Social Profiles: A Part of the ORM Process
As an ORM agency, our process involves various proven reverse SEO steps in order to help suppress negative search results off the first page of Google. The idea is that we will continue to populate online properties with your branded keywords so that Google pays greater prominence on these search results as opposed to your unwanted result.
Let’s suppose that your name is John Doe, and that under this specific keyword you have a slanderous Pissed Consumer result containing false information about your small mechanics shop. What our ORM experts will do in this case is create websites with domains such as johndoe.com or johndoeblog.com, ensuring to regularly update them in order to remain relevant during Google’s crawls. We will also open up a vast array of social profiles for the client. This step is critical as social profiles such as Facebook and Instagram allow for the user to add a website link. The more links from different profile types that a website (i.e. johndoe.com) receives, the more likely Google will reward said website on its first page.
A few of our clients will come to us with wary impressions about these social profiles. Although the purpose of this step is for us to provide backlink juice to items we want your account to rank high on, there’s no more denying the ever-present trust issue surrounding social media.
The Crisis of Trust
A recent article published in the American Marketing Association depicted 2018 as a crisis of trust. This is due to consumers’ decreasing levels of faith concerning brands and businesses. Authenticity is at an all-time low as brands use influencers to promote their products in lackluster ways. No one knows what to believe anymore—is this a sleazy paid advertisement, or does this blogger truly believe that this charcoal toothpaste will do wonders to your teeth? The main culprits of these shifting perspectives are the obvious profiles: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
It is imperative to understand the evolution of social media marketing, and to weigh heavily the concept that recommendations sought from friends and family drive purchase decisions. Looking to gain credibility for your brand? Familiarity and expertise reign at cashing in on some extra trust points. But how exactly can business owners and brands foster more trust?
How Businesses Can Foster Trust
First, businesses need to measure transparency and trust when analyzing their online performance. Quality content paired with an engaging platform that prompts consumers towards long-term loyalty is the way to go. Share the good, the bad and the ugly with your audience and they will re-pay you with their trust.
Since you are now aware that consumers are in need of some reassurance, attempting to give it to them by leading them towards objective influencers is another fool-proof method. Avoid paying for influencers and instead, earn them. Viewers can tell from the get-go whether the vlogger they watch religiously innately believes in your $200 brightening mask, or whether they’re just trying to make an extra buck or two.
Finally, it’s time to rethink the paradigm by formulating company-wide policies that are cognizant of advertising laws—both in traditional and digital mediums. Ensure that your newfound policies encourage transparency and focus on earning customer reviews and trust.