Check Your
Brand Online

Do you Google your own brand ?

It’s busy out there, it can be easy to take your eye off every ball, this is often when reputational hiccups can happen.

Along with cyber security awareness and business online management, online brand reputation in this industry is so very important. Do you know what your customers see, and how they can trust it is you?

Recent Scam Update.

Recently we heard of how an accommodation provider in regional Victoria had a expectant customer arrive for a booking that was apparently for their property. Sadly for the guest (an alternate location was found for them) they had bought 2 nights via an online booking platform where the property does not have a listing – the imagery, and details were all correct, but the booking was a scam. The accommodation provider had no connection to the reservation and had no availability. The customers payment had gone to a scammer.

Result: Money lost, understanding but distraught travellers and operator’s angst on where else this could happen.

What to do:

Scams are rarely easy to reverse, so some proactive “customer journey testing” is a great way to see potential  “traps” for travellers and your brand.

By doing a quick search (usually best done in the incognito browser, or after you have cleared your cache/search history to get a fresh search option) you can find examples of what your customers see when searching your region or offering.

• Google your brand, tour name or venue address. (check other browers too) for unusual links.
• Search online selling platforms that you are NOT listed on.
• Check your analytics to see if there are any unusual referral links. (see if you can undo problematic links )
• Google search your hero / signature images to see if they are being used without your consent.
• Check you have secure logins with two factor authentication.

All of this should not take too long (if you don’t get distracted) and may reveal potentially damaging or deceptive links to your brand. You also may find some good stuff, like an article or review.

A new year is a great time start new habits, and managing your brand reputation is an ideal example.

Did you get scammed? If you do find something that is not as it should be, check comments and reviews, and check in with other operators to see if they have had issues.  Reach out to the offending site to rectify, and if you think it’s a scam, report it.