How Sentiment Analysis Works Technically

Modern tools automatically scan comments, posts, and reviews for keywords, sentence structure, and context to classify each mention into one of three categories: positive, negative, or neutral. Language models are also increasingly able to recognize irony, sarcasm, and industry-specific jargon—elements that simple keyword lists used to overlook.

Practical tip: When it comes to sensitive topics, automated assessments should always be reviewed by humans on a random basis—irony and regional expressions, in particular, still frequently lead to misjudgments in purely automated systems.

The greater a brand’s volume of mentions, the more important automation becomes: It’s practically impossible to analyze thousands of daily comments manually. In practice, the combination of automated pre-sorting and selective human review yields the most reliable results.

• Classify as positive, negative, or neutral
• Take Context and Irony into Account
• Automation for High Volumes
• Random human inspection
• Using Language Models for Contextual Understanding
• Take industry-specific jargon into account

Applications in Marketing and Public Relations

Sentiment analysis provides early warning signs when sentiment surrounding a brand begins to deteriorate—often days before it escalates into a visible crisis. Those who take advantage of this early warning can respond before negative comments gain significant momentum.

• Early Warning System for Reputational Risks
• Monitoring Sentiment Trends Over Time
• Respond Before the Situation Escalates
• Comparison of Campaigns
• Shorten Response Time in the Event of a Crisis
• Notify the relevant teams early on
• Define clear escalation levels

Sentiment Analysis for Competitive Comparisons

In addition to your own brand, the same method can also be applied to competitors as part of ongoing social media monitoring. If a competitor’s product receives significantly more positive reviews on the same channels, this provides concrete insights into which product features or communication points still need improvement.

• Compare competitors over the same time period
• Analyze Topic-Specific Sentiment
• Identifying Weaknesses in Your Own Offering
• Strengthen our competitive positioning
• Monitor trends over several quarters

Tools for Practical Implementation

In practice, specialized social media monitoring tools handle the technical analysis and provide dashboards showing sentiment trends over days, weeks, or months. To get started, a tool with basic features is often sufficient before investing in more comprehensive enterprise solutions.

• Dashboards with Sentiment Trends
• Alerts for Sudden Spikes
• Export for Regular Reporting
• You can get started with the basic functions

Limitations of Automated Sentiment Analysis

Despite steady improvements, sentiment analysis remains prone to errors, especially when dealing with short comments lacking sufficient context. For serious reputation issues, therefore, a structured reputation management approach complements automated analysis with human judgment and a clear response strategy.

• Short comments are often misunderstood
• Context remains difficult to grasp
• Never the Sole Basis for Decision-Making
• Supplemented by human judgment
• Regular Calibration of the Models

Sentiment analysis makes sentiment measurable and thus provides a valuable complement to mere mention counts. Those who use it correctly combine automated analysis with human oversight, enabling them to respond more quickly and effectively to changes in public perception. In the long term, it pays to regularly compare the results with actual business metrics so that pure sentiment metrics can actually be used to inform sound decisions for marketing and communications.

Sentiment Analysis in Practice: Examples of Applications

Before a product launch, sentiment analysis helps gauge the reaction to teasers and announcements early on, before the actual campaign begins. Tools like Awario provide an initial automated assessment across multiple channels, eliminating the need for a team to read every mention individually.

During ongoing campaigns with their own hashtag, sentiment can also be analyzed using specialized tools such as Keyhole to identify early on whether a campaign is being received positively or is triggering unexpected criticism—allowing for a response while the campaign is still active.

• Gauge the mood ahead of the launch
• Automated tools save time
• Analyze Hashtag Campaigns in a Targeted Manner
• A response is still possible while the term is still in effect

Common Mistakes in Sentiment Analysis

A common mistake is placing blind trust in automated results, even though algorithms often misclassify irony and regional expressions in particular. Equally risky is analyzing sentiment in isolation without linking it to actual brand tracking, which leaves it unclear whether positive sentiment actually leads to greater willingness to buy.

Another mistake is monitoring too infrequently: If you only analyze the data once a quarter, you’ll miss short-term shifts in sentiment, which are most telling during the first week after a campaign.

• Don’t blindly trust automated results
• Link Sentiment to Brand Tracking
• Don’t conduct monitoring too infrequently
• Prioritize the first week after the campaign launch

What Is Reputation Building? Definition and Significance

Reputation building refers to all strategically planned communication measures through which a brand or company establishes a stable, positive public image over an extended period of time. Unlike a time-limited campaign, reputation building does not aim for a short-term spike in attention, but rather for cumulative trust capital that builds up only after repeated positive touchpoints and continues to support a company even long after individual measures have been forgotten.

Practical tip: Reputation cannot be conjured up at the push of a button. Anyone who only begins working on their reputation once a crisis has already begun has already squandered their most valuable asset: the time that would have been necessary to build credible trust.

At its core, reputation-building is based on consistency: steadfast values, reliable communication, and behavior that aligns with one’s own promises. Any discrepancy between claims and reality erodes trust capital, which is often difficult to rebuild and requires numerous additional touchpoints. This is precisely why experienced communications professionals view reputation as a standalone balance sheet item that must be managed just as carefully as financial metrics.

• A Long-Term Process Rather Than a One-Off Effort
• The foundation for all crisis communication
• Cumulative trust capital as the goal

Why is building a reputation strategically important?

A strong reputation acts as a buffer during difficult times: Companies with a high level of trust capital weather negative media coverage much more easily than brands that haven’t built up a reputation. It also sends a positive signal to the outside world, as investors, job applicants, and customers are guided by a brand’s perceived reliability—often even before considering the actual product or price. Especially in the skilled labor market, an employer’s reputation increasingly determines who applies in the first place, long before a specific job posting is even read.

• A Buffer Against Negative Headlines
• Greater trust among customers and partners
• Competitive advantage over comparable offers
• Better starting position in the event of a crisis

How does reputation-building work in practice?

The process begins with a clear assessment of the current situation: How is the brand currently perceived, and what gap exists between that perception and the desired image? This is followed by consistent storytelling across all channels, combined with genuine journalistic relevance that enables organic coverage, rather than simply posting on the brand’s own channels and forgoing external reach. It’s also important to involve internal stakeholders, such as employees, early on, because they are often the most credible ambassadors to the outside world and shape a company’s reputation in everyday life at least as much as any official press release.

• Analysis of Current Perception
• Consistent messaging across all channels
• Active relationship building with journalists
• Engage employees as ambassadors
• Regular, honest communication

Measuring and Safeguarding Reputation Building

Without measurement, building a reputation is purely a matter of gut feeling. That’s why established companies use continuous brand tracking to identify changes in perception early on, before they show up in hard metrics like revenue or job applications and have to be corrected at great expense. In addition, a solid crisis plan—one that kicks in immediately in an emergency rather than being developed under time pressure once public attention is already focused on the company and any delay causes further damage—is essential. Those who combine both of these elements gain a decisive time advantage over competitors who only react once the damage is already publicly visible.

• Schedule regular reputation monitoring
• Evaluate the tone of media coverage
• Define and test a crisis plan in advance
• Clearly define internal responsibilities

Reputation Building by Industry and Company Size

In highly regulated industries such as financial services or healthcare, building a reputation is doubly important because trust is directly linked to legal and professional competence, and a single misstep carries particularly serious consequences. Small and medium-sized businesses often benefit from a more personal approach—for example, through executives who serve as the face of the brand—while large corporations typically rely on broader, professionally managed communications teams. To ensure a consistent brand image across all channels, a comprehensive style guide is essential—one that also establishes communication principles beyond mere design. Startups, on the other hand, often build their reputation on a clearly recognizable vision—similar to what visionary marketing describes—because they naturally lack the decades-long history of established brands.

• Regulated Industries: Trust Is Twice as Important
• Small and medium-sized businesses: Leverage a personal touch
• Large corporations: professional communications teams
• Start-ups: Emphasize vision over history

Common Mistakes in Building a Reputation

A common mistake is to view reputation building as the sole responsibility of the communications department, even though product quality, customer service, and internal culture contribute just as much to public perception. Equally risky is overly aggressive self-promotion, which is quickly perceived as insincere if it isn’t backed by a genuine brand presence and actual achievements. Many companies also underestimate how long negative events linger in the public memory and stop their reputation management efforts too soon, as soon as the immediate attention subsides.

• Don’t Leave Reputation Entirely to Communications
• Don’t overdo self-promotion
• Performance must back up communication
• Do not end reputation management efforts prematurely

What is negative media coverage?

Here’s what it’s all about:

• Negative Coverage Explained Briefly and Clearly
• Distinction from Related Concepts
• The foundation of every marketing strategy

Negative coverage refers to any form of media representation that negatively impacts the image of a company, a person, or a brand—whether in daily newspapers, online media, podcasts, or on social media. It can result from the company’s own misconduct, external events, industry trends, or targeted investigative reporting. What is crucial for brand management is not only the event itself, but also how the brand responds to the coverage and which narratives take root in the public’s perception.

Forms and Origins of Negative Coverage

Not all negative coverage arises in the same way—and this has direct implications for the response strategy. Investigative journalism is based on months of research, documents, and sources; in such cases, the facts are often solid, and it is difficult to refute the claims. Viral social media incidents, on the other hand, often arise from a single moment—an employee video, a poorly worded post, or a customer experience that unexpectedly attracts attention. Industry coverage by trade media or NGOs often targets a specific audience but has a lasting impact on B2B relationships and investors. Understanding the source determines which team responds, in what tone, and through which channel.

Distinguishing Between: Criticism, Crisis, and a Backlash

Many communications teams confuse these three categories—with disastrous consequences for their response. Individual criticism is an isolated, often justified piece of feedback that can be addressed objectively and directly. A crisis exists when multiple media outlets or the general public pick up on the issue and the company’s image is structurally at risk. A social media firestorm is an emotional, often short-lived wave on social media that can usually be defused through empathetic communication and rapid visibility. Treating a “shitstorm” like a crisis is an overreaction—treating a real crisis like a “shitstorm” is an underestimation. The level of escalation determines the allocation of resources and the decision-making level within the company.

Implications for Brands and Reputation Protection

Keep in mind:

• Negative coverage strengthens the brand and customer loyalty
• Direct impact on brand awareness and conversion
• Long-term growth is always worth it

Negative coverage does not always have its full impact immediately; often, the effects are delayed: An article that goes unnoticed at first can go viral weeks later due to amplification on social media. Companies that do not actively monitor the media often only learn of negative coverage once it has already spread widely. Reputation management therefore begins with consistent monitoring and never ends—even after the crisis, monitoring follow-up coverage remains essential.

What the Data Says About Reputational Damage

According to a study by the Reputation Institute, companies lose an average of 20 to 30 percent of their brand value following serious negative coverage—as measured by customer trust, purchase intent, and willingness to recommend. The effect is even more severe for publicly traded companies: stock analyses show that a single viral negative report can cause the stock price to drop by up to 8 percent within 48 hours. For small and medium-sized businesses without strong brand recognition, the proportional damage is even greater because they have less positive reputation to act as a buffer. These figures underscore why reputation protection is not merely a PR discipline, but has direct business value.

An Overview of Monitoring Tools

Leading monitoring tools include Google Alerts (free, for initial alerts), Mention and Brandwatch (professional, real-time monitoring across all channels), Talkwalker, and—for German-speaking regions—Landau Media and Ausschnitt. These tools make it possible to track brand mentions in real time, identify shifts in sentiment, and take initial response steps before negative narratives take hold. For performance marketing teams, this data is crucial for adjusting ad targeting and messaging during times of crisis.

A Comparison of Response Strategies

Choosing the right response strategy depends on the type of coverage: In the case of factual errors, a clarification is recommended—quick, precise, and without assigning blame. In a morally charged context, an empathetic apology is called for. The proactive strategy—actively presenting counter-narratives and communicating one’s own successes—works when the criticism is only partially justified or needs to be put into context. Remaining silent, on the other hand, is almost never a good strategy, because it allows the critical narrative to run rampant.

Strategic Management of Negative Media Coverage

In a nutshell:

• Using Negative Coverage Strategically and Purposefully
• Always keep the target audience and context in mind
• Continuously test and improve

A strategic approach to negative media coverage begins long before a crisis strikes: with a clearly defined monitoring system, a crisis plan with escalation levels, and a pre-coordinated communications team. When the coverage emerges, the following priorities apply: First, understand the reach and sentiment—is it a single article or a spreading narrative? Then determine the response strategy and coordinate it internally. Next, publish the statement—on the channel where the criticism is loudest. Legal options play a role in cases of inaccurate reports: a right of reply compels media outlets to issue a formal correction, while a cease-and-desist letter stops the further dissemination of false facts. However, both measures must be carefully weighed, as legal action often triggers further coverage itself—the so-called Streisand effect risk. In the realm of employer branding, negative coverage of working conditions is particularly dangerous because it directly impacts recruitment capabilities and remains visible long-term on platforms like Kununu. Content marketing can help reinforce positive narratives without directly addressing the negative coverage—through authentic employee testimonials, transparency reports, or behind-the-scenes content.

Developing a Crisis Plan: Step by Step

A robust crisis plan begins with defining escalation levels: What constitutes a routine incident, a moderate crisis, and an emergency requiring executive-level attention? For each level, responsibilities, response times, and communication channels must be established in advance. In the second step, spokespersons are designated—ideally two to three people who have undergone media training and can be deployed depending on the target audience: the CEO for strategic statements, the press spokesperson for operational details, and a specialist department for technical explanations. In the third step, statement templates are prepared so that, in an emergency, they only need to be filled in with specific content—this saves valuable time. Fourth, every crisis plan should include clear social media protocols: Who is authorized to respond to comments, what phrases are off-limits, and when should comments be blocked? Companies that implement these four steps in advance can respond within hours rather than days in the event of a crisis.

Common Mistakes in Crisis Response

The most common mistake is remaining silent for too long: Companies wait for complete information, while the narrative is already shifting. A brief initial statement—“We take the reports seriously and are investigating the incident”—is better than silence. The second classic mistake: the defensive non-statement, which makes no claim but gives the impression that something is being hidden. Third mistake: Different spokespersons communicate contradictory information because there was no internal coordination. Fourth: The company attacks journalists or critics personally—a move that is almost always interpreted as confirmation of the allegation and triggers the next wave of coverage. Fifth: Too much legal jargon instead of human communication—legally watertight statements sound cold and get torn apart online.

Real-World Best Practice Examples

The most important thing:

• Leading brands prioritize consistency
• The courage to be different pays off
• Define measurable KPIs from the very beginning

Nestlé initially reacted defensively to criticism regarding water rights and child labor and suffered significant reputational damage. It was only after adopting a proactive sustainability strategy with clear communication that brand perception stabilized. Following reports about production conditions in developing countries, H&M took action with a comprehensive transparency program—publishing supplier lists and social reports. After Dieselgate, Volkswagen initially tried to limit media coverage through statements but failed—only a full confession accompanied by concrete remedial measures halted the loss of trust. Tchibo, on the other hand, created its own platform for supply chain transparency in response to critical reporting; today, it is considered a model for the industry and demonstrates how negative coverage can lead to a lasting boost in reputation.

Case Study: Johnson & Johnson and the Tylenol Recall

The 1982 Tylenol poisoning incident is still considered a textbook example of effective crisis management. Johnson & Johnson immediately recalled 31 million bottles—without waiting for instructions from the authorities—and proactively communicated with the media and the public. The company prioritized full transparency over its own interests: it accepted losses in market share in order to protect human lives. The result: Within a year, Tylenol had almost completely regained its market share. The lesson for today’s brands is this: Radical transparency and swift action in the best interests of those affected are more profitable in the long run than protecting short-term business interests. This approach is harder to implement today—because social media instantly exposes any inconsistency—but the fundamental principle remains unchanged.

What German Brands Can Do Better

Compared to their international counterparts, German companies often respond to negative coverage too formally and too slowly. While U.S. or British brands issue an initial social media statement within two to three hours, German communications teams frequently wait for approvals from multiple levels of management. This costs not only time but also credibility. Another structural problem: German press releases are often written for journalists—not for the broader audience on social media, which expects a different tone and shorter texts. Anyone communicating on LinkedIn, Instagram, or X during a crisis must stay true to the language of their target audience. Successful examples like Oatly and Patagonia show that even major brands can respond to social media criticism with humor, self-deprecating humor, and genuine conviction—without taking on legal risks.

Companies that respond to negative coverage within four hours have been shown to limit reputational damage by an average of 40 percent compared to those that respond only after 24 hours.

Conclusion: Monitoring, Strategy, and the Courage to Take a Stand

Conclusion:

• Negative coverage is indispensable in modern marketing
• Think strategically, implement consistently

Negative media coverage cannot be completely avoided—but its impact can be managed. Companies that monitor the situation early on, communicate clearly, and base their response strategy on the facts can protect their brand in the long term. The key lesson is this: Those who remain silent lose control of the narrative. Those who speak up at least have the chance to shape it. In this context—both legally and in terms of communication—a well-considered statement is always better than an immediate, emotional reaction.

What Should You Do When Faced with Negative Media Coverage?

Activate monitoring immediately, assess the scope and sentiment, define a response strategy, and issue a clear, empathetic statement—ideally within four hours of the critical report’s publication.

What monitoring tools can help with negative media coverage?

Google Alerts (free), Mention, Brandwatch, and Talkwalker are leading tools for real-time media monitoring. In German-speaking countries, Landau Media and Ausschnitt are also widely used.

When should one take legal action against negative media coverage?

If facts are proven to be false, a counterstatement or a cease-and-desist letter are appropriate remedies. Caution is advised in the case of accurate but unfavorable reports—legal action can trigger the Streisand effect and draw even more attention.

Table: How many 5-star ratings are needed?

Bad Google reviews? The following table clearly shows how much a bad rating can affect your overall average. It shows you the minimum number of 5-star ratings you need after a single 1-star rating in order to achieve certain target averages. Even small differences in the average can be decisive in determining whether your store is perceived as trustworthy or dubious.

Let’s say you have 5x only 1 star = 95x perfect 5 stars as compensation for top 4.8 rating

Why are good ratings so important?

People trust the opinions of other buyers, even if they only glance briefly at the stars. Studies show that just 1.4 seconds is enough for a rating to influence trust. With an average of just 1.5 stars, you immediately appear dubious and many potential customers will leave. Things look solid from 4 stars upwards, but you only reach the upper segment of customer satisfaction from 4.4 stars upwards. Increase conversion rate through satisfied customers – smart, right?

An average of 4.7 or 4.8 stars is even better, as it indicates consistently high quality. A perfect 5.0 is desirable, but becomes almost impossible as the number of reviews increases. Many customers already consider 4 stars to be good, while 5 stars are considered outstanding with exceptional service. You should therefore focus on consistently collecting very good reviews without being discouraged by a single bad review.

Collect more good reviews

The basis is simple: good products and reliable customer service. However, this alone is often not enough because satisfied customers rate much less frequently than dissatisfied customers. This makes it all the more important that you take active steps to make positive experiences visible. With the right strategy, you can not only keep your average rating stable, but also continuously improve it in the long term – perfect for scaling your e-business through real customer (feedback) and empowerment marketing!

Actively ask customers

Many satisfied customers only leave a review if you ask them to do so directly. That’s why you should specifically remind them after the purchase and ask for feedback. This even works automatically with providers such as Trusted Shops or directly via your online store. With WordPress and WooCommerce, you can use plugins such as WooAutomate or similar tools that make the process much easier. Of course, this also works with Magento, Shopify & Co.

Bonus tip: Valuation change

Give positive feedback, offer vouchers, a partial refund or even a return as a last resort to keep your ratings high. Actively ask for a change here too, especially if a customer feels more uplifted by your actions. In this way, you can convert one or two 1-star ratings into 3 stars, 4 stars or even 5 stars.

Transparent communication – even in minor crisis situations – is a key to better ratings. Customers notice immediately when you are honest, reliable and solution-oriented. If you respond quickly to queries or problems, you create a feeling of security. It is precisely this trust that your customers often reward with a 5-star rating.

Optimize customer service

The smoother the process from order to delivery, the more likely customers are to write a positive review. Small details such as fast delivery times, friendly communication or accommodating returns are remembered. Customers don’t just rate the product itself, but the entire experience with your store. So make it as pleasant as possible for them so that they are happy to give you five stars.

• Actively ask customers for reviews
• Use automation tools
• Communicate quickly and transparently
• Constantly improving customer service

What about lawyers? Yes, of course that’s also possible. However, I recommend first working primarily on your own 1) product and 2) customer service.

Remember: Don’t get 1 star!

A single bad review can massively drag down your average, especially at the beginning when you haven’t collected many reviews yet. With every new 5-star rating, on the other hand, you build trust and secure the reputation of your store. From a value of 4.7 or 4.8 stars, you are in the premium range, which customers associate with high satisfaction and quality. This should be your long-term goal.

Personnel marketing: The advantages

How to attract the best talent to your company through the support of a personnel marketing agency – In order to retain talent in the long term, employee satisfaction must be continuously ensured. In this context, many companies resort to working with a personnel marketing agency. Such service providers often have the necessary experience so that the desired goals can be successfully implemented in a short time.

Personnel marketing as a success factor: How to attract top talent to your company

What is meant by personnel marketing?

Personnel marketing involves developing strategies and implementing measures aimed at attracting top talent to the company. In addition, personnel marketing serves to develop the company’s own employees through development measures, so that they are bound to the company in the long term. After all, only satisfied employees can achieve maximum productivity in the long term.

The most important fields of activity in personnel marketing

• Development of career opportunities
• Design of employee benefits
• Implementation of employee surveys
• Social Media Marketing
• Employee event planning
• Website optimization
• Promoting employee satisfaction

What does a personnel marketing agency do?

A personnel marketing agency is a company that specializes in consulting and operational implementation of projects aimed at increasing the attractiveness of a company. A personnel marketing agency can cover different areas. We have listed the most common areas below.

Tasks of a personnel marketing agency

• Development of personal marketing concepts
• Advice to the HR department
• Recruiting support
• Support of the social media channels
• Support of internal company career pages
• Selection of new employees
• Employee event planning

How to find the right personnel marketing agency

There are several ways to find the right personnel marketing agency. First of all, you should find out which agency is recommended by other companies in the vicinity. Appropriate service providers can also be found within industry associations. In addition, you can compare references on Google and get a first impression via the website.

How much does a personnel marketing agency cost?

The costs of working with a personnel marketing agency cannot be clearly determined in advance. In order to calculate the costs properly, several offers from different agencies should be obtained. Often, personal marketing agencies offer free consultations in this context, so that one can get a better picture.

These factors affect collaboration

• Scope of service
• Agency experience
• Number of tasks
• Specialization of the agency
• Size of the company
• Hourly rates vs. flat rates
• Use of special methods

What are the advantages of a personnel marketing agency?

Working with a personnel marketing agency offers several advantages for companies at once. Among them: Expertise, time savings, cost efficiency and flexibility. But the advantage of personal marketing agencies is also that they have a wide range of experience and can therefore quickly adapt to new challenges and trends.

Conclusion: A personnel marketing agency helps you to increase your reputation

Top talent can be effectively recruited for one’s own company through the support of a personnel marketing agency. Personal marketing agencies are becoming increasingly popular with both medium-sized companies and corporate groups. This is because they can draw on a specialized range of knowledge and implement measures within a very short time that lead to the desired results.

Internet ratings are too often ignored

Everyone is talking about online marketing, performance optimization and sales funnels. That’s great! But companies often forget the “simple things”.

Today we present you an extremely simple, at the same time efficient, marketing method:

The “small, first, good assessment

Extremely underrated, someone hears about “you” and searches for “you” directly on smartphone.

• Search query 1: “Company X
• Search query 2: “Company X reviews”

Now, if you have only one rating, it makes up the “whole” digital image of your company.

If interested in a rating?

Study: Influence of online ratings

Let’Let’s take a look at whether people care. For that, here’s an old and proven study. When you read online reviews about products or services, to what extent do they influence you?

Depending on the age group:

• 91-95% – ratings provide orientation
• 78-90% – Increase confidence in an offer
• 74-89% – Influence the purchase decision
• 53-57% – Ratings provide inspiration.

You can find more statistics at Statista

A real killer for startups in particular

Just one negative rating can be a real killer, especially for startups. Even without this effect, statistically 90% of startups fail in the first 5 years. So every strategic advantage helps in the “fight” for survival.

Even companies that have been on the market for over 10 years according to the commercial register tend to forget their digital reputation. Of course, you have the advantage of already having regular customers and (offline) referral marketing, word-of-mouth.

Example: 1 star / 5 stars in comparison

Here is a practical example of how a 1-star rating compares to a 5-star rating.

Important – you will now look at the Google Maps screenshot for 5 or even 10 seconds. In a real situation, looking for a company for task X, you would pay attention to a strange company only 2, 3 seconds and then, directly click on the next one.

1 star rating: Bad for your online image

5 star rating: Good for your online image

Disadvantages of bad ratings

You can probably already guess the disadvantages of bad reviews.

You lose prospects and customers – disadvantage 1

You lose prospects looking for you, reviews or experience. Remember the study. 90% or more, use reviews to guide their buying decisions. 74-89% are also directly influenced by reviews when it comes to actually buying. Let’s say half of the prospects don’t call them. What if you could change that, in just 3, 4 minutes? You can!

Tip. Change now, in 3, 4 minutes

Now go to Google Business, enter your company and ask acquaintances, colleagues or business partners to give the first, second or even third positive review.

• 91-95% – ratings provide orientation
• 74-89% – Influence the purchase decision

Algorithm excludes your company – disadvantage 2

There is one more reason why you should take care of your Google reviews. If your ratings are too bad, the algorithm simply does not show you anymore. Especially in cities with high competition density very unfavorable for your new customer acquisition.

An algorithm decides what “happens”, i.e. what is shown, done and what is not. The criteria for this are set by people and programmers make a program code out of it, the algorithm. A small program code that evaluates content.

Simply put, the algorithm might look like this:

• Rating < 2 stars: Do not show if sufficient > 2 stars available
• Rating < 3 stars: Do not show if sufficient > 3 stars available
• Rating < 4 stars: Do not show if sufficient > 4 stars available
• …

Reviews on Facebook, Kununu, etc.

There are many online rating platforms, whether rating platform itself (like Kununu for employers) or social networks like Facebook. So already in the first steps of your marketing concept, you should think about the “small, first, good evaluation”.

Reputation in the digital media: ratings

Actively organizing reviews takes only a few days of work, but has positive effects for months and years. Passive, positive PR. It gets even better, after all, a third party is talking about you, namely Google. This platform rates them 4.8 out of 5 stars. Referral marketing of the best kind.

Positive reviews are worth all too much. Especially when it comes to qualified employees, because they inform themselves in advance about your company, as a potential new employer or employer. The reputation, that is, the reputation to the outside world, has become enormously important for companies in times of social media and review portals. Especially for startups, which usually can not shine with high wages and lots of Christmas bonuses.

It is so that the fewest companies in everyday life think of actively influencing reviews themselves. This is not at all about bought reviews or influenced reviews, but only about asking satisfied customers, as well as satisfied employees, whether they would write a review – so simple. The more, the better (for potential employees, customers but also to stand out from the competition).

Influence of ratings

As a social media consultant, I’ve been in a lot of companies. Even in companies with more than 10,000 employees and 1,000 locations, the reputation on the Internet is rarely paid attention to. Especially portals that are not directly in focus, for most anyway only Facebook, are mostly ignored. At the same time, over 80% of people search for information on Google. Many who inform themselves in advance, but also go to other portals that deal, for example, only with the topic of business, business and employers such as Kununu.

Always think about your digital reputation right at the beginning!

Google reviews

Google is the platform and place to go when it comes to searching for information on the internet. From simple words to formulated questions, users search here several times a day for everything they want to know or buy. Reviews on Google are very important to finding employees these days. Satisfied employees who give positive reviews as advocates are of course worth their weight in gold, because all prospective customers will read through these very reviews.

Google allows every user to give a rating, so that everyone can rate companies but also products and online shops – even negatively. The rating plays a big role not only for the Google algorithm, especially for prospective customers it is an important source of information.

What do the others say?

Social reputation is an extremely important issue in recruiting employees. After all, as an employee, you are committing yourself to a company: For months, years and sometimes even for a lifetime. Every decision has to be made well. Especially if you have previously invested many years in your own academic education, you want an employer who promises satisfaction.

It is not always primarily about the amount of salary, especially the working environment makes a lot of difference. The team is very right, do you get along with the others? Flexible working hours are important, what if I have to stay at home? Do I have to be in the office at 6am every morning or can I start flexibly? All these questions can be positively packaged in the form of evaluation texts in advance! For example, if several employees talk about the flexible working hours or the generally very good atmosphere in the team. If every day at work is fun, then it doesn’t feel like work at all!

• Active question, for example at the end of the internship, end of the training, end of the job
• Answer typical questions through small stories and phrases

Facebook reviews

Facebook is also an important platform for recruiting. Because a large cross-section of society, from 20 to 70 years old, can be found here. Many look at the new company here for the first time before applying.

• What does the company do?
• What is this about?
• What do the others say about company XY?

Facebook is the biggest social network in this world and of course Facebook also relies on the rating option. Did you know? Facebook started as a pure rating platform. Back in the day, company founder Mark Zuckerberg developed a platform where people could compare students at Harvard University. “Hot or not?” Needless to say, this was an instant and huge sensation, not just on campus, but across America. So Facebook spread like wildfire. More and more students at universities wanted to know what Facebook was exactly. The rest is history.

So ratings have always been Facebook‘s central tool. Just think of the “Like” button, ultimately also a form of evaluation. Accordingly, you should win over your employees as advocates for you or your company when it comes to positive reviews on Facebook.

Recruiting: Finding good employees

A large proportion of potential new employees find out about the company on Facebook first. As long as your recruitment strategy doesn’t target employees under the age of 20, Facebook is a great way to find good employees. Under the age of 20, you should turn to Instagram or YouTube. Always be mindful of your digital reputation and check your reviews on Facebook. If necessary, approach your employees to see if they would be so kind as to give a positive review. Especially if employees then eventually work at your company for a year or two, it seems like a great job! Why not make a little story out of it, a review?

As a rule, you will have to deal with negative comments on social networks if you have little other public relations work aimed at positive reviews. To counteract these, you should pay attention to your own positive reputation in digital media. Actively organizing reviews only takes a few days of work, but has positive ramifications for months and years to come. Passive, positive PR. It gets even better, after all, a third party is talking about them, namely Google. This platform rates them 4.8 out of 5 stars. Referral marketing of the best kind.

PS: The same applies to Amazon, of course, if you organize your business model here. Especially on Amazon, referral marketing (organic or organized) is extremely important for rankings and sales.

Kununu, Yelp & Co

There are other social networks besides Facebook and Google? By Google, of course, we mean the entire Google universe, including YouTube. Yes, in fact, there are other relevant platforms that compete for opinion and reach. A few of these platforms have relevance when it comes to rating companies. One of them is the business review portal Kununu but also Yelp. Both platforms have in relation to the two previously mentioned companies of course relatively little reach, but in the specific area of company research, they have quite relevance and should therefore also be considered when it comes to the positive, digital reputation.