We have all heard of the saying, “your reputation precedes you” and when it comes to Online Reputation Management, or more commonly known as ORM, it’s exactly that. Your (perceived) reputation within the digital sphere.
Table of Contents
Why does ORM matter?
All it takes is one bad review from a customer or client to harm your reputation. Online reputation management takes into consideration the following elements of your personal, corporate or professional brand in order to formulate strategies to show you in the best possible light:
Monitoring
Measuring
Analyzing
While it is about finding out and addressing content that might be damaging to your brand, it’s also about what the perceptions, beliefs and opinions of existing and potential customers are.
Finding out where conversations that could potentially be hurting your brand are taking place (think social media communities such as LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook) is vital in ensuring you are either a part of those conversations so you can handle the backlash, or you can ensure your best content is seen first in order to maximize your most positive aspects.
Here at the Flint Studio headquarters, one of the best social monitoring and ORM tools that we make use of is for our clients is BrandsEye, which has been invaluable in allowing us to identify conversations and make informed decisions based on online sentiment.
What can you do to improve your ORM?
Improving your social image and reach is important as most people buy products or enter into professional relationships based on referrals or recommendations.
If people are giving you bad reviews, it will stick longer in the minds of potential customers than all the good you have done – after all, bad news always travels faster than good news, right?
Customers can search up to the third page on Google before making a purchasing decision, taking into consideration the testimonials and comments of others who have had experience with your product. ORM helps you suppress negative search results and bridges the gap between how people perceive you and your brand and how you would like to be perceived.
Follow these 3 tips to improve your personal ORM:
Research:
Google yourself. Analyze social media platforms, blogs, HelloPeter etc. to find out what information about you shows up first. This way, you will know how hard you have to work to remedy any negativity
Your own domain:
Having your own website or blog means people only see the information you want them to see. This serves as your online business card and CV.
Personal web presence sites such as About.me and Brandyourself.com make this process easier as all your information is neatly and professionally organized in one place, reducing the possibility of people looking elsewhere.
Professional Profiles:
Joining professional profile websites and forums such as LinkedIn or Bizcommunity ensures you and your company put your best foot forward as these sites have high search engine visibility.
Commenting on articles, blogs and forums that are industry related as well as joining Google hangouts and panel discussions demonstrates your competence in your field of expertise.
Always put your best foot forward
Seeing as we can’t force people to like us, our company, our products and services, having the opportunity to engage with them online as well as giving them your best work is more than enough.
ORM lets you put your best foot forward; ensuring your reputation online stays intact and up to date.
Contact us today for a quote if your company requires professional ORM, community management or a digital strategy.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
