by Net Reputation
February 27, 2023
Business Google Reviews Online Reviews Reputation Management Blog
Are bad search results hurting your homebuilding brand? Learn how reputation management for home builders can repair the damage and help you thrive across the web.
As a home builder, your good name is invaluable. That’s why effective reputation management for home builders strategy is so important. Nowhere is this more evident than online.
For decades, word of mouth was all-important. But things have changed. Social media and review websites are now the go-to for recommendations.
Today, clients no longer turn only to friends and family for guidance.
Instead, platforms like HomeAdvisor, and the BBB are the trusted resources of online info. Much the same is true of Facebook and Google My Business.
And those in home construction can no longer overlook the need for online reputation management for home builders.
The business landscape is changing
Back in the day, reputation management for home builders was pretty straightforward. Word of mouth was the norm. And reputation management most often fell under “public relations.”
But as the internet has changed, so has the business landscape. Online marketing is now crucial to success. On the web, businesses and customers are now more vocal than ever.
These days, social media enables everyone to have their voice heard. Business review sites are trusted by home buyers. And testimonials and customer feedback are front and center on Google.
How changes in the online landscape affect businesses
Online businesses emerge from the ground up to exist on the web. But for more traditional firms to succeed in this digital landscape, adaptation is a must. Homebuilders and other contractors are an excellent case in point.
Of course, many home builders have already embraced the online space. Websites and Facebook pages are now standard.
That said, many fall into other areas. Mistakes happen when traditional businesses overlook certain areas. These are areas seen primarily as the domain of more online-focused companies.
A prime example of this: online reviews. Online reviews are the new word of mouth. Yet, when these reviews are mismanaged, the potential for damage is vast.
In numerous studies looking at the effect of reviews, over 90% of all consumers read online reviews before making purchasing decisions. Within the age group of people 18-45, online reviews are trusted as much — or more — than word-of-mouth recommendations.
What does that mean for your homebuilding business? If your customers are leaving positive reviews, that helps to build trust in your company — and that can attract new business.
If the reviews are negative, however, your potential customers may turn to your competitors for their needs, effectively keeping you from growing your business.
Online reputation management for home builders
Reviews are just one area central to online reputation management for home builders. Still, they’re a significant element in the foundation of reputation repair.
Twenty years ago, one bad word-of-mouth recommendation would be disappointing, at worst. Though unfortunate, its reach would have limits. Likely limited to the local area, it would also be pretty straightforward to fix.
Now, however, such reviews can be catastrophic.
On the web, anything other than glowing feedback can forever damage your reputation. That’s because the audience for bad reviews is massive. And instances of poor reviews can snowball fast.
One lousy comment can quickly turn a five-star rating into a bad reputation. Worse yet, this can happen almost overnight.
For home builders who rely on their names, a reputation crisis can be devastating. Thus, it’s hard to overstate the importance of reputation management for home builders.
Home builder-focused online reputation management techniques
Online reputation management for home builders begins with managing online reviews. Of course, that’s an excellent basis for any campaign. Still, it’s essential to realize this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Your approach depends on the answer to this question: Do you want to repair or merely maintain your online reputation? And, you can approach this as a standalone task.
Maintaining a home builder’s online reputation
A proactive approach is the best way to protect your company’s online reputation. In this way, reputation management for home builders can address multiple areas. These include reputation monitoring and website optimization, as well as profile development, listings management, press release distribution, and more.
For home builders, maintaining a positive online reputation is much like marketing. Quite often, it’s only when there’s something to fix that the process becomes more focused.
Repairing a home builder’s online reputation
If a business has fallen victim to reputation damage, it needs repair. What’s required will depend on where the damage took place.
Areas likely to need attention include negative search results and reviews, among others. Addressing these areas requires a series of dedicated online reputation management techniques.
Such online reputation management tasks include outreach and filing complaints. It also includes review gathering and search engine suppression.
Suppression involves replacing negative items in search results with positive, brand-friendly content.
Add to this further monitoring and publishing of online content. Website, social media, and search engine optimization also remain important.
In most cases, your business should apply two or more of these techniques at once. For the best results, you should probably utilize all techniques at once.
You may also need a series of extra industry-specific elements. With this in mind, it’s necessary to make a distinction:
Distinctions in reputation management for home builders
An industry-specific distinction is vital for home builders that are addressing reputation management concerns. This is the difference between reputation management for home builders and ORM in general.
Usually, a small degree of reputation management can be done internally. Elsewhere, professional-tier industry-specific services are crucial. The construction sector is an excellent example.
When online reputation worries are a concern, your homebuilding brand should call in the experts. This is the same is true across the board. Overall, this advice applies to general contractors, renovation contractors, and owner-builders alike.
The same concerns should also be a primary focus among real estate developers.
Dedicated reputation management services
Online reputation management isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy. The process varies widely between individuals and businesses.
For individuals, this may include the removal of online personal and private information. It may also include scaling a social media presence for personal branding.
Others, however, will want to grow their online footprint with new digital assets. Here, the needs of C-level executives will differ from those of medical professionals. The same goes for almost all other lines of work.
But for businesses, reputation management differs by industry. For example, as CEOs and doctors require certain methods, so do building firms and other companies.
Similarly, an online retailer and a travel company will both focus on specific areas. Much the same applies to reputation management for home builders.
To that end, home builders, too, call for a service that’s unique to their industry. Homebuilders should look for an online reputation management firm with a proven track record for getting results for their industry.
Frequently asked questions
A variety of frequently asked questions surrounds reputation management for home builders in 2021. These range from how much online reputation management costs to how the process works.
Homebuilders should always make informed decisions about their reputation management needs. This ensures they’re ready to get the most out of the reputation management process.
How much does reputation management cost?
Online reputation management prices differ. Individual costs and costs for businesses will vary, of course. Price-wise, reputation management for home builders will depend on the project’s scale.
As a rule of thumb, construction industry clients can expect prices to be broad-ranging. Costs could land anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Prices are subject to what’s agreed upon between any relevant parties.
What are online reputation management tools?
Online reputation management tools are often for sale by software companies. Such tools provide basic levels of protection for businesses and individuals.
Don’t confuse online reputation management tools with professional services. With the former, the responsibility falls on the end-user. For the latter, clients pay for access to expertise rather than tools.
Online reputation management service providers often use dedicated tools of their own. These aren’t available to outside individuals or companies.
How do reputation management companies work?
Most online reputation management companies work like marketing firms. What sets them apart is a focus on web-based concerns.
Dedicated approaches allow these firms to position themselves uniquely in this arena. Techniques, including suppression, allow for fast and effective results. Ongoing monitoring provides an additional layer of protection against threats. Reputation management for home builders is one example.
Take your business to the next level
As a dedicated home builder, your reputation is your greatest asset. Whether you wish to maintain, protect, or repair your reputation, we can help.
At NetReputation, we specialize in online reputation management. We’re here to help you take control of your digital footprint.
NetReputation is currently ranked Newsweek.com’s top-rated global reputation management firm. Our team has been recognized by such noted publications as Bloomberg, Newsvine, and Yahoo Finance. We’re also one of Digital.com’s Best Reputation Management Companies of 2021.
As the web’s #1 online reputation management agency, we help home builders achieve their online reputation goals.
Are you searching for reputation management for home builders? Look no further than NetReputation.
Allow us to take your home-building business to the next level online. Call 844-461-3632 to contact NetReputation today.
by Net Reputation