E-reputation and B2B, this is a theme that is increasingly overseas data present in the mouths of B2B marketers. Today, the notion of reputation is essential for each company, because it responds to recent changes in consumption patterns. Indeed, a Google study on web behaviors mentions the fact that ¾ of Internet users are sensitive to the opinions of others before buying. Taking care of your reputation is therefore a crucial issue for increasing your sales. But is it really the case for B2B companies?
B2B companies are often considered to be behind in terms of innovation, concept or digitalization compared to B2C. The latter, very focused on digital and the notion of reputation, have influenced behaviors. These behaviors are reflected in our daily lives both personally and professionally. Therefore, taking care of your e-reputation becomes a major issue for companies, because our purchasing behaviors, our way of searching remain the same in every aspect of our lives.
Are e-reputation and B2B inseparable today or are they still dissociable?
E-reputation in a B2C context is extremely important because it really influences the sales of a product or service. But what about the B2B model? As mentioned in the introduction, ¾ of Internet users rely on the web to get information and this behavior continues in their professional lives. So ask yourself the following question: How do I choose a restaurant in a city that I don't know? The answer is simple: you look at the opinions of other customers to know whether or not a particular restaurant is worth it. From the opinions of others you will choose your restaurant but I am sure that you will not go to one that has a bad rating.
For the B2B world, it is obviously the same thing. It is no longer enough to have a storefront and be a big name, you have to watch over your reputation every day. Because a dissatisfied customer will be more likely to rate you than a satisfied customer. However, and as in B2C, e-reputation does not stop only at the ratings given and the processing of these. You have to have a real digital strategy that is based on a set of points such as social networks and SEO.
Missing out on your e-reputation risks being a handicap for you and others for several reasons which are:
Lack of control over what is said about you
The inability to manage your reputation in
Take the risk that your competitors will outdo you or speak for you.
The relationship you can have with your customers by opening up to other
Having a good e-reputation is within everyone's reach, you just need to apply certain good practices to develop an effective digital strategy. E-reputation is carried out on several levels which are:
All aspects related to content marketing and blog post writing. It is one of the first things your visitors see and the quality of your writing affects your reputation. Empty texts, without real added value, will not benefit your brand image.
The aspects related to SEM, that is to say all the tasks that make up referencing, that is to say SEO and SEA. What is better, for its influence, than to be well positioned on search engines? Being in the first results of the engines offers a guarantee of trust and credibility. Your credibility combined with the good quality of your writings will place you as an opinion leader.
Another important point, that of social networks, which should not be neglected. You do not need just a simple presence but a real strategy to develop a community and create engagement. Your reputation also depends on the number of your subscribers. In addition, subscribers attract subscribers, there is a real virtuous circle in establishing a good social media strategy.
Last but not least, customer relationship services, whether traditional or digital . A customer relationship service that meets all of your customers' expectations will allow you to create a good reputation. So if you don't have the means to manage this part well, don't hesitate to outsource your customer relationship.