Online Reputation Management is the practice of monitoring, influencing, and enhancing the online perception of a person, brand, or business.
What is Online Reputation Management?
Online Reputation Management (ORM) is the process of controlling what people see and think about you, your brand, or your business when they look you up online.
It’s your digital reputation! Just like in real life, what people say about you can affect how others see you — online, it’s the same, but it happens through search engines, reviews, social media, and news articles.
People often Google a business or person before making a decision — like buying from them, hiring them, or working with them. If the first thing they see in the search results is a bad review or a negative article, it can hurt the person’s or business’ chances.
ORM is about protecting your name/brand on the internet, building trust, and making sure people see the best and most accurate version of you, your brand, or your business online. It involves managing search engine results, social media profiles, customer reviews, and other digital content to build a positive and trustworthy online presence.
Why ORM is Important
- Consumer Trust: A positive online reputation builds trust and credibility, influencing consumer decisions. Research indicates that consumers rely heavily on online reviews, with a significant majority trusting them as much as personal recommendations.
- Business Success: ORM directly impacts business growth and profitability by attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. Studies show a strong correlation between positive online reviews and increased sales.
- Brand Image: ORM helps shape and maintain a positive brand image, aligning online content with desired perceptions and values.
- Crisis Management: ORM provides a proactive approach to prevent and manage potential crises, minimizing the impact of negative publicity.
- Improved Search Engine Rankings: ORM strategies, including SEO, can boost a business’s visibility in search results.
- Talent Acquisition: A positive online reputation can attract top talent, which is essential for business success.
Key Aspects and Strategies of ORM
- Monitoring Online Presence: Regularly tracking brand mentions, reviews, and social media conversations.
- Encouraging Positive Reviews: Actively requesting reviews from satisfied customers and highlighting positive testimonials.
- Responding to Feedback: Addressing both positive and negative reviews professionally and promptly to demonstrate responsiveness and commitment to customer satisfaction.
- Optimizing Online Presence: Ensuring accurate and consistent business information across all online platforms, including local listings and social media profiles.
- Content Creation: Developing high-quality, relevant content that showcases expertise and aligns with brand values.
- SEO Integration: Utilizing SEO strategies to improve the visibility of positive content and suppress negative search results.
- Crisis Management Planning: Developing a proactive plan to address potential reputation threats.
- Leveraging ORM Tools: Using specialized software to automate monitoring, analyze sentiment, and manage reviews.
Online Reputation Management Services
Businesses can also enlist professional ORM agencies or consultants to handle reputation management tasks. These services can be beneficial for businesses that lack the resources or expertise to manage their reputation internally or require specialized assistance with crisis management or content removal. 360 Crue is an online reputation management agency and we are here to help when you need us.
360 Crue’s ORM Process
Our continuous ORM Cycle (see sidebar diagram) is the mechanism by which we manage the ORM process to showcase the results of our clients’ consistent commitment to brand integrity. Consistency in actions and words is a cornerstone of building integrity, as it demonstrates reliability, trustworthiness, and a commitment to ethical behavior, which are all essential for building strong relationships and reputations (see our philosophy). By continuing to place focus on all essential areas of concern in a systematic cyclical approach, no stone is left unturned and crucial decisions are informed in real-time.
Stage 1. Perform Reputation Audit See Details
- We identify client goals (personal, business, brand, etc.)
- We perform reputation audit:
- Google and Bing search results (top 100 results)
- Social media mentions and sentiment
- Review sites (e.g., Yelp, Trustpilot, Glassdoor)
- News articles, forums, blogs
- We analyze sentiment (positive, neutral, negative)
- We identify high-risk content or threats (defamatory, outdated, misleading)
- We map digital assets and presence (websites, profiles, backlinks, etc.)
Stage 2. Devise Reputation Strategy See Details
- We define key reputation objectives (e.g., suppression, removal, enhancement)
- We prioritize threats and opportunities
- We identify target keywords and branded search terms
- We develop multi-channel content and visibility strategy
- We create timeline and resource allocation
Stage 3. Repair Reputation Damages See Details
- We perform web asset optimization and normalization
- We remove/correct inaccurate information across web assets
- We attempt content removal:
- Request takedowns or edits from publishers
- Request removal of social media content that violates policies
- Legal actions (DMCA, defamation, privacy claims)
- We employ Content suppression tactics:
- Publish positive content on authoritative sites
- Build high-ranking properties (social profiles, microsites, blogs)
- SEO optimization of positive content
- GEO optimization of positive content
- We push down negative search results using link-building and content stacking
Stage 4. Monitor Reviews & Ratings See Details
- We set up brand and name (mention) monitoring tools
- We track keyword rankings
- We monitor reviews and ratings across key platforms
- We track sentiment trends over time
- We setup Alerts for brand mentions and reviews
Stage 5. Engage with Fresh Content See Details
- We create high-quality, keyword-optimized content:
- Articles, press releases, blogs, videos, social posts
- We publish across diverse platforms:
- Owned websites, Google, Yelp!, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.
- We build and maintain authoritative profiles
- We promote content via SEO, GEO, PPC, social media, email outreach
- We solicit and manage authentic positive reviews
- We flag and respond to false or damaging reviews
- We respond to customer feedback constructively
- We implement review generation systems (email/SMS campaigns)
Stage 6. Maintenance & long term control (repeat the cycle)
- We continue to audit and to reassess overall sentiment
- We contnue to strategize in response to fresh audits
- We continue to repair and suppress negative content
- We continue to monitor new mentions and reviews (overall sentiment)
- We continue to engage by creating and promoting fresh optimized content, responding to negative reviews and soliciting positive reviews
Important Note: ORM is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and a long-term commitment for optimal results.
* 360 Crue may change the tools and methods used as deemed necessary or sufficient given the specifics of each case
