Factoring brokers rely heavily on word of mouth and positive endorsements to drive business growth. No matter how large or small your factoring broker business may be, people are probably talking about it somewhere on the web.
Potential clients are Googling your company name, commenting on your social media updates and blog articles and most certainly checking out any reviews that have been posted regarding your services (or leaving their own review). Any content posted online about your business makes the difference in gaining or losing clients.
Regularly tracking what is being said about your company online is more important than ever. All it takes is one bad review, mock Twitter account or an angry blog post to go viral and your reputation can be shattered. On the contrary, positive online reviews and comments can boost your factoring business like never before.
Here are six online reputation management tips to help factoring brokers stay in control of their online rep.
1. Optimize your website for your company name.
Be sure to use your company’s name in keywords, tags, and titles; the more you use it, the better your chances of Google seeing your site as the authority for that keyword and ranking you higher in search results. Having your page optimized with the names of the CEO, president, and other important members of your business is also a good idea. Creating an “About Us” page on your website (and company blog) and using the company name instead of “we” or “us,” will ensure high ranking for your factoring business name.
2. Purchase additional URLs such as .net, .org, .info, etc.
Be sure to own the .com domain of your company name and any possible variations. On top of the .com versions, safeguard your reputation by buying the .net, .org, .info, etc. versions. Doing this will help you fill top search results with more of your content. Buying any applicable domains ensure that the websites listed in a search result for your company actually belong to your factoring business.
3. Join social networks.
It’s crucial to create accounts under your company name on all major social networks. You don’t have to be extremely active, but you should own your presence on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and if you have time, Pinterest, Tumblr, Youtube. Even if you aren’t a fan of social media, posting new content once a month is enough to keep your pages alive. Plus, it’s better to be a part of the conversation than let it get away from you.
4. Keep a regularly updated blog.
If you want to create new content quickly, start a blog on WordPress.com or Blogger.com for free and make sure to include your company’s name in the URL. Publishing new and engaging content will attract viewers to your blog and prove your industry expertise.
5. Use online reputation management tools like as Google Alerts and Social Mention.
These free tools track what others are saying about your brand all over the web. Google Alerts will let you know every time your company is mentioned online. Social Mention is a tool that scans social media data for mention of your name. These tools are great for staying on top of client feedback. You’ll be able to quickly address all positive and negative mentions to keep your factoring broker reputation intact.
6. Respond to negative comments.
If you discover negative feedback on social media or review sites like Yelp, promptly address the concern and try to take the conversation offline. If it’s an article on a site, or an entire website reserved for someone’s angst against your business, reach out to the creator of the content and see what you can do to change their feelings toward your company. If they are not receptive to your efforts, try to post a comment that explains your company’s side of the story. Make an effort to publicly resolve the problem. There is no need to sound defensive, just be respectful and explanatory.
Philip Cohen is the founder and president of PRN Funding, LLC, which is an extraordinarily focused niche factor in the healthcare funding market place.
Visit the PRN Funding website at www.prnfunding.com for more factoring and brokering information.
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