Reputation management is a subdivision of Public Relations that aims to build and maintain a positive reputation for a brand. To have a positive reputation, brands need to:
- communicate transparently
- uphold positive values
- ensure positive customer experiences, and
- be consistent in their brand messaging.
The challenge of reputation management does not come from within the brand, though. It comes from the external factors that impact a brand's reputation, for example, media coverage.
Although it would be convenient, brands and PRs cannot control what customers, the media, or the general public say about them.
While conversations about your brand cannot be controlled, they can be monitored. Brands need to keep their ears to the ground so they know how they are perceived and what type of publicity they get.
Once a brand has these insights, it can strategise so that its reputation management efforts hit the right targets and reach the right audience.
Put simply, a good reputation cannot be built if a brand does not know the foundation it will stand on or the conditions it must weather.
Want to learn more about media monitoring? Read
The Importance of Context in Media Monitoring.
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