The Definitive Guide to Online Reputation Management
In today‘s digital age, your online reputation can make or break your business. Over 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business, and 84% trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Just a handful of negative articles, reviews, or social media posts can turn away huge numbers of potential customers.
That‘s where online reputation management (ORM) comes in. ORM is the practice of monitoring, identifying, and influencing your digital reputation and credibility. Whether you‘re a small business, a large corporation, or even an individual, ORM is essential to your success in the online world.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive into everything you need to know about online reputation management: what it entails, why it matters, and most importantly, how you can take control of your online reputation.
What is Online Reputation Management?
Online reputation management encompasses various strategies and techniques to shape public perception of a brand or individual on the internet. It involves monitoring online conversations, addressing any negative content, and proactively promoting positive content.
ORM is multifaceted and may include:
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Content marketing
- Social media management
- Review management
- Public relations
- Crisis management
The ultimate goal is to ensure that when someone searches for your brand online, they find positive, accurate information that inspires trust and credibility.
Why Online Reputation Management Matters
Your online reputation directly impacts your bottom line. In a survey by Bright Local, 94% of consumers said a negative review has convinced them to avoid a business. Conversely, a Harvard Business School study found that a one-star increase on Yelp leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue.
But it‘s not just about reviews. All the information someone finds about you online – articles, social media posts, images, etc. – influence their impression of your brand and whether they decide to do business with you.
Proactive reputation management allows you to:
- Build trust and credibility with your audience
- Establish a strong brand image and identity
- Attract more customers and increase sales/revenue
- Gain a competitive edge in your industry
- Mitigate the impact of any negative content
In short, online reputation management is key to the success and growth of your business in the digital marketplace. Without it, you risk losing customers, revenue, and market share to competitors who better manage their online presence.
How to Monitor Your Online Reputation
The first step to managing your online reputation is knowing what‘s being said about you online. You need to monitor all the major channels where your brand may be mentioned:
- Search engines (Google, Bing, etc.)
- Review sites (Yelp, Google My Business, industry-specific sites)
- Social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn)
- News/media sites and blogs
There are various tools available to streamline this process:
- Google Alerts and similar tools notify you when your brand is mentioned online
- Social listening tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Mention track social media mentions and sentiment
- Reputation management software provides an all-in-one dashboard to monitor reviews, social, search results, etc.
Along with these tools, regularly search for your brand and related keywords on major search engines and review sites to see what comes up. Check the first 2-3 pages of results, which is what most consumers will see.
Make it a habit to monitor your online presence at least once a week, if not daily. The earlier you catch any negative content, the easier it is to address.
Strategies to Improve Your Online Reputation
Monitoring is only half the battle – you also need to proactively manage and improve your online reputation. Here are some key strategies:
Develop a Review Generation & Management System
Customer reviews on sites like Yelp, Google, and Facebook play an enormous role in shaping your online reputation. Focus on generating more positive reviews while properly handling any negative ones.
Tactics to get more reviews:
- Ask! 70% of customers will leave a review if asked
- Make it easy with direct links to your review profiles
- Incentivize reviews with contests, discounts, or account credit
- Automate the process with software that texts/emails customers
Always respond to negative reviews addressing the person‘s concern in a calm, rational manner. Offer to make things right and take the conversation offline. How you handle criticism says a lot about your brand.
Optimize Your Website & Online Profiles for Search
Where you rank in search results for your brand influences the information a searcher sees about you. Optimize your website and other owned profiles (social media, directories, etc.) to rank them higher:
- Secure your brand name in URLs, page titles, and headings
- Build relevant links to your pages
- Optimize your Google My Business profile
- Create content around your brand name + keywords like "reviews"
The goal is to dominate page one of search results for your brand so researchers find the information you want them to see.
Publish Positive, Credible Content
Creating your own content gives you more control over your brand messaging and online reputation. Craft and promote positive content that reinforces your brand values and expertise:
- Informative blog posts and articles
- Customer success stories and case studies
- Press releases around positive company news
- Thought leadership pieces
- Helpful videos and tutorials
Post this content on your website, blog, social profiles, and industry publications for wider reach. Encourage social sharing to further its impact.
Engage on Social Media
Social media is a cornerstone of online reputation management. It allows you to connect with customers, share your brand story, and shape public perception.
Best practices:
- Post regular updates showcasing your brand culture and values
- Share your positive content pieces
- Interact with customers by responding to comments/messages
- Proactively address any complaints before they escalate
- Implement a social media policy to guide employee behavior
The right social media management prevents small issues from spiraling into reputation crises.
Recovering from Reputation Crises
No matter how proactive you are, reputation threats like negative press, harmful reviews, or public controversies may still arise. How you handle a crisis can make all the difference in whether your reputation recovers.
Follow these steps:
- Act quickly. The longer you wait, the more a story can spread.
- Acknowledge the issue. Don‘t try to cover it up or place blame.
- Be transparent. Openly share how you‘re addressing the problem.
- Communicate on all channels. Don‘t just post a press release – use social media, email, etc. to reach your audience.
- Make amends. Apologize, offer explanations, and make things right with the public or individuals involved.
After a crisis has passed, work to rebuild trust by repairing relationships with customers and influencers, securing positive press, and reinforcing your brand values through your actions.
ORM Case Studies
To illustrate the impact of ORM, here are three real-world examples:
Domino‘s Pizza
In 2009, two Domino‘s employees posted a prank video showing unsanitary acts in a kitchen. Within days, it racked up over a million views, sparking a reputation crisis for the brand.
Domino‘s quickly fired the employees and released an apology video from the CEO. But they went a step further – they created a Twitter account to answer customer inquiries and launched a "Pizza Turnaround" campaign showcasing their dedication to quality.
By tackling the issue head-on with transparency, Domino‘s restored trust and even saw an increase in sales.
UC Davis
In 2011, UC Davis faced backlash after a police officer pepper-sprayed peaceful student protestors. When this drew negative media coverage, the university hired a consulting firm to bury the story in search results.
However, their ORM attempt backfired. Outlets exposed the coverup, drawing even more negative attention to UC Davis. It‘s a lesson in the risks of trying to manipulate search results rather than addressing issues directly.
Starbucks
Starbucks has built a reputation for social responsibility. So in 2015, when the hashtag #RaceTogether sparked accusations of Starbucks exploiting racial issues for profit, they faced a possible reputation hit.
Starbucks didn‘t back down from their stance, but acknowledged the feedback. They hosted an open forum addressing race, diversity, and inclusion. By reaffirming their values and involving the public, Starbucks turned a potential crisis into an opportunity for productive conversation.
These examples show that effective crisis ORM is transparent, proactive, and consistent with your brand values. Coverup attempts often fail, while honest efforts can actually strengthen your reputation.
The Future of ORM
As the internet continues to evolve, so will online reputation management. Some key trends and predictions:
- Personalization. General brand reputation will matter less than your reputation with each individual customer as personalization rises.
- The impact of influencers. People with large social media followings will have more power to influence your reputation, positively or negatively. Brands will need to focus more on relationships with key influencers.
- Increased use of AI. Automated sentiment analysis, chatbots, and machine learning tools will become essential for monitoring a brand‘s online reputation at scale.
- Reputations going real-time. As information spreads instantly in the digital age, ORM will need to operate in real-time – identifying and responding to reputation threats 24/7.
- Expanded online presence. With new platforms constantly emerging, brands will need to monitor their reputation across an ever-growing web presence.
Ultimately, the foundation of online reputation management will remain the same: monitoring, addressing issues promptly, and proactively building a positive brand image. But the specific tactics will evolve with the digital landscape.
Safeguard Your Online Reputation
In the internet age, what people find about you online can have immense real-world impact. Through proactive monitoring and management, you can build a stellar online reputation that drives trust, credibility, and ultimately, success for your brand.
Remember, ORM is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. Commit to regularly monitoring your presence, addressing any issues, and finding opportunities to showcase your brand in a positive light. Your online reputation is one of your most valuable assets – treat it as such.
Ready to take control of your online reputation? Start implementing these ORM strategies and best practices today. Your customers and your bottom line will thank you.
