|
Monitor Your Online Reputation with Google Alerts |
 |
 |
 |
As a business owner or marketer, you know how valuable your reputation is to your success. Likewise, you understand the key role word-of-mouth plays in either enhancing or detracting from that reputation. The old statistic used to be: A satisfied customer tells one person, a dis-satisfied customer will tell 10. Web 2.0 and the advent of social media, however, have turned that math on its head. Customers now have a virtual megaphone to share their opinions and experiences about your products or services. The title of Pete Blackshaw’s new book, “Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000” says it all. Not so great if you have even one disgruntled customer with an internet connection and an impulse to vent. It is imperative that you know what your customers are saying (or not saying) about you online. Because, according to another old adage, the only thing worse than bad publicity is no publicity at all! Google offers a simple and free tool for you to monitor this online conversation. Simply set up a Google Alerts and get notified via email any time your company, website, or products are mentioned anywhere on the web. Simply:
- Go to www.google.com/alerts
- Enter your company name, your website, or any other parameters you choose.
- Select where on the web you would like this information tracked, how often you would like to receive email notifications, and the email address you’d like the information forwarded to.
- While you’re at it, set up a few alerts to monitor your competition’s reputation as well.
That’s all there is to it. There’s no limit to the number of alerts you can set up. And you’ll be surprised at what and how much – or how little – your customers are saying about your company’s products or services - and those of your competitors.
|
