Introduction
Online platforms can make or break your brand’s reputation in the market. This is because brand reputation, today, holds an important part of any business. Whether you are just starting out in the market or have an already established brand or an entrepreneur looking to enter into new ventures, it is important for you that you know what people say or think about you. And, for this purpose, the internet plays an important role. This is where ORM or online reputation management comes into picture. Likely said, ORM is the process of monitoring, analysing, and managing your brand’s online reputation.
Why is ORM needed for your businesses today?
Today businesses are not only relying on offline marketing channels to boost sales but also on online marketing channels. Online marketing channels grab a large share in attracting customers for the business. Whether a hospital, a resort, a restaurant or a salon, you definitely require good online reputation management.
For example, let’s consider a restaurant who has been in the food market for 2 to 3 years and is suddenly witnessing negative reviews regarding its cleanliness and taste of the food on Google. If these reviews are seen by other people, then it would definitely tarnish the image of the restaurant. Therefore, it is essential to manage these reviews and understand the queries of the customers for further improvement in the business. With effective ORM strategies, one can respond to negative feedback in a better manner and uplift the positive reviews of the restaurant.
What are the steps taken to improve the ORM of a business?
Typically, ORM is a systematic process, wherein a dedicated team of individuals track and manage conversations of people on online platforms. It can be a social media platform or search engine. It involves various techniques some of which include:
- Managing customer reviews both positive and negative.
- Monitoring the social media behaviour of customers and attracting potential customers through effective marketing strategies.
- Monitoring the SEO for effective ranking in the search engine result page.
- Addressing any negative crisis arising out of customer complaints or negative PR from opponents.
- Managing the reviews and feedback on the content of your business such as blogs, news, and others.
ORM is not just about damage control of your business but it is about sustaining a long term relationship with your customers online.
How can ORM help in improving your business?
ORM helps to build credibility and trust among consumers. For various purposes, customers read online reviews and make their buying decisions. Therefore, a strong ORM strategy is essential to attract potential customers and boost your business.
Secondly, ORM focuses on business growth. That is, with a dedicated team of ORM specialists, you can attract customers and even investors for new business opportunities based on the positive feedback in the market.
ORM helps to stabilize your online visibility. That is to say, strategies go beyond just attracting customers. It also helps you to improve your search engine rankings online. Strategies such as guest blogging, content marketing, and authentic customer testimonials can help you to appear top in the search engine results page.
ORM helps in crisis management. One of the major aspects of deploying ORM strategies in your business is to detect and address negative reviews arising out of negative PRS done by your opponents.
What are the effective ORM strategies for your business?
Start monitoring your online presence with the help of online tools such as Google alerts, Hootsuite, and other tools. This helps you to track brand mentions done by customers, positive or negative reviews, and even social media comments.
Continuously engage with your customers online. This can be done either through positive or negative feedback. That is, you can show gratitude towards positive replies and explain your point of view to negative replies without writing any defensive replies.
Ask for positive reviews through email or reaching out to your customers personally via online platforms. This will help you understand positive points about your brand from satisfied customers.
Remove negative comments or suppress them if they try to tarnish your brand’s image without any proof for the negative comment made. Make sure you balance it with content that helps to keep your brand image positive in the market. This can be done through releasing newsletters, PRs, and even blogs.
Lastly, optimise your SEO continuously. For a robust online visibility, it is essential that you continuously update your website and social media profiles as per the latest industry trends. As, this helps you to engage with customers and update them about your brand’s achievements.
You should also read: What is SEO? A Comprehensive Guide
Some real life ORM stories for your inspiration:
Did you know that Dominos suffered from poor customer feedback in the late 2000s? Well, it was the taste of the pizza. Instead of focusing on the criticism, Dominos launched a campaign and accepted the flaws of the pizza. It also showcased the improvements made later. This honest approach of Domino’s created trust among existing and potential customers.
And how can we forget the infamous ORM crisis of Maggie? Where the Maggie noodles were suffering from the backlash of having lead content in their noodles. This was a major backlash, which not only tarnished the brand’s image but also reduced their sales to a greater level. This was however taken positively by brand and was met with honesty and transparency. Maggie tested its products and published reports of the same. Apart from this, Maggie also ran a #Wemissyoutoocampaign and revoked emotions, brand trust among consumers through user-generated content.
Conclusion
Online reputation management is now not an optional marketing strategy but one of the important pillars to include in your marketing strategy. A single negative review or a customer complaint can make or break your brand in no time. However, if you are set on the path to follow effective ORM strategies, then you can definitely control your brand’s narrative and also build long term trust among your customers.
So, if you are a budding entrepreneur, a startup who is just starting out in the market or a brand with years of experience, investing in ORM can always be helpful for your long term success.
So would you like to improve your brand’s online reputation? Then connect with Techglide now.
FAQs
What is Online Reputation Management (ORM)?
ORM is the process of monitoring, influencing, and improving how a brand or individual is perceived online.
Why is ORM important for businesses?
A strong online reputation builds trust, attracts customers, and prevents potential negative PR crises.
How can I improve my online reputation?
Engage with customers, encourage positive reviews, optimize your SEO, and address negative feedback proactively.
Can negative reviews be removed?
Yes, you can remove negative reviews. However, the best approach is to respond professionally to them and address concerns if any.
Which tools help with ORM?
Tools like Google Alerts, Hootsuite, Brand24, Survey Sparrow, and others help you to monitor and manage online reputation effectively.
