What is ORM (Online Reputation Management)?
Online reputation management is the process of monitoring, identifying, and influencing the online conversation about a person, brand, or business. This could include spotting, analyzing, and mitigating negative or misleading publicity that may jeopardize one’s credibility and goodwill, as well as developing and promoting trending content to generate a positive impression of the brand.
Some of the strategies utilized for this goal include brand audit and mentions, online crisis management, public relations, search engine optimization (SEO), social media engagement and customer reviews.
Many business owners are confused about online reputation management and its importance. In this blog post, we’ll explore what online reputation management is and why it’s so important for businesses.
How Important Is Online Reputation Management For Business?
Online reputation management is extremely important for businesses, as it can have a major influence on how people perceive a company. People are more likely to trust a business with a good online reputation. Additionally, online reputation management can help a business stay competitive and enhance its visibility in the online market.
Online reviews, among other factors, have become one of the most influential factors that wield the buying decisions of consumers. According to a survey by BrightLocal, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend or family member, making online reputation management an essential part of any business strategy.
To underscore the importance of ORM, 91% of customers prefer organizations with five-star ratings, while 82% of consumers are less inclined to choose enterprises with negative reviews. Understanding the reality of these figures, it should come as no surprise that businesses are investing in this practice.
How to Start a Reputation Management Business?
Starting a firm that nestles in the ever-expanding field of reputation management requires a solid foundation. A sound business plan will provide a useful roadmap for determining one’s target market and include details like the nature of services and products, marketing strategies, and expected revenue projections.
With a potential brand on the line, you will have to consider the following:
- Monitor the brand’s and the owner’s reputation on the most significant platforms
- Create an alert, such as Google Alert, to identify the organizations behind mentions
- Develop a response plan for comments and reviews
- Handle negative feedback with care and double down on the positives
- Invest in public relations to earn new positive press
- Clean up business listings and optimize social media profiles
- Provide excellent customer service
How to Increase the Online Reputation for a Business?
- Positive Reviews: Request customers to leave reviews on online platforms such as Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor.
- Brand Monitoring: Monitor your brand and customer sentiment using online tools such as Google Alerts, Hootsuite, and Brandwatch.
- Optimize Your Website: Make sure your website is optimized for search engines, is mobile friendly, and contains positive reviews and content.
- Social Media: Use social media to interact with customers, post content, and create a positive presence online.
- Positive Public Relations: Utilize PR campaigns and media relations to share positive stories and content about your business.
- Online Advertising: Use strategic online advertising campaigns to target potential consumers.
- Customer Service: Ensure your customer service is up to par, and handle any customer complaints quickly and efficiently.
How Do You Choose An Online Reputation Expert?
Finding the right reputation management professional entails more than just reviewing online company profiles. To properly manage a brand’s reputation, an experienced service provider in this field should have an extensive working knowledge of marketing, public relations, and customer service.
- Research your options: Look for an online reputation expert with experience in your industry and an impressive portfolio of case studies.
- Ask for referrals: Get referrals from other business owners in your industry who have used an online reputation expert.
- Look for certifications: Make sure the expert you choose is certified in fields such as online reputation management, search engine optimization, and social media marketing.
- Check references: Ask the expert for references from past clients and contact them to make sure their experiences were positive.
- Compare costs: Find out what the expert charges for their services and compare it to other online reputation experts in your area.
The client, on the other hand, should have clear-cut goals and be able to articulate the nature of their concerns with the ORM provider. Among these details to consider are the scope of support, revenue goals, and the brand’s reach on the web and social media platforms.
Extensive research is then necessary to find an online reputation manager who fits all the pieces of the puzzle together to get the best possible results.
How Affordable Is Online Reputation Management?
Online reputation management can vary in cost depending on the services you require and the provider you choose. Services such as media monitoring or social media monitoring can be relatively inexpensive. More comprehensive services such as creating content or engaging in public relations efforts can be more expensive.
Some companies may offer basic services, such as monitoring and responding to reviews on sites like Yelp and Google, for a few hundred dollars per month, while others may provide more comprehensive services, such as crisis management, for thousands of dollars per month.
Services like reputation branding and content removal cost between $3,000 and $15,000. In some cases, clients may be offered a one-time fee for a specific project, such as cleaning up negative search results. It’s best to research different companies and compare their prices and services to find the best fit for one’s budget and needs.
What Is The Strategy Of Online Reputation Management Service?
The strategy for Online Reputation Management (ORM) Service can include:
- Monitoring: Monitoring what is said about a company or brand across social media platforms and internet search results.
- Responding: Responding to negative comments and reviews with a professional, solution-oriented approach.
- Engaging: Engaging with customers online to build trust and loyalty.
- Improving: Improving the overall online presence of the company or brand through SEO, content marketing and other online tactics.
- Protecting: Protecting the company or brand’s reputation through proactive strategies.
Is Online Reputation Management Worth The Money?
Yes, online reputation management can be worth the money, depending on the size and scope of your business. Managing and protecting your online reputation can be essential for business success, as it can help increase your visibility, credibility, and customer trust. Additionally, it can help you to manage negative feedback and reviews, as well as protect your business from online scams. Hire a SEO company to make it happen.
Why Is Online Reputation Important In SEO?
Online reputation is important in SEO because it has a direct impact on how a website or business is ranked in search engine results. A website with a good reputation is more likely to appear higher in the search engine rankings, while a website with a bad reputation is more likely to appear lower. A good reputation can be earned through positive reviews, mentions, and interactions on social media, while a bad reputation can result from negative reviews, customer service issues, and a lack of responsiveness to customer inquiries.
Search engines like Google, use a variety of factors to determine the relevance and authority of a website, and online reputation is one of those factors.
When a brand or individual has a positive online reputation, it can signal to search engines that they are a reputable and trustworthy source of information. This, in turn, can lead to higher search engine rankings and more visibility in search results. The reverse is the case with a negative reputation.
What Is The Role Of SEO And ORM In Digital Marketing?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and ORM (Online Reputation Management) are two important elements of digital marketing. SEO optimizes website content, such as keywords and content structure, for better search engine rankings, while ORM helps protect and improve a brand’s online reputation. SEO helps attract more organic visitors to websites; while ORM ensures that a brand can manage and maintain its online presence.
Together, SEO and ORM help to build trust, credibility, visibility, increased traffic, and revenue. The key is to integrate these two practices to drive sustainability and long-term growth in business.
