Corporate online reputation risks

Making a successful digital transition

The digital transition is a phenomenon that many companies are currently experiencing. Even if some of them have already made their 360° turn into the digital world, they are all concerned by the risks linked to a bad reputation on the web. Indeed, in the world of the Internet, a bad opinion or a bad review is worth much more than a good impression. This can have considerable repercussions for the overall image of the company, and consequently, there can also be repercussions for its profits. Considering the potential risks of online reputation is therefore a key element of good visibility on the web.

The importance of online reputation for the company

The aim of any business is to ensure its good reputation, whether real or virtual, in order to generate more sales and have a large majority of satisfied customers. However, the way the internet works, it is highly possible that a dissatisfied customer will freely express himself on the web, and this via different media. The company then has little control over this testimonial or negative opinion and its reputation can quickly be affected. There are many examples of companies affected by this type of bad reputation. And in most cases, a mistake of this kind is very difficult for the company in question to recover from. So, before such a catastrophe occurs, it is a good idea to know a few things to do to better manage a company’s online reputation.

Keeping a constant watch

In order to detect any risk of a bad reputation online as soon as possible, it is advisable to carry out a daily watch on the name of the company. Simply start by searching for your company’s name online and you will see what image it gives off. In addition, there are many tools that can be used to help you with this monitoring. Whether it is media monitoring or social networks, specific tools exist such as SEMRush, Feedly or Google Alerts. All these tools allow you to be informed in real time as soon as your company is mentioned online and thus protect your e-reputation. This essentially allows you to be very reactive in the event of a problem, so as to minimise any risk of a bad reputation on the web.

A danger mainly from social networks

Due to their high virality, social networks present both a real showcase for companies, but also a real danger. Indeed, social networks, such as Facebook, currently have more than one billion users in the world. Amongst these connected internet users, there are obviously many private individuals, but companies also play a big role in social networks. Many people are able to express themselves about a particular company, whether it is a former employee, a dissatisfied customer, a competitor, the media, etc. This is why it is essential for every company to take care of its image on social networks and to remain vigilant.

Which strategy to adopt between protection and prevention?

Of course, the use of tools such as those mentioned earlier represents a real investment of time and money (employees dedicated to this mission, launching of campaigns, advertising, etc.). However, it does help to protect the company’s e-reputation and to prevent possible “bad buzz”. Of course, each company adopts a specific strategy and positioning regarding its presence on the web. As a comparison, let’s take the example of a medium-sized company, which has little visibility on the web, but which is able to generate profits without using the internet. This company will have to monitor its reputation on the web, but in a moderate way. Whereas a company specialising in e-commerce, which generates its sales solely through digital platforms, will have to take great care of its online reputation. The protection and prevention of a company’s e-reputation therefore depends very much on the company’s digital strategy and the way it communicates with its customers.