The world of internet reputation management may seem overwhelming especially to your family-owned, local plumbing business, but it should not be overlooked as being crucial for millennials only.
If you are a plumbing contractor, your online reputation is something that you should consider with the seriousness it deserves. This is because your plumbing business depends on good reviews from clients. Gone are the days when plumbers would solely depend on word-of-mouth recommendations or advertising, and today it is crucial to consider the effects of online reviews.
Without further ado, let us dive into our post.
Why is Online Reputation Management for Plumbers Important?
Internet Reputation Management Impacts Branding
Your brand is synonymous with its message, and it helps prospects understand what your business is all about. Digital branding is a great trend that is typically beneficial as long as your branding encapsulates the value of your plumbing company. When you invest in online review management, by monitoring reviews about your business and responding to them professionally and politely (whether it’s positive or negative), you will also realize that you will also enhance your overall branding message.
Digital branding and online reputation management are two moving parts of a successful plumbing marketing and advertising strategy. Both require careful attention, and every element affects the other, for good or worse.
Name Recognition
This is a huge one. The more well-known your plumbing business name, the more you can influence the opinion of potential customers. You can influence homeowners to hire your plumbing business with the right online reputation management and communication strategy. And if you begin working on a positive brand ahead of time, you will be able to maintain your name in the unfortunate event of a mistake or accident.
Increases Your Business Visibility Online
In the modern world, it’s more essential than ever for plumbing contractors to have a vibrant presence online. A well-designed plumbing website and business blog can assist to make sure that your company is obtaining the attention of your target audience.
Besides, social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook can offer excellent advertising or marketing channels. Utilizing these platforms, you can reach a wider audience and improve your brand perception. It is important to create exciting, engaging, and positive content. If you can achieve this, you will be well on your way to building a solid internet presence for your plumbing brand.
Boost Sales
Excellent online reviews are important for plumbers that want to attract more clients through search engines like Google or Bing. In the modern digital world, potential clients are more likely to peg their buying decisions on online reviews than personal recommendations. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that plumbing contractors with positive online reviews experience increased sales.
Online Reputation Management for Plumbers: Things That are Portraying your Business in Negative Light
When it comes to your plumbing online reputation management, there are things that you can do to enhance your presence, and there are things that can hurt it. Here are the five things that you should avoid when trying to manage your online reputation as a plumber:
1. Not Claiming Directory and Social Media Listings
There are numerous social media and online business directory listings out there, and you must claim your listing on as many as possible as a plumbing company owner. One of the major reasons for such is that any listing is regarded as “real estate” for your company’s online presence. Additionally, by claiming your business profiles online, you are preventing your competitors from claiming your listing and utilizing it to their advantage.
2. Updating Your Social Media Platforms and Plumbing Website Once a Month
One of the reasons that prospects and clients return to your plumbing website is because they desire to view or read fresh content. If you don’t create and publish new content, however, customers cannot return back which implies that you cannot make sales to those clients. By updating your social media platforms and plumbing website, you are keeping clients engaged and increasing the chances of booking more jobs.
It’s also crucial to remember that when you update your social media profile or plumbing website, you should do so with authentic content that is both relevant and interesting to your plumbing niche.
3. Allowing Unqualified People to Manage Your Online Profiles
Whether we are discussing your business website or social media platforms, never let unqualified individuals in charge of your online presence. By so doing, this can lead to many problems, most of which cannot be solved easily. These include:
- You can ruin your internet reputation by showcasing your plumbing business in an unprofessional manner
- You can destroy your online profiles by deleting or editing the wrong thing
- You can isolate customers and prospects if posts are shared that have a questionable theme.
- You can deter clients by presenting your business as one that isn’t responsive or doesn’t care about clients’ needs.
Simply put, you should never give someone a chance to manage your online presence unless they have experience with online reputation management, as this could ruin your company.
4. Not Responding to Recommendations and Suggestions from Clients
One of the major keys to online review sites and feedback forums is that it offers you the means to gather client feedback and perform client research without incurring a ridiculous marketing budget. By listening to your client’s suggestions as well as their recommendations, you can enhance your company model and boost sales by paying attention to what your clients want rather than what you perceive they want.
5. Wearing Blinders When It Comes to Happy Clients
There are numerous online review sites out there, and they act as a great avenue for funneling clients to your plumbing company. Unfortunately, many plumbers don’t want to leverage these review sites since they are busy focusing and responding to negative comments and reviews.
While it is crucial to respond professionally to negative comments and reviews, it’s equally crucial to respond to positive reviews as well. Clients who leave positive feedback will feel unappreciated if you only respond to negative reviews. What is the essence of leaving a stellar review if no one recognizes such a review?
Take time to thank the commenter for their review, and this can make a huge difference in your plumbing company. Responding to positive reviews also helps future customers understand that they are valuable.
How Can You Manage Your Plumbing Business Reputation Online?
The key to internet reputation management is prompt action. Bad or negative reviews can travel fast online, so you require to be just as swift to neutralize the negative news. These strategies will make it possible to keep your digital reputation intact.
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Respond to Online Reviews in a Professional and Timely Manner
A lousy review on an obscure website may seem harmless until a famous blogger gets to hold it and share it with the audience. If your reputation management software catches an unflattering article or review, respond to it the right way.
Address a customer compliant with an offer and an apology to resolve the issue. Reply to unflattering articles and blog posts with clarifications, an apology, and updates if you made an error. The sooner you respond to negative reviews; the less damage your online reputation will suffer.
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Leverage Positive Reviews
When you don’t respond to negative press right away, it can ruin your brand’s reputation online. One story follows another, till such stories are the initial things that come to your mind when a homeowner thinks of your business. In fact, they can even appear when someone searches for your plumbing company-unless there are other reports or stories to counteract them.
If you showcase good reviews, glowing testimonials of recently completed projects, and other content that displays your business in a positive light, you can show that the negative stories are not representative of your company.
Is Your Plumbing Business in Need of Online Reputation Management Services? Blackstorm Design + Marketing can Help
It takes time and effort to build a solid reputation for your plumbing business. One negative experience can cost your plumbing business, which is why it’s crucial to monitor your reputation and act promptly when a threat arises.
Don’t wait until something negative happens to your online reputation, be proactive and begin managing now. If your plumbing company is in need of online reputation management services, our professional and experienced team can help.
Schedule a free strategy session with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to see how our public relations experts can help you today.