Online Reputation Management for Business

Definition of Online Reputation Management

Online Reputation Management (ORM) refers to the practice of monitoring and managing the online perception and reputation of an individual, organization, or brand. ORM involves monitoring and analyzing what is being said about the entity on various online platforms, such as social media, review sites, blogs, and forums, and responding to and addressing any negative or misleading comments or information. ORM also involves developing and implementing strategies to promote positive content and reviews to improve the online reputation of the entity. ORM can be proactive, by creating and sharing positive content and engaging with the online community, or reactive, by addressing and resolving negative comments or reviews. The goal of ORM is to build and maintain a positive online image and reputation that accurately reflects the entity’s values, mission, and goals. Effective ORM can help increase credibility, trust, and loyalty among online audiences, which can ultimately lead to increased business opportunities and growth.

Benefits of Online Reputation Management for Businesses

Increased credibility: A positive online reputation can enhance the credibility of a business and increase the trust that customers have in it. This can result in increased sales, referrals, and customer loyalty.
Improved customer engagement: ORM can provide businesses with insights into what their customers are saying about them online, allowing them to engage with customers and respond to their concerns or feedback. This can help to build stronger customer relationships and improve customer satisfaction.
Enhanced brand awareness: ORM can help businesses to increase their visibility and reach online. By monitoring and promoting positive content about the business, ORM can help to create a strong and consistent online brand identity.
Mitigation of negative reviews and comments: ORM can help businesses to address and resolve negative reviews and comments, preventing them from damaging the business’s reputation. By responding to negative feedback and addressing customer concerns, businesses can show their commitment to customer satisfaction and improve their overall reputation.
Competitive advantage: A positive online reputation can give businesses a competitive edge over their competitors. By showcasing their positive reviews and reputation online, businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract more customers.

Understanding Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are feedback from customers or clients that express dissatisfaction with a product, service, or experience. Negative reviews can come in many forms, such as low ratings, critical comments, complaints, or even negative social media posts. Understanding negative reviews is essential for businesses as it provides valuable feedback on areas where they can improve. Negative reviews can help businesses to identify common issues, address customer concerns, and make improvements to their products or services. By responding to negative reviews in a constructive and professional manner, businesses can also show their commitment to customer satisfaction and build trust with their customers. It is important for businesses to take negative reviews seriously and not dismiss them as irrelevant or unimportant. Negative reviews can have a significant impact on a business’s reputation and can influence potential customers’ buying decisions. Businesses should carefully analyze negative reviews, identify patterns and trends, and take corrective actions to address the issues raised. Businesses should also respond to negative reviews in a timely and professional manner. Responding to negative reviews shows that the business cares about its customers and is committed to improving its products or services. When responding to negative reviews, businesses should acknowledge the customer’s concerns, apologize if necessary, and offer a solution or explanation to the issue raised. By doing so, businesses can turn a negative experience into a positive one and demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Dealing With Negative Reviews

Dealing with negative reviews can be challenging for businesses, but it is crucial to handle them effectively to protect their reputation and maintain customer trust.

Stay calm and professional: It is essential to remain calm and professional when responding to negative reviews. Avoid getting defensive or argumentative, as this can escalate the situation and damage the business’s reputation further.

Respond promptly: It is important to respond to negative reviews promptly to show that the business is committed to addressing customer concerns. Delayed responses can give the impression that the business does not care about its customers’ opinions.
Acknowledge the issue: Acknowledge the customer’s concerns and show empathy. Let them know that their feedback is valuable and that the business takes their concerns seriously.
Apologize if necessary: If the business made a mistake, apologize to the customer and take responsibility for the issue. This can help to defuse the situation and show that the business is committed to making things right.
Offer a solution: Offer a solution to the customer’s issue. This could involve offering a refund, a replacement product or service, or other forms of compensation. Be sure to follow through on any promises made to the customer.
Follow up: Follow up with the customer to ensure that the issue has been resolved satisfactorily. This can help to build trust and demonstrate the business’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
Use the feedback to improve: Use the feedback from negative reviews to identify areas where the business can improve. This can help to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future and improve the overall customer experience.

Strategies to Improve Your Online Presence After a Bad Review

Receiving a bad review can be damaging to a business’s online presence, but there are several strategies businesses can use to improve their online reputation:

Respond to the review: Responding to a bad review shows that the business is committed to addressing customer concerns. Acknowledge the issue, apologize if necessary, and offer a solution or explanation to the problem. Be professional and avoid getting defensive or confrontational.
Encourage positive reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews to offset the impact of negative reviews. This can be done by sending follow-up emails after a purchase or service, or by including a request for a review in receipts or invoices.
Optimize your website: Ensure that your website is optimized for search engines by using relevant keywords, creating quality content, and updating your website regularly. This can help to improve your online visibility and push down negative reviews in search results.
Utilize social media: Use social media platforms to engage with customers, share positive content, and address customer concerns. Respond to comments and reviews promptly and professionally, and use social media to promote positive customer experiences.
Monitor your online presence: Regularly monitor your online presence to stay aware of what is being said about your business. Use tools like Google Alerts or Social Mention to track mentions of your business online.
Address underlying issues: Address the underlying issues that may be causing negative reviews. Take steps to improve the quality of your products or services, train your staff, and address any customer service issues.
Seek professional help: Consider seeking professional help from a reputation management company or marketing agency. They can help to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve your online reputation and promote positive customer experiences.

What to Do If You Receive a Bad Experience Report From a Customer

Receiving a bad experience report from a customer can be a challenging situation for businesses, but it is important to handle it appropriately to address the customer’s concerns and protect the business’s reputation. Listen and empathize: Listen to the customer’s report and show empathy. Let them know that you understand their frustration and that you take their concerns seriously.

Apologize: If the business is at fault, apologize to the customer. Take responsibility for the issue and show the customer that you are committed to making things right.
Investigate the issue: Investigate the issue to determine the root cause of the problem. Gather all relevant information, including the customer’s report, and review any policies or procedures that may have contributed to the problem.
Offer a solution: Offer a solution to the customer’s issue. This could involve offering a refund, a replacement product or service, or other forms of compensation. Be sure to follow through on any promises made to the customer.
Take corrective action: Take corrective action to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. This could involve updating policies or procedures, providing additional training to staff, or improving the quality of products or services.
Follow up: Follow up with the customer to ensure that the issue has been resolved satisfactorily. This can help to build trust and demonstrate the business’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
Learn from the experience: Use the experience to learn and improve. Review the situation with staff and consider how the business can prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.

Increasing Positive Content and Reviews

Increasing positive content and reviews is an effective way to improve a business’s online reputation.

Encourage happy customers to leave reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews by sending follow-up emails after a purchase or service, or by including a request for a review in receipts or invoices. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews by providing links to review sites.

Offer incentives: Offer incentives, such as discounts or coupons, to customers who leave reviews. This can be an effective way to motivate customers to leave positive reviews.
Provide excellent customer service: Providing excellent customer service can lead to positive reviews and customer loyalty. Train staff to be friendly, helpful, and responsive to customer needs.
Share positive content on social media: Share positive reviews, customer testimonials, and other positive content on social media. This can help to promote the business’s positive reputation and engage with customers.
Respond to negative reviews: Responding to negative reviews in a professional and constructive manner can help to improve the business’s reputation and prevent negative reviews from dominating search results.
Use search engine optimization (SEO): Use SEO techniques, such as using relevant keywords and creating quality content, to improve the visibility of positive content in search results.
Engage with customers on social media: Engage with customers on social media by responding to comments and messages, sharing positive content, and running promotions or contests. This can help to build a positive relationship with customers and promote positive reviews and content.

Creating Positive Content Through Blog Posts & Social Media Posts

Creating positive content through blog posts and social media posts is an effective way to improve a business’s online reputation.

Identify your target audience: Identify your target audience and create content that is relevant and valuable to them. This can help to build a strong relationship with your audience and increase engagement.

Provide useful information: Provide useful and informative content that addresses the needs and concerns of your audience. This can include how-to guides, tips and tricks, or industry news and trends.
Share customer success stories: Share customer success stories or testimonials that showcase the positive experiences that customers have had with your business. This can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
Showcase your expertise: Use your blog and social media to showcase your expertise and thought leadership in your industry. This can help to position your business as a leader and influencer in your field.
Use visual content: Use high-quality visual content, such as images, videos, and infographics, to make your content more engaging and shareable.
Be authentic: Be authentic and genuine in your content. Avoid using overly promotional or salesy language and focus on providing value to your audience.
Use keywords: Use relevant keywords in your blog and social media posts to improve their visibility in search results.

Encouraging Positive Customer Reviews on Review Sites & Social Media Platforms

Encouraging positive customer reviews on review sites and social media platforms is an effective way to improve a business’s online reputation. Here are some tips for encouraging positive customer reviews:

Make it easy for customers to leave reviews: Provide clear instructions on how customers can leave reviews on review sites and social media platforms. Include links to your business profile on review sites and social media in follow-up emails and on your website.
Ask customers for reviews: Ask customers for reviews by sending follow-up emails after a purchase or service, or by including a request for a review in receipts or invoices. Be sure to ask customers who have had positive experiences with your business.
Provide excellent customer service: Providing excellent customer service can lead to positive reviews and customer loyalty. Train staff to be friendly, helpful, and responsive to customer needs.
Offer incentives: Offer incentives, such as discounts or coupons, to customers who leave reviews. This can be an effective way to motivate customers to leave positive reviews.
Respond to negative reviews: Responding to negative reviews in a professional and constructive manner can help to improve the business’s reputation and prevent negative reviews from dominating search results.
Use social media: Use social media to engage with customers and encourage them to leave reviews. Share positive reviews and customer testimonials on your social media platforms and respond to comments and messages.
Follow up with customers: Follow up with customers to ensure that they are satisfied with their experience with your business. If there are any issues, address them promptly and professionally.

Utilizing Influencer Marketing For Positive Content Creation

Utilizing influencer marketing for positive content creation is an effective way to improve a business’s online reputation.

Identify relevant influencers: Identify influencers who are relevant to your industry or niche and have a strong following on social media. Look for influencers who have a similar target audience to your business.
Build relationships with influencers: Build relationships with influencers by engaging with them on social media, commenting on their posts, and sharing their content. This can help to build trust and credibility with influencers.
Collaborate with influencers: Collaborate with influencers to create positive content that showcases your products or services. This can include sponsored posts, product reviews, or influencer takeovers.
Provide value to the influencer: Provide value to the influencer by offering them exclusive discounts or access to your products or services. This can help to incentivize them to create positive content for your business.
Use visual content: Use high-quality visual content, such as images or videos, to make your content more engaging and shareable.
Be authentic: Be authentic and genuine in your content. Avoid using overly promotional or salesy language and focus on providing value to your audience.
Measure results: Measure the results of your influencer marketing campaigns to determine their effectiveness. Use analytics tools to track engagement, reach, and conversions.

Hiring an Online Reputation Management Service or Company

Hiring an online reputation management (ORM) service or company can be beneficial for businesses that want to improve their online reputation.

Expertise: ORM services or companies have expertise in managing and improving online reputations. They have experience in monitoring online reviews and comments, responding to negative feedback, and creating positive content.
Save time and resources: Managing online reputation can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Hiring an ORM service or company can free up business resources and allow staff to focus on other aspects of the business.
Improve online visibility: ORM services or companies can improve a business’s online visibility by optimizing search engine results, increasing positive reviews, and creating positive content.
Crisis management: ORM services or companies can help businesses manage a crisis or negative publicity. They can provide guidance on how to respond to negative feedback or comments, and create a plan for damage control.
Objective perspective: ORM services or companies can provide an objective perspective on a business’s online reputation. They can identify areas where the business needs improvement and provide recommendations for improvement.
Customized solutions: ORM services or companies can provide customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each business. They can tailor their services to address specific issues or concerns.

Nestlé also faced a notorious reputation management failure when Greenpeace accused them of harmful environmental practices online.

The Facebook Nestle Mess: When Social Media Goes Anti-Social

Understanding the Role of an Online Reputation Management Service/Company

The role of an online reputation management (ORM) service or company is to help businesses improve their online reputation by monitoring, managing, and enhancing their online presence.

Monitoring: An ORM service or company will monitor a business’s online presence, including search results, social media, review sites, and other online platforms. They will keep track of mentions of the business and monitor for negative comments or reviews.

Responding: An ORM service or company will respond to negative comments or reviews in a professional and constructive manner. They will work with the business to develop an appropriate response strategy that addresses the customer’s concerns and protects the business’s reputation.
Creating positive content: An ORM service or company will create positive content that showcases the business’s products or services. This can include blog posts, social media content, customer success stories, and other forms of positive content.
Search engine optimization (SEO): An ORM service or company will use SEO techniques to improve the visibility of positive content and push down negative search results.
Reputation repair: An ORM service or company will develop a plan to repair a damaged online reputation. This may involve removing negative content, addressing customer concerns, and creating positive content.
Reporting and analysis: An ORM service or company will provide regular reports and analysis to the business to track the effectiveness of their reputation management efforts. They will use analytics tools to measure engagement, reach, and conversions.

According to the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), brand safety makes sure that advertisements, their content, and any content shared by brands are appropriate. It also guides brands to steer away from inappropriate topics. Although somewhat similar concepts, brand safety falls into brand reputation management.

IAB Brand Safety and Suitability Guide

Benefits of Hiring an ORM Service/Company for Your Business

Hiring an online reputation management (ORM) service or company can offer several benefits for businesses.

Improved online reputation: ORM services or companies can help businesses improve their online reputation by addressing negative reviews or comments, creating positive content, and optimizing search engine results.

Crisis management: ORM services or companies can provide guidance and support during a crisis or negative publicity. They can help businesses develop a strategy to respond to negative feedback and mitigate damage to their reputation.
Time and resource savings: Managing online reputation can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Hiring an ORM service or company can free up business resources and allow staff to focus on other aspects of the business.
Expertise and experience: ORM services or companies have expertise and experience in managing and improving online reputations. They have experience in monitoring online reviews and comments, responding to negative feedback, and creating positive content.
Objective perspective: ORM services or companies can provide an objective perspective on a business’s online reputation. They can identify areas where the business needs improvement and provide recommendations for improvement.
Customized solutions: ORM services or companies can provide customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each business. They can tailor their services to address specific issues or concerns.

To understand how a business might develop a reputation management strategy, I spoke with Ellie Flanagan, a HubSpot alum who specializes in corporate communications.

Ellie Flanagan

Managing Your Search Engine Results

Managing your search engine results is an important aspect of online reputation management.

Monitor your search results: Regularly monitor your search results to identify any negative content or reviews that may be harming your reputation.

Optimize your website: Optimize your website with relevant keywords and content that accurately reflects your business and brand. This can help to improve your search engine rankings and push down negative search results.
Use social media: Use social media to engage with customers and promote positive content. This can help to improve your online reputation and increase positive search results.
Create positive content: Create positive content, such as blog posts, press releases, and customer success stories, that showcases your products or services. This can help to improve your search engine rankings and push down negative search results.
Respond to negative reviews: Respond to negative reviews in a professional and constructive manner. This can help to address the customer’s concerns and prevent negative reviews from dominating search results.
Use SEO techniques: Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, such as link building and metadata optimization, to improve your search engine rankings and push down negative search results.
Hire an ORM service or company: Consider hiring an ORM service or company to manage your search engine results and improve your online reputation.

They Said What?! How To Harness Reputation Management, Social Media & Other Online Strategies To Boost Your Business Profits

Harness-Reputation-Management-Strategies-Business-ebook

Steps to Take in Order to Monitor & Manage Your Search Engine Results

Here are some steps to take in order to monitor and manage your search engine results:

Conduct a search engine audit: Conduct a search engine audit to identify the search terms and keywords that are relevant to your business. This can help you to understand how your business is currently appearing in search results.
Monitor your search results: Regularly monitor your search results to identify any negative content or reviews that may be harming your reputation. Use Google Alerts or other monitoring tools to receive alerts when new content is published.
Optimize your website: Optimize your website with relevant keywords and content that accurately reflects your business and brand. This can help to improve your search engine rankings and push down negative search results.
Use social media: Use social media to engage with customers and promote positive content. This can help to improve your online reputation and increase positive search results.
Create positive content: Create positive content, such as blog posts, press releases, and customer success stories, that showcases your products or services. This can help to improve your search engine rankings and push down negative search results.
Respond to negative reviews: Respond to negative reviews in a professional and constructive manner. This can help to address the customer’s concerns and prevent negative reviews from dominating search results.
Use SEO techniques: Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, such as link building and metadata optimization, to improve your search engine rankings and push down negative search results.
Hire an ORM service or company: Consider hiring an ORM service or company to manage your search engine results and improve your online reputation.
Monitor and analyze results: Monitor and analyze the results of your search engine management efforts. Use analytics tools to track engagement, reach, and conversions, and adjust your strategy as needed.

Trust is a perishable asset and it is hard to gain. Working to build respect work is more important than any other online reputation management commandment.

Where does trust come from

Conclusion

In conclusion, online reputation management is crucial for businesses in today’s digital age. With the vast majority of consumers relying on online reviews and search engine results to make purchasing decisions, a business’s online reputation can make or break its success. By understanding the importance of online reputation management, businesses can take proactive steps to monitor and manage their online presence, respond to negative feedback, and create positive content. Whether through DIY efforts or by hiring an ORM service or company, businesses can improve their online reputation and attract more customers. Ultimately, a positive online reputation can lead to increased trust, loyalty, and profitability for businesses of all sizes and industries.