If you haven’t noticed, COVID is still dominating the headlines some eight months after it was discovered being spread across the world. This has caused widespread panic for the general population as well as business owners. To help ease the stress, both individuals and companies have taken every opportunity to make a difference in any way they can. For example, a New York City chef, José Andrés, transformed his eight high-end restaurants into soup kitchens. While some could argue that the reason he did this was to gain profits from the government rather than customers, it is still a nice thing to do. Many people, especially in major metropolitan areas, have found themselves out of work. The lack of work has left people to decide what bill is being paid in what order. Naturally, people are opting for critical things over luxury. However, this is leaving them a little short on funds to pay for food. In this case, chef José Andrés has provided a mutually beneficial solution to the problem. He is still making money, and people with little means can grab a free meal. This has boosted his online reputation.
Chef Andrés is not the only person to be making transformations in the way he does business. Makeup companies are offering free delivery, energy companies supplementing income by paying the electric bill to families in hard times, and streaming services that provide months of free access to people to have something to do other than look at the four walls around them. It is now your turn. I will be providing you with several ways to advance or maintain your reputation during the pandemic.
Information Headquarters
It may sound mundane, but people are hungry for information about the pandemic. Having to search for multiple sites and pages to acquire the information they want is particularly taxing for most people. They want to type in a question and have it answered immediately. My suggestion is to gather the questions that you have and present them to your customers. That way, when they search for your company, you will not only have your products and services available, but you will also have a load of information that they may be wanting about COVID.
A way to do this is to type a question about the virus and then look for other problems that people are asking. Take all these questions and put them on an informational page on your website or write a blog. Either way is right. However, if I were to recommend one over the other, it would be to write the blog. Blog posts are easily shared on social media. While you could say that sharing a website is just as easy, the blog link will get people information faster than having to go through extra clicks.
Additionally, it makes you look better in the eyes of the customers. They will know that you have their best interest in mind and not just gain traction on your website to make sales. While that is what you are doing, it doesn’t seem that way when you provide them with a link to your blog post rather than your website.
Social Media
As I said before, people are hungry for information. They want to know what your company is doing about the pandemic and how you are keeping both your employees and them safe during these troubling times. People will often forgo looking up information and instead opt to ask the question directly on your website. It would be in your best interest to answer these questions. When a company ignores their social media presence, they often lose customers. They will go to a place that is willing to give them the time of day.
Instead of writing a lengthy article about questions you have collected, you could opt for making an infographic when it comes to social media. Infographics are the newest iteration of passing on information. In addition to this change, I would suggest you change your hours of operation. If your industry has been reduced in operation hours, such as bars, malls, bowling alleys, etc., indicate that on your websites. This does not mean that you focus on your main website. Make sure you are making changes anywhere you have your hours displayed. Some of those websites can be yelp, the Yellow Pages, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and more. Please make a list of all the places you have your hours displayed and adjust them to your current operating hours. Nothing makes a customer angrier than thinking you are open when you are not. This may lead to them writing a negative review about your company. Then you have to work for months to make that review disappear. It is better to nip it in the bud and make the necessary alterations.
Press Release
If there were one way that companies can communicate with the public that is often overlooked, it would have to be the use of press releases. Many cub reporters are trying to make a name for themselves. They will look through the press releases and decide on a story they want to do. Give them something to write/report about.
Press releases should be well written and include the details you wish to pass on to the public. If you are at full operation, then you need to state that. Likewise, if you are operating at a diminished capacity, it is vital to inform the public of that. Additionally, if you are making changes to your day to day operations that benefit the community, they will want to know that as well. For instance, I have heard of companies changing their product to make COVID fighting products.
Conclusion
Online reputation is hard to acquire. If you intend to advance or maintain that reputation, you will have to work for it. You will find that many consumers want information. When you provide them with said information, they will be happy and reward you with future business.