Your brand’s online reputation could literally make or break your business and can have long lasting repercussions on how your brand is perceived by the public. However, trying to manage slander and personal attacks online may seem almost impossible. But there are some things that any business owner can do to make sure that their online reputation is as clean as possible. Here are a few tips on how to preserve your brand’s good name online.
- Work with an Online Brand Protection Agency
You should know that there are many groups and services that aim specifically at helping business owners protect their brand from personal attacks and slander. Groups like FWI (FraudWatch International) for instance, will hunt down fake social media profiles that slander your brand and shut them down. This is something you may have difficulty doing on your own. They will also check the app store for non-authorised apps capitalising on your brand name. Having a team like this in your corner is an invaluable tool if you want to stay aware of attacks and address them as soon as possible before they cause any damage.
- Make Sure You Maintain Your Social Media and Stay Engaged
Your social media page will be your first line of defence and often the first place that clients will look at if they need answers about any incident surrounding your brand. This is where maintaining a dialogue with your audience pays off. This will give you a platform to inform them of any discrepancies and inform them of the situation. This alone could prevent a lot of damage that could be done to your reputation.
- Make Amends
Sometimes, you may have been at fault for a complaint. In other cases, an intentionally malicious poster may exaggerate bad aspects of your business. In either case, it’s better to acknowledge the issue instead of being belligerent. Fix the issue, and respond with proof that the situation was corrected. This will at least show that you are ready to take responsibility for your actions and make things right with your customers.
- Consider Litigation
The Australian courts have done a lot to limit what is called “social media defamation” and you have more recourse than ever if you can prove that it is in fact slander and that it affected your business’s bottom line negatively.
Note, however, that negative comments about your brand are inevitable, and that every negative comment doesn’t qualify as slander. You have to be able to prove that the person knowingly spread false information in order to damage your brand. Also, you have to know that people who spread false information could also be prosecuted even though they’re not the point of origin.
Protecting your brand from slander and defamation is essential if you want to be able to succeed long term. Make sure that you do everything in your power to perform swift action, and don’t be afraid to call for help as well.
