6 Ways to Improve Your Online Reputation Score [2023 Update]

How others perceive you online can affect everything from job opportunities to personal relationships. But what exactly is an Online Reputation Score, and why should you care about it?

In a world where first impressions often come from a quick online search, your Reputation Score can be your strongest ally or your biggest hindrance. It influences how people perceive you and determines whether they will trust, engage with, or do business with you.

Throughout this blog post, you’ll discover how you can calculate your Online Reputation, its impact on individuals and businesses brands, and effective strategies to manage and improve it. You’ll learn not only how to interpret your score but also how to leverage it to open new doors and opportunities.

Let’s get started!

{Updated on 04/08/2023}

What is an Online Reputation Score?

An Online Reputation Score is a numerical measure that represents how you or your business is perceived on the internet. Simply put, it measures how successful are you in managing your online reputation. This score is calculated by analyzing various factors such as your social media presence, online reviews, comments, and other digital footprints.

Think of it like a credit score for your online behavior; the higher your Online Reputation Score, the more positively you’re viewed by others. If you run a business, maintaining a high score can increase consumer trust, while individuals may find it important for personal branding or professional networking.

On the other hand, a low score could indicate negative perceptions, impacting your opportunities and relationships online. Therefore, understanding and actively managing this score is vital for anyone who has a presence on the web.

Is there a formula to calculate online reputation scores?

As it’s relatively a broad concept, there is no standardized or universally accepted formula to calculate an online reputation score. Various online reputation management tools and platforms might have proprietary algorithms to assess online reputation, but these can vary widely depending on the factors considered.

However, based on the nature of your business or online presence, there are metrics that you can consider to get an overall view of your online reputation score.

What are Reputation Score Metrics?

Reputation Score Metrics are the specific factors used to calculate your Online Reputation Score. These metrics evaluate your online presence and include elements such as customer reviews, social media engagement, content quality, and response to feedback.

They can also gauge how well you handle negative comments or complaints, the consistency of your online messaging, and even the influence of your followers or connections.

These metrics provide a comprehensive view of how you or your business are perceived online. Here are the main online reputation score metrics:

1. Customer Reviews and Ratings: Analyzing the quality, quantity, and managing reviews and ratings on platforms like Google, Yelp, or industry-specific sites can provide insight into customer satisfaction and perceptions.

2. Social Media Engagement: This measures how actively you engage with your audience on social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. It considers factors like the number of followers, likes, shares, and comments.

3. Content Quality: The relevance, consistency, and value of the content you share online, be it blog posts, videos, or images, contribute to how your audience perceives you.

4. Response to Feedback: How quickly and effectively you respond to customer inquiries, complaints, or comments online showcases your commitment to customer service and can significantly impact your reputation.

5. Search Engine Visibility: Your presence on search engines like Google and Bing, including the ranking of your website or profile for relevant keywords, indicates the accessibility and prominence of your online presence.

By focusing on these five metrics, you can gain a well-rounded view of your online reputation and identify areas for improvement or reinforcement.

Why Online Reputation Score is Important?

Over 98% of consumers read reviews for local businesses. Your Online Reputation Score is essential because it’s a reflection of how you or your business is perceived in the digital world. A high score can foster trust, attract more customers or connections, and enhance your credibility.

Not only does your online brand reputation have a direct and immediate effect on your bottom line, but it can also impact your ability to attract and retain the best talent. 75% of people would not take a job with a company that had a bad reputation – even if they were unemployed!

Boiled down, your efforts to earn consumer trust, cultivate brand loyalty, and assemble an effective workforce hinge on the quality and extent of your brand reputation. And once you know how to quantify that image, you’re in a much better position to enable growth and your own success.

A high reputation score can also open doors to new opportunities, whether you’re looking to grow a business, entice brand collaborations, or further your career. Conversely, a low score can create mistrust, limiting these opportunities and even damaging existing relationships.

Monitoring and actively managing your Online Reputation allows you to identify areas for improvement in your score, respond to negative feedback, and build a positive online image that aligns with your goals. In today’s digital age, where opinions are formed quickly and spread widely, your Online Reputation Score isn’t just a number; it’s a pivotal part of your success.

6 Ways to Improve Your Online Reputation Score

Here are 6 ways to improve your brand reputation score and start building a reputation that inspires interaction:

1- Use a Reputation Management Tool

Brand reputation management tools allow you to proactively monitor, manage, and improve your brand’s online image. This makes it much easier to improve your online reputation score.

These tools offer numerous benefits and features that can help enhance your brand’s online presence.

For starters, they provide a lens through which you can view what people are saying about your brand. They help you keep an ear to the ground, tracking comments, reviews, and social media posts, and providing you with a holistic view of your brand’s public perception.

By actively tracking reviews across various platforms, you can promptly address any issues that may potentially harm your reputation. You can also highlight positive reviews to reinforce the credibility and quality of your brand. This helps ensure that your audience’s perception aligns with the image you want to project.

Furthermore, these tools also offer mention tracking and alerts. This means that any time your brand gets mentioned online, whether on blogs, forums, news sites, or social media platforms, you’ll be the first to know.

Timely alerts help you react and respond swiftly, manage crises before they escalate, and leverage positive publicity opportunities when they arise.

One of the more advanced features that some of these tools offer is sentiment analysis. It uses artificial intelligence to analyze the tone of a conversation – whether it’s positive, negative, or neutral. This helps you understand the public sentiment toward your brand, and adjust your marketing and PR campaigns.

Mentionlytics is a robust ORM tool for media monitoring that offers all the above-mentioned features and more. It excels at providing comprehensive insights into your brand’s online reputation. Its AI-powered tool, SIA (Social Intelligence Advisor), takes sentiment analysis a notch higher by providing personalized, and actionable insights.

In addition, Mentionlytics stands out because of its intuitive interface and customizable dashboard, making it a user-friendly tool regardless of your technological skill level. It offers detailed reports that provide deep insights into your brand’s reputation, helping you make data-driven decisions.

Create your account now and give Mentionlytics a try to improve your online reputation score.

Try Mentionlytics for FREE

2- Monitor Customer Reviews

When it comes to brand reputation, few things get as much hype and attention as consumer reviews. And for good reason: consumer review sites are everywhere, giving users no end of choices to research your brand and make a judgment about your company right on the spot.

Combine the number of review platforms out there with a voracious public appetite for consumer reviews. Based on surveys, 35% of people trust consumer reviews as much as recommendations from social personalities.

Monitoring your consumer review means collecting and examining reviews on popular review and rating platforms, those with the highest level of traffic and online visibility.

Here are some of the best places to start:

• Google My Business
• Amazon
• Angie’s List
• Yelp
• Better Business Bureau
• Yahoo! Local
• Trip Advisor
• Yellow Pages
• And more

Once you know where and how you’re getting the online review treatment—particularly on high-trafficked sites like Google My Business and Amazon—you can begin to quantify a core component of brand reputation, one with a direct and meaningful impact on what customers and prospects think about your company.

Create an account on Mentionlytics to receive a notification whenever someone mentions your business on these websites!

Try Mentionlytics for FREE

3- Learn how employees are rating your business

Consumer review sites have a powerful influence on consumer decision-making and brand reputation. But what about employee review forums? What influence do worker reviews on sites like Glassdoor and Indeed have on your company’s rep and, ultimately, your ability to build a successful business?

As it turns out, quite a lot.

 

A survey from Glassdoor found a whopping 86% of workers and job seekers research reviews and ratings of companies before applying.

With so many professionals using employee review sites to gauge your reputation, a thorough assessment of your business presence on Glassdoor, Indeed, Comparably and Kununu is a crucial, if not indispensable piece, of the reputation scoring puzzle.

Adding up and analyzing your employee review footprint provides invaluable insight not only into your staff and current work environment but the impression you’re making on the talented professionals you need to compete and thrive in your industry.

Neglecting employee ratings when designing your brand reputation monitoring strategy is done at your own peril.

4- Build and Foster Relationships with Influencers

Influencers have significant power in shaping public opinion and behavior. Leveraging their reach can be a game-changing strategy for enhancing your online reputation score. Here’s how you can do it:

Identify who influences your target audience and research platforms where they are most active and find influencers who resonate with your brand’s values and goals.

Not all influencers are equal. Evaluate their reach, engagement rate, and authenticity. you don’t want to invest in fake influencers! Are they connecting with their followers in meaningful ways? A genuine connection is more valuable than a mere follower count. That’s why nano-influencers have a much higher engagement rate.

Craft personalized outreach messages that clearly articulate your proposition and how collaboration could be mutually beneficial.

Treat influencers as partners, not merely as tools for promotion. Engage in regular communication, ask for their input, and show appreciation for their efforts.

You need to provide clear expectations and guidelines but also allow influencers the creative freedom to present your brand in a way that’s authentic to their style.

Collaborate on Content, Events, or Promotions to Expand Your Reach and Credibility. Work with influencers to co-create content such as blogs, videos, or social posts. When you combine your expertise with their unique voice, it creates compelling content that resonates with audiences.

Collaboratively promote the content across various channels, leveraging both your and the influencer’s networks for maximum reach. Whether it’s a product launch or a webinar, inviting influencers adds credibility and can significantly expand your reach.

5- Leverage the power of SEO and content

SEO is great for online reputation. Here’s how you can use SEO and content to boost your online reputation score:

Know Your Audience

• Identify Their Needs: Understand what your audience wants and select keywords that resonate with their interests.
• Tailor Your Content: Create content that speaks directly to their needs, questions, or problems.

Deliver Quality Content

• Provide Value: Offer unique insights and solutions that engage and educate your audience.
• Tell a Story: Use narratives or real-world examples to make your content more relatable and engaging.

Optimize for SEO

• On-Page SEO: Use keywords naturally in titles, headings, and meta descriptions.
• Off-Page SEO: Build backlinks from reputable sources to enhance credibility.
• Technical SEO: Ensure your site is fast and mobile-friendly to improve user experience.

Analyze and Adjust

• Track Performance: Utilize tools to understand how your content is performing.
• Make Informed Changes: Based on the data, tweak your content and SEO strategies to keep improving.

Bonus: 10 Best Social Search Engines to Try in 2023

6- Encourage and Incentivize Positive Reviews

Encouraging and incentivizing positive reviews is a great strategy for boosting your online reputation score.

Positive reviews act as social proof, building trust and credibility with potential customers. Identifying satisfied customers through UGC marketing and providing avenues for them to share their positive experiences becomes essential.

Creating a simple review process, sending follow-up emails, or offering a platform on your website where customers can express their satisfaction fosters an environment where positivity thrives.

Incentives can act as catalysts in this process. Offering discounts, exclusive access, or special promotions to customers who leave positive reviews adds an appealing layer to the interaction.

These incentives should be carefully structured to encourage genuine feedback rather than forced praise. Crafting unique incentives that align with your brand’s values and your customer’s interests can turn a satisfied customer into a vocal advocate, magnifying the positive impact on your reputation score.

Embracing a strategy that both encourages and incentivizes positive reviews is about fostering an online community organically through social listening where satisfaction is celebrated and shared.

It’s a direct, authentic way to connect with your audience and showcase your commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Through careful planning and thoughtful execution, this approach can become a cornerstone in building and maintaining a healthy online reputation score.

Now Over to You

Improving your online reputation score is a necessity in the competitive digital world. By adopting these six strategies, you are positioning your brand for greater trust, growth, and success. Remember, managing your online reputation is an ongoing effort that requires the right tools and insights.

Start leveraging AI-driven solutions today with Mentionlytics, a leading reputation management tool tailored to your needs. Sign up now for a free trial and enjoy the premium version of our app to take the first step towards a robust online presence that resonates with your audience.

Try Mentionlytics for FREE

FAQs

Q1: How Is an Online Reputation Score Calculated?

The calculation of an online reputation score varies between platforms and can include a combination of factors like the quality and quantity of customer reviews, social media engagement, backlinks quality, content relevance, and more. Algorithms take into account both positive and negative online interactions, weighting them to produce a score that represents an entity’s online reputation.

Q2: Do Negative Reviews Always Harm an Online Reputation Score?

While negative reviews can lower the online reputation score, how a business or individual responds to them can make a difference. Prompt, professional, and empathetic responses to negative feedback can mitigate damage and even enhance reputation by showing commitment to customer satisfaction. Ignoring or responding aggressively to negative reviews, on the other hand, can further harm the score.

Q3: Can Competitors Manipulate My Online Reputation Score?

While unethical, there have been instances where competitors attempt to manipulate a reputation score through fake reviews or negative campaigns. Monitoring your online presence and employing reputable online reputation management services can help in identifying and addressing any fraudulent activity.

Q4: How Does My Personal Online Reputation Score Differ from My Business Score?

Your personal online reputation score reflects your individual credibility and influence online, based on personal social media accounts, blogs, or individual contributions. A business score, on the other hand, focuses on the brand’s image, customer satisfaction, and online engagement. While separate, a personal reputation can influence a business score if you are closely associated with the brand.

Q5: Will Deleting Negative Comments or Reviews Improve My Score?

Deleting negative feedback may seem like a quick fix but can lead to a lack of transparency, potentially eroding trust with customers. Instead, addressing negative comments with professionalism and empathy can demonstrate accountability and commitment to improvement, positively influencing your reputation score.

Q6: How Quickly Can I See Improvements in My Online Reputation Score after Implementing Changes?

Improving an online reputation score is often a gradual process. The impact of changes may take weeks or even months to become apparent, depending on the strategies implemented and the initial state of the reputation. Regular monitoring and consistent effort are key to seeing sustained improvements.

Q7: Does an Online Reputation Score Affect Only Online Sales or Also In-Store Sales?

An online reputation score can influence both online and in-store sales. With the proliferation of smartphones and easy access to online reviews, many customers research brands online before making in-store purchases. A strong online reputation can therefore translate to increased trust and sales across both digital and physical storefronts.