You may have heard about ORM or Online Reputation Management, but do you know how important it is for businesses investing in digital marketing? 

Digitalization has revolutionized how we’re perceived online, and ORM plays an essential role in monitoring, improving, and analyzing potential customer interactions. 

While traditional marketing efforts focus on creating a positive reputation for a brand, ORM can focus on maintaining a good reputation or repairing a damaged one.

Here’s what you need to know about online reputation management.

How Does ORM Boost Your Digital Marketing Campaigns?

With the vast majority of consumers now using search engines to research potential purchases, it’s more important than ever for businesses to focus on their online reputation management. But what exactly is ORM? 

In short, ORM is the process of monitoring, managing, and improving a brand’s online presence and reputation when necessary. There are several ways to do this, but it often includes content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media engagement. 

While some think ORM only applies to large businesses or those with negative reviews, the truth is that it can be beneficial for companies of all sizes — even those with primarily positive feedback. 

Here’s a closer look at how ORM can impact digital marketing. 

1. Transform Your Search Results and Drive Up Sales:

One of the most direct ways ORM impacts digital marketing is through search results. When potential customers search for your business or products online, you want them to see positive reviews and satisfied customer testimonials. 

However, if negative reviews are floating around, they are also likely to appear, and you want to avoid that. You can improve your online image by firmly addressing harmful content, leading to better conversions.

2. Attract and Retain New Customers:

An efficient online reputation management strategy will also help attract new customers. More and more people are relying on online reviews when making purchasing decisions. If you have a good reputation online, you’ll likely see an increase in new customers. 

3. Helps Improve Your Digital Marketing Strategy: 

All businesses should do some form of content marketing, SEO, and social media engagement. But ORM can enhance these efforts by giving you a better understanding of what potential customers are looking for and what they respond to most favorably. 

This valuable insight can then help to fine-tune your marketing strategy moving forward. 

4. Gain the Competitive Edge With Better Customer Service: 

When done correctly, ORM may lead to increased customer satisfaction levels. That is because it provides a way for businesses to quickly address negative feedback and turn unhappy customers into satisfied ones. Additionally, ORM can help create a more positive overall customer experience, leading to repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. 

5. Protects and Strengthens Your Brand’s Reputation: 

ORM is an essential tool for protecting your brand’s reputation. In today’s digital world, one negative review has the potential to do a lot of damage. By monitoring your online presence and quickly addressing any negative feedback, you can help protect your brand against reputational risks. 

How to Check Your Online Reputation

Do you want to learn how to use online reputation management and digital marketing to improve your online presence? Discover what it takes to build a successful reputation below.

Google Search

If you’re wondering what people think of you or your business, one way to get an idea is to search for yourself online. Doing so will show you what information is about you and how accurate it is. It’s also an excellent way to see how you’re ranking in terms of positive listings and reviews. 

If you’re unhappy with what you see, don’t worry! There are things you can do to improve your online reputation. But if you are happy with the results, it’s a good indication that your customers are satisfied too. 

Either way, staying on top of your online reputation is essential to ensure people have a positive first impression of you or your business.

1. Check your Google listings – Is your name and contact information accurate? Is your business category correct? Are your hours of operation up to date?
2. Check your ranking – Are you appearing on the front page of Google search results? If not, why not?
3. Check for positive reviews – What are people saying about you? Are they happy with your products or services?
4. Check for thought leadership – Are you considered an expert in your industry? Do you have articles or blog posts widely read and respected?
5. Check for industry expertise – Are you known as a go-to source for information in your industry? Do people seek you out when they have questions or need advice?

Social Media

You can follow these tips to find out what your social media reputation is like.

First, check your brand’s social channels (such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) to see what customers say about you. Look at the posts that mention you and see how people react. Are they positive or negative?

Next, respond to comments and messages promptly. This will show that you care about your customers and their experience with your brand. 

Your response time will also reflect how well you handle customer service inquiries. Always represent your brand in a positive light by responding politely and professionally to all comments, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.

Additionally, you can use hashtags to monitor conversations about your brand. Look for hashtags that mention you and see what people are saying.

Location tags are also available to determine what people in specific areas think of your brand. So, for example, if you’re a restaurant chain, you can check to see if there are any negative reviews in certain cities or states.

Finally, look for evidence of return customers and die-hard fans. Are there any loyal customers of your brand that help defend it against negative reviews or comments by showing their support online?

Online Reviews

There are a few ways to get an idea of your overall online review score.

First, check reviews on review sites like Google, Angie’s List, Yelp, and Trustpilot. Are you responding to them? Responding to reviews on time is crucial to any online reputation management strategy.

An active Facebook page for customers to leave comments is another way to know what people think about your business. Your team should also read community boards, such as Reddit, to see what people are searching for and saying about your company. Are customers rating your products and services with stars or leaving meaningful comments on these sites?

Checking employee reviews on job boards such as Indeed can give insight into how others perceive your company’s culture and work environment. Additionally, using comparison sites to rank against competitors will help you identify how you measure up in the market.

Finally, keeping track of past and present customer reviews will give you an idea of your reputation according to people’s experiences with your products and services.

How To Improve Your Online Reputation

When it comes to improving your online presence, there are several strategies you can employ.

Claim Everything Online

A key element of ORM is claiming everything online about your business, including social media accounts, listings on review sites, and any other type of content that others have created. By doing this, you are taking control of the conversation around your business and monitoring it proactively.

Monitor and Manage Your Online Image

Setting up reputation monitors is one way to ensure that no negative reviews or comments about your business go unnoticed. It involves using tools such as Google Alerts and Social Mention to track when specific keywords related to your business appear online. 

If any negative feedback arises, you can address it quickly and effectively.

Invest in Your Team

Another way to protect your reputation is by empowering employees with the tools they need to handle situations involving customer service and negative reviews efficiently. This could include training them to respond professionally and address customer complaints appropriately. 

Enhance Online Visibility

Digital marketing is a critical component of ORM because it helps increase your search ranking on major search engines such as Google and Bing. As a result, when someone searches for terms related to your business, they will be more likely to find the content associated with it than competitors’ websites or other companies in related fields.

Create an Effective PR Campaign

Finally, coordinating public relations events like press conferences or interviews with media outlets can also benefit ORM because it allows you to gain visibility while managing any potential negative publicity associated with the business. 

By doing this, you are controlling how people view the company and creating positive associations between the brand and its audience. 

Partner With an Online Reputation Manager

ORM is a critical part of any digital marketing strategy — especially in today’s tech-savvy world where customers are increasingly turning to the internet for guidance on everything from where to eat lunch to which car to buy. 

By focusing on your ORM efforts, you can improve your search results, attract new customers and enhance your marketing efforts while protecting your brand’s good reputation.

In conclusion, online reputation management is becoming increasingly vital for businesses investing in digital marketing. It provides a comprehensive overview of the customer’s perception of the company. 

Furthermore, it allows individuals to take corrective measures to improve their online presence and increase visibility to maximize ROI.