Managing your brand and online reputation sounds like a job for Z-list celebrities and Love Island contestants, but it’s something you and your business might need to take more seriously.

Our new research shows that many advice/planning firms make basic mistakes that could undermine a potential client’s confidence, prevent them from contacting you, and harm your business’s growth.

So, in this week’s blog, you’re going to learn:

• Why you must carefully manage your brand and online reputation
• The mistakes firms make and how you can avoid them.

So, as Simon Sinek famously says, let’s start with why.

Impress potential clients on their digital journey to your door

Google sits between someone becoming aware of your business (perhaps having been recommended by an existing client or professional connection) and taking action (calling your office, sending an email, or completing an online enquiry form).

Some prospective clients will use Google to look up your contact details. However, others will be considering multiple firms and will use it to check out each one before deciding which to contact.

Both groups will first meet you on the search results page and start getting to know you by clicking the links they’re offered.

It’s here that things sometimes start to go wrong because the mistakes advisers, planners, and firms make show up in the search results. This damages your brand, puts doubt in a prospect’s mind, and pushes them in an alternative direction.

Basic mistakes damage your brand

Over the Christmas break, we analysed New Model Adviser’s Top 100 for 2024, looking at how they approach social proof. We’ll reveal the results next week.

However, during that research, it became clear that many of the firms were making some basic yet damaging mistakes, including:

1. Terrible VouchedFor reviews

Despite most clients being happy with their financial adviser/planner, a few firms had some awful VouchedFor reviews.

For example, one firm had three one-star reviews from 10 years ago, which appeared towards the top of the Google search results page, making them easy for prospective clients to find.

The firms should either ask existing clients to leave reviews so these appear at the top of the profile or take it down. Either is significantly better than leaving negative reviews as one of the first things potential clients see when they search for the firm.

2. No responses to negative Glassdoor reviews

Several businesses on the list had received negative reviews from employees and people they’d interviewed. The reviews appear on the first page of Google search results, again making it easy for prospective clients and employees to find.

In all cases, the business owners did not respond by owning the issue, apologising, or offering an alternative perspective.

3. Broken website links

A few firms’ websites had broken links.

In the worst example, every link in the main navigation was broken, leading to a 404 error. This would frustrate potential clients trying to learn more about the firm they’re considering working with (naturally, we’ve emailed the firm in question to highlight this issue).

In another example, links to social media, including the adviser’s LinkedIn profile, were broken.

4. Having only one Google review

11 firms on the list, just over 10%, had only one Google review.

That’s actually worse than having none because that single review draws a potential client’s attention to the reviews on their Google Business Profile, but only having one of them is hardly impressive.

To put it more bluntly, these 11 firms are saying: “This is where Google reviews live, and we’re only good enough to have one of them” – that’s not a good look!

5. VouchedFor profiles not claimed or verified

Even if your firm has previously had a VouchedFor profile, the launch of the Universal Directory late last year means all firms must claim and complete a new profile.

Unfortunately, many firms have yet to do that. While the page appears in the Google search results for your business, it contains no information useful to a prospective client, and any reviews previously collected won’t appear.

6. Fake reviews

A small number of firms had Google reviews which were obviously fake. However, they haven’t replied to challenge the review’s validity and make it clear to potential clients that it isn’t genuine.

Even better, they should complete this form to ask Google to take the review down.

A brand enhancer or detractor

Jeff Bezos famously once said that your brand is what people say about you when you aren’t in the room.

You certainly aren’t in the room when potential clients look you up online, so you leave Google’s search results to do the talking for you.

Are you happy with what they say?

Our research shows that many firms probably shouldn’t be and have some work to do.

You can discover if you are one of them by putting your business through our free online scorecard, which will tell you whether you’re impressing prospects on their digital journey to your door.

Click here to use the scorecard now.

Then, once you’ve used it, or if you’re one of the firms in the Top 100 and would like advice on managing your online reputation, we’re here to help.

Simply call 0115 8965 300 or email phil@theyardstickagency.co.uk, and we’ll set up a meeting to discuss your options.