Hi there folks!

Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector).

This episode features Claire Winslow, President and Senior Strategist at Best Practice Media, who joined us in February during our event on Digital Marketing. As you'll soon find out, she shares some completely brilliant insights into the world of Online Reputation Management and what you can start doing now to own your front page. She chats about which platforms you can solicit reviews on (if you must), how to google yourself incognito, tools for managing your online reputation, and so much more. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Claire has to say!

• 0:00 to 1:11 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Claire Winslow
• 1:16 to 1:26 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Online Reputation Management and Social Listening)
• 1:27 to 3:34 - Social Audit and Online Reputation Audit
  • Social Audit - what someone is doing on social, what their competitors are doing, etc.
  • Online Reputation Management Audit - Google people, company, executives and see what can be found
    • The best place to bury a dead body is the 2nd page on google search results
    • Your current online reputation is the top 10 results
    • Search in incognito mode to see your true online reputation
    • Important to know - how much of the content on your first page do you own yourself and how much was created by other people (or it isn't about you)
      • Best Practice Media example, took some time to own the first page because people often search for Best Practices IN Media
• 3:35 to 5:09 - Social Listening Tools
  • Google Alerts - a free tool to help you monitor your online reputation
    • Set one for your own name, your company's name, your industry, your competitors
    • Remember to put the text in quotes ""!
    • Takes about 24 hours for results to populate
  • Enterprise level tools (like Spredfast and Brandwatch)
    • Probably don't need these tools when getting started
    • These tools can measure brand sentiment
    • VERY expensive
  • Lower cost social listening tools
    • Mention
    • SocialReport
• 5:10 to 8:52 - Review Platforms!
  • Yelp - strict algorithm. Do not solicit reviews, they will not stick. Yelp knows when they're fake. 
  • Google My Business - you need a physical, brick and mortar address. PO Boxes (and the like) aren't accepted
    • Select either home address (not recommended), OR
    • Coworking space floating membership, most low cost options will allow you to use their address
  • Facebook
    • Not often thought of as a review platform
    • If you have a local page, you can get reviews
    • No algorithm for filtering out reviews
  • LinkedIn
    • You won't get negative reviews
    • Endorsements, the value is unclear
    • Recommendations are very helpful, especially when you're on the hunt for a job or new clients or when you're bidding for a client or piece of work
  • Glassdoor 
    • Platform for employees to comment about previous or current employers
    • Glassdoor has great SEO
  • Industry specific platforms
    • Avvo - for lawyers
    • Healthgrades - for doctors
    • Angie's List - services
    • Search for arts and freelancer platforms
    • Don't count these out! These are great opportunities to get new clients.
• 8:53 to 11:22 - What to Do If You Don't Own the Content on Your First Page Or Don't Like What You See
  • Do your Local SEO - take brick and mortar address and make your own directory listings:
    • Best of the Web
    • Superpages
    • Localeze
    • Infogroup
    • Citysearch
    • Bing
    • Not the most sophisticated way to own your front page, but it's the quickest
    • Make sure you enter in the address the same way every time (Avenue versus Ave. for example)
    • Moz is a paid option to do all of the directories for you
  • The deeper dive is to create your own content to own your front page
    • Active blog, social platform
• 11:25 to 13:25 - Ashland Closing Remarks
  • Stay in touch, email us ([email protected]) or connect with us on social
  • Come check out our three day "Experience" this September - www.cmbxp.com (September 14-16)
  • Need help with goal planning? Connect with us for a goal planning session!

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One more on Digital Marketing, then we move over to Managing Professional Relationships so stay tuned!

Thanks!

Ashland, Creatives Meet Business