Every brand knows that reputation is key to success. Many brands don’t take the time and effort to build and maintain a good reputation. This is especially true given the unpredictable nature of the internet.
Online reputation management can do exactly that. Here are the facts.
What is Online Reputation Management?
Online reputation management, or ORM, is the process of managing online information about a brand. Although online reputation management is similar to PR or public relations, there are key differences.
Online reputation management tends to be reactive while public relations are proactive. Public relations are usually outsourced to an agency, while online reputation management is typically done in-house.
What is the importance of online reputation management?
Now that you know what online reputation management is, let’s discuss why it’s so important. We’ll be discussing customer feedback and online reviews.
Positive Reviews can boost your online presence
It is no secret that customer reviews on Google My Business pages are very important for e-commerce businesses. They also show up prominently when searching Google. It’s also easy to overlook how crucial they can be to your online reputation management strategy. Negative comments or content can have a negative impact on your brand image.
A good reputation is built on reviews. Online reviews and other content are valued equally by consumers as word-of-mouth. Consumers are more inclined to choose local businesses that have five-star reviews than businesses with negative feedback and reviews.
How does this relate to the online management of reputation? Online reviews are a crucial component of online reputation management.
Customer feedback
Although it is easy to ignore negative reviews from small businesses in search engine results and rush to fix your online image, these reviews can be a valuable source of customer feedback.
The feedback you receive can be used to make positive changes in customer experience and online reputation management campaigns. This will help you prevent negative reviews from being left in the future.
Let’s take, for example, the possibility of several comments online about a defect in a product. Then you can take steps to fix the problem and make sure that all future orders work properly.
Viral Incidents
We have all seen viral posts on social media by business owners that can damage a brand’s reputation and cause them to look for reputation management companies.
A 2017 video about a customer’s bad experience with United Airlines became viral via social media, with over 100 million views. United Airlines suffered a loss of over $1 billion due to this viral video and needed to work with online reputation management services providers to recover.
It is impossible to predict which viral content will be popular and which won’t. It’s possible to assume that a viral issue that negatively impacts your brand’s reputation will result in your brand being listed on the first page of search results. This could lead to lost customers and revenue that is difficult to recover.
Who needs online reputation management?
Online reputation management is an essential aspect of the business. But is it important for all businesses? Online reputation management could be beneficial for all businesses, it turns out. Online reputation management is especially important for e-commerce businesses that operate entirely online.
It makes sense, if you think about it. Online reputation management is crucial for businesses that operate completely online. Because e-commerce customers rely solely on the information they find online when making purchasing decisions. If they find a negative review, or any other indication that causes them concern, it could turn them off quickly and lead them to move their business elsewhere.
What are the different aspects of online reputation management?
No matter what kind of business you are in or the industry you work in, you should be aware of four aspects of online reputation management: owned media and earned media, shared media, and paid media. These are the important components you should know.
Owned Media
Media sources you control or own are considered owned media. Examples of owned media include the website of your brand, your brand’s blog, and pages on third-party sites like Amazon. Owned media offers you the ability to control your messaging so that your digital marketing efforts can be as effective as possible.
If you can promote your brand’s website on search engines such as Google by using search engine optimization efforts, you will be able to promote a positive online image since this is what people see first when they search for similar keywords.
You can also share positive content on social media channels like Linkedin or your social media marketing pages to increase your ORM strategy.
Earned Media
Earned media is coverage that comes from third-party sites. Earned media includes press coverage, blog posts, articles on other websites, review sites such as Google and Yelp, and forums like Reddit or Quora.
Although it is important to use owned media for search engine optimization, earned media should also be considered. Search engine algorithms scan all of the web searching for mentions or links. Your online reputation will improve the more positive information you have about your brand and products.
Shared Media
Media sources that you and others share are called shared media. Examples of shared media include social media accounts that are available on popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Twitter.
You can still control certain aspects of your brand’s reputation depending on which platform you use. You don’t want your brand to be known for deleting negative reviews or blocking people. Instead, concentrate on what you can control and work towards creating a brand and products people love to share on social media.
Paid Media
Paid media is media that you pay for. digital ads on platforms such as Google and Amazon. Facebook. Instagram. You can promote your business using a variety of paid media, including search ads, native ads, and video ads.
Paid media can be a great way to increase your online reputation. You have full control over your advertisement. Your advertisements should be engaging and compelling. They must include a call to action, social proof, and a call to value.
Online Reputation Management checklist and tips
Let’s review everything we know so far about online reputation management checklist. Now let’s get to the tips that will help you maintain a positive online reputation.
Tip 1: It starts with the Audit of your Online Reputation
An audit of your online reputation is a great way to start your online reputation management efforts. An initial audit will give you a good idea of your online reputation and serve as a foundation for future online reputation management efforts.
This initial audit can be done using many tools online. There are tools that can “grade” your brand based on online information. You can also use compliant tools to help you collect all complaints from multiple websites.
Tip 2: Decide what you want your online reputation to be
Based on your initial online reputation audit results, you can decide what your online reputation should be. You should consider what you want to be known as.
Are you looking to be recognized for your industry knowledge and experience? Are you looking to be remembered for your excellent customer service skills? Are you looking to be recognized for the innovation and quality of your products? There are no right or wrong answers, but you can choose a particular area in which you want to be a leader.
Tip 3: Create a foundation for a positive online reputation with owned media
Next, create a foundation to build a positive online image using owned media. It is important to consider your desired online reputation when developing owned media sources.
If you are determined to be known for product innovation and quality, you can promote that area on your blog and brand website. You can show how your product is superior and why you’re better than others.
Tip 4: Increase your online reputation with shared media
You should then add to your online reputation by sharing media. It’s vital that e-commerce businesses have a strong presence on social media.
These platforms will allow you to post relevant, entertaining content that appeals directly to your customers. Engage with your followers by commenting, liking, sharing, and so on.
If someone leaves a comment about a negative experience with one of your posts on social media, it is important that you respond quickly and address the problem. People will be able to view the comments and your responses publicly.
Tip 5: Use Paid Media to Promote Your Online Reputation
Paid media is another way to promote your online image. It’s often not enough to have a social media account with a brand. To reach your target audience, you should actively advertise on these platforms with attractive content.
Consider where your target audience spends their time and how they would respond to an advertisement. Next, work with advertising professionals at agencies such as Auctus Marketing to create and tailor campaigns that are based on your audience and goals.
Tip 6: Don’t forget SEO
It’s easy for search engines to be overlooked with all the attention on social media. Search engines are still vital for e-commerce businesses looking to improve their online reputations.
To get the best SEO results, you should identify your target keywords and update your website and product listing. Also, try to get your name, links, and URLs on third-party websites. These techniques will increase your search engine ranking.
Tip 7: Ask customers for reviews
If you are brand new, you should work hard to build your online reputation. Negative reviews can be just as bad as no reviews. It’s best to ask customers to review your brand and offer incentives if needed.
Tip 8: Respond appropriately to negative reviews
A lot of negative reviews are worse than no reviews. It’s also important to remember that a negative review isn’t necessarily the end of the world. It’s essential to answer negative reviews. Respond quickly to all negative reviews and address the concerns in the review.
Tip 9: Provide sufficient training to employees
You can also train your employees to improve your online reputation. This will help you avoid negative reviews from customers who have received poor service. Your employees can be given the tools to build their online reputation using different media channels and to respond to negative reviews.
Tip 10: Monitor your online reputation consistently
You can’t just fix your online reputation once and forget it. It’s something you need to monitor in order to make sure that your online reputation is positive.
This doesn’t mean you have to spend your entire day searching social media and the internet for mentions about your brand. Instead, create alerts to be notified when mentions of your brand are made, and make time to review them regularly.
Final thoughts on Online Reputation Management
Online reputation management encompasses everything, from social media advertising campaigns that are engaging to customer service. Auctus Marketing is able to assist in creating engaging and successful social media advertising campaigns through our expertise on many platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and Google. Contact us now!