Online reputation management (ORM) is about monitoring and improving your business’s online reputation. It means looking and analyzing what a potential customer, reporter, or partner will discover about your brand, people, or product/service when they perform a Google search. Before they ever land on your website or pick up the phone to call you — what will they find when they look for you? And will they like it?
How Does ORM Impact Digital Marketing?
It’s very easy for someone to judge you and your company by what they find on Google. According to recent surveys, about 95% of consumers read online reviews before buying a product, and over 81% are likely to read Google Reviews before visiting a physical business.
By searching for you online, they can come away with very different feelings about your company and what you offer, good or bad.
A negative online presence, or having no presence at all, can severely impact your company’s success (or you as an individual). Your online reputation counts whether you’re closing a business deal, developing a business partnership, or talking to reporters.
3M’s of ORM
The 3M’s of ORM provide a structured approach to managing and improving a company’s online presence effectively. These 3M’s are: Monitoring, Management, and Mitigation.
Monitoring: The first step involves continuously scanning the internet for mentions of the brand, product, or service. This includes social media, review sites, forums, and news outlets. Monitoring allows brands to stay informed about what is being said about them online, enabling timely responses to both positive and negative feedback.
Management: After monitoring, the next step is to manage the gathered information. This involves engaging with the audience, responding to reviews and comments, and publishing positive content that aligns with the brand’s values and messaging. Effective management helps in shaping the narrative around the brand, reinforcing positive perceptions, and building stronger relationships with the audience.
Mitigation: The final M stands for mitigation, which focuses on addressing and resolving any negative aspects of the brand’s online presence. This could involve dealing with negative reviews, countering misleading information, and implementing SEO strategies to ensure positive content ranks higher in search engine results. Mitigation strategies are crucial for minimizing the impact of negative content and protecting the brand’s reputation.
In today’s highly competitive marketplace, where customers have more choices than ever before, businesses that focus on delivering exceptional customer service and a great customer experience are more likely to succeed. By providing a seamless and personalized experience across all touchpoints, businesses can build strong relationships with their customers and drive long-term loyalty and success.
