company that represents a source for ongoing discovery and analysis. Big data will be able to offer a business pertinent information about marketing, customer outlook and much more, and most agree it is the wave of the reputation management future. In fact, by 2020 complex algorithms will be able to read and monitor the reputation of any business, which is yet another reason to make sure your business’ reputation remains stellar.
Blog by Dale Myers. the NALA's Head Writer.