Protecting Your Property’s Reputation Online

The success of your business is tied to its reputation. When it comes to property – such as a hotel or vacation rental – its reputation matters all the more, as potential guests have a lot riding on their ability to trust you to provide the service and amenities you advertise and promise. However, maintaining your business’s online presence can be a full-time job. Read on to discover the best ways to protect your property’s reputation online.

Monitor and Respond to Online Reviews

Staying on top of online reviews are essential when it comes to protecting your property’s reputation. Where should you start looking? The best and most popular sites to actively monitor are Google, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Yelp, and Airbnb.

Make sure that you respond to every single review that you receive, good or bad. Responding to negative reviews offers you the opportunity to address the issue head on and publicly emphasize the steps you are taking to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Analyze Keywords and Competitors Online

Potential customers will often look up your property’s name when searching for reviews or when they’re comparing rates or services. Monitor what potential guests and local clients are saying and paying attention to the keywords they are using. Being proactive and responding to the most important set of keywords you find can also help you shape their opinion without waiting for negative reviews to pop up and sink your ratings.

On top of monitoring what people say about your property, it’s also important to compare yourself to similar properties competing for the same clientele. You can do this by looking at your competitors’ reviews or by getting a professional to audit and compare your brand to others.

Encourage and Respond to Direct Reviews

One way to take control of your online reputation is to encourage reviews from your guests themselves. At the front desk, or via emails, you can ask for guests to leave their feedback on the internet. You can also reach out to your guests if they don’t leave any reviews, providing them with a link for where they can post their experience. If a review looks suspicious or they have written a review that doesn’t meet the criteria, address the issue or ask the guest for more information.

Reinforce Your Values Through Content

Content can be a powerful tool to control your reputation online and improve your property’s ranking. Not only can blog content help when trying to rank for keywords, but also have the power to give a positive image of your brand. Blogs that focus on your strengths, such as the services you offer or the experience of staying at your property, are great for reinforcing your values ​​and pushing positive content for potential customers to discover.

Be Ready For The Future

It is important to stay up-to-date with new technology and gradually add new tools to your property’s website. You should also ensure that your website is optimized to look good on all devices, from desktop computers to mobile phones, since opting for a mobile-friendly website can improve your search engine rankings and make your website easier to find.

Focus on The Quality of Your Services

At the end of the day, the quality of your services still play a big role in protecting your property against negative reviews. Not every guest will be fully satisfied with the services they received, but it’s important to keep your customer service at the highest possible level to keep a consistent online image. Encourage your staff to always pay attention to your guests’ well-being and needs.

Collapse Online Gaps With Online Reputation Management

Online reputation management (ORM) platforms can be used to take control of your reviews. These services can help you manage customer feedback and respond to them in an efficient way. They offer the option of automatic review requests through email, SMS, or social media, analyzing the performance of your property, optimizing the content of your website, and auditing the social media pages and business listing of your property.

Level Up The Interaction With Your Guests

Interacting and engaging with your guests can be an invaluable tool for maintaining your property’s online reputation. You can engage with your guests through surveys, emails, or even social media. This means providing short surveys for the guests before, during, or after their stay, as well as providing them with special “thank you” emails after their visit.

Another way to engage your customers is on social media. Whether it’s via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or any other popular platform, you can create a two-way connection with your guests and give them a “voice” with which to interact with you.

Identify What You Can Improve

Make sure to pay attention to your reviews in order to stay ahead of any customer service issues. Identifying recurring issues and mistakes can help inform decisions about what areas or services to improve next. This ensures that you are always ready to address any issues or concerns that guests may have before they have a chance to write about it online and damage your reputation.

Work on Your website’s SEO to Rank Higher in Search Engines

Lastly, make sure to update your property’s profile on the major review websites continuously. You can also work on your website’s SEO optimization in order to rank higher in search engine results. Investing in SEO can help potential guests find your website easier and faster, leading to higher reviews and more return visits.

Conclusion

To conclude, protecting your property’s reputation online requires careful consideration of a variety of factors, from monitoring online reviews to engaging with guests and optimizing your website’s SEO. Ultimately, the success of your online reputation lies in the quality of your services and your ability to manage customer feedback and respond in a timely fashion. By staying proactive and keeping up-to-date with the latest trends, you’ll be able to protect your property’s reputation and reap the rewards.

What steps can I take to protect my property’s online reputation?

1. Monitor Social Media and Other Online Reviews – Set up a system to monitor online reviews about your property on a regular basis so that you can quickly respond to and address any negative feedback.

2. Respond To Negative Reviews – If you receive a negative review, take the time to respond politely and professionally. Acknowledge the customer’s complaint and address it openly and honestly while also offering an acceptable solution.

3. Follow Up on Reviews – It’s important to follow up on any reviews you receive, both negative and positive, as a succinct and thoughtful follow-up can ensure the customer feels satisfied and satisfied customers are more likely to leave a positive review.

4. Improve Your Business – Pay attention to customer feedback and use it to make positive changes to your property. This will ensure that any issues that were identified are addressed, which will strengthen your reputation as a business that cares about their customers’ experiences and will likely result in more positive reviews in the future.

5. Leverage Positive Reviews – Amplify any positive reviews you receive across your social channels and website. Share success stories of your customers’ experiences at your property to build a positive online presence.

6. Optimize Your Website’s SEO – Improve your website’s visibility by optimizing your content with targeted keywords, regular updates, and backlinks from credible external sources. Having a website that is easy to find and informative will help to protect your property’s online reputation.

“What are some warning signs of online reputation damage?”

1. Decreases in website visits.

2. Negative comments or reviews on social media, online forums, and review websites.

3. Decreases in sales or customer inquiries.

4. Altered brand content appearing online.

5. Negative press or complaints from customers.

6. A reduction in customer loyalty.

7. Increased negative customer feedback.

8. A decrease in organic search engine rankings.

9. A heightened presence of competitor products/services.

10. Negative standings on trust/reputation tracking sites.