A study conducted by Nielson shows that word-of-mouth marketing is still the most powerful and effective way to advertise your services.

With more than 88 percent of customers placing importance on word-of-mouth marketing, it goes without saying that brand loyalty depends on your company’s online reputation.

Another study confirms this report, with 85 percent of individuals admitting that they trust their loved ones’ recommendations.

The trickle truth is, anyone can set up a business. But not everyone is a marketing expert. According to a report  published in the Local Search Association, websites were the second most used media platform to find local businesses.

What this means is that individuals still use websites to find and interact with businesses.

Furthermore, if your company has a negative connotation to its name, it’s bound to show up in search results. In fact, surveys show that 85 percent of consumers look up businesses up on search engines in order to learn more about the brands they’re investing in.

If the first thing that pops up on search results is something negative related to your business, you can end up losing your clients.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the ways your online image can affect your company:

Drives Away Potential Clients

This is a no-brainer. You already know that clients trust word-of-mouth recommendations. But even if your company isn’t directly linked to anything negative online, the people you do business with can also have an impact on your company’s reputation.

For example:

When people hear about Company B working with Company A, they will automatically assume that Company B knew about what their partners were doing.

Even if the company had no idea, the damage has already been done. The bad reviews left by clients on social media platforms and online forums can also indirectly damage Company B’s reputation.

This can result in losing customers.

Subway was accused of hiding Jared Fogle’s perversion for years, despite the fact that the company didn’t know anything about it. Despite dropping the individual from their campaigns, the company suffered a huge loss.

It took them quite a while to get back into the game and regain the trust of their clients.

Customers Are Less Willing to Invest

It goes without saying that it takes years for brands to build customer loyalty. Your prospective customers will research your brand extensively.

If you implement the wrong marketing strategies, it can become a costly affair—literally!

The fundamentals of effective digital marketing include convincing potential customers to invest in your brand. And the best way to do this is by creating a powerful marketing strategy that creates an incredible personality for your brand.

Boosting Sales, ROI, and Creating a Global Presence

Penetrating the global market isn’t something everyone can achieve. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Most businesses make the mistake of focusing only on advertising their products via telemarketing.

But your company’s online presence also makes a huge difference. Social media platforms are a great way to tap into the minds of consumers and find out what their expectations are.

With that in mind, here are a few ways to improve your brand’s online image and boost sales:

Understand Customer Expectations

It’s understandable that you want to attract customers and establish a name for your brand. But if you don’t understand what your target audience expects from you, you’ll never be able to get there. While the truth always stings, it doesn’t mean you can’t get there.

Start by surveying your existing clients and asking them for feedback. Facebook and Twitter are excellent platforms to find out what your clients want.

Do they wish to see a change in the way you market your products? Do they want something innovative? Do they want better quality products? You need to ask them these questions if you want to improve your brand’s online image.

Translate Your Brand Accordingly

This is something the brand Kiri found out the hard way. In Farsi/Persian, “Kiri” means “rotten.” That’s not something you’d want if you sell cheese (oh, the irony!)

This made the locals not want to purchase products from the brand. So instead, they changed their name to “Kibi” and as you’ve guessed it, they saw an instant boost in sales!

Think Outside the Box

Literally think outside the box! Don’t limit your brand to just one platform. You need to diversify. If you sell shoes, start a clothing or accessories brand. Expand.

But if that’s not something you’re ready for, see if you can expand to other cities or another country. The more you reach out to customers, the more they will want to interact with your brand.

Get creative with your campaigns. Use powerful imagery and storytelling to create a connection with your customers.

For example, there are so many commercials that have borrowed ideas from movie scenes. From Fight Club’s advertising speech, to a parody film advert like the Chevrolet James Bond one, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found everywhere!

When your online content is humorous, relatable, and engaging, you’ll be able to attract consumers and improve your image in no time!

Remember that it’s all about creating a connection with your clients. And the best way to do is by finding which innovative ideas work well for you!

Find Good Partners

Don’t just sign a partnership with just about anyone. Remember that your partner’s online image can also affect yours (see example mentioned previously.)

Always conduct background checks and make sure that the brands you’re connecting with not only genuine but trustworthy as well!

Consult a Digital Marketing Specialist

And last but not least, make sure to consult a digital marketing specialist who can help you devise a strategy according to your requirements. You need someone who not only understands your vigor and passion, but also knows how to help bring your vision to life.

And this is where Makarand Utpat steals the spotlight. With years of experience in the industry, Utpat is dedicated to his clients, helping create clever and effective marketing strategies.

He is also an established author of several digital marketing books and has been featured on TV channels like the NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX.

Feel free to reach out to him and book an appointment today!