How Online Reputation Management Works
Online reputation management is an umbrella phrase that refers to a variety of techniques and tools that you can use to enhance and maintain the digital presence you want to portray. Online reputation management gives ways to build a positive online reputation, whether you operate a business or wish to safeguard your reputation. It is a method of influencing what shows in search results when someone looks for your name or company.
ORM (online reputation management) uses various tools and tactics to improve and defend one’s digital footprint. ORM allows individuals and corporations to manage what appears in search results to express a positive, brand-centric digital presence. Online reputation management is accomplished by:
- Increasing the prominence of positive information that reflects the image you wish to project.
- Identifying unfavourable content that may jeopardise your internet reputation.
- Removing or suppressing any negative feedback against your brand on online platforms.
Strategies For Online Reputation Management
Whether you want to enhance your personal image or operate a successful company, you can use multiple strategies to manage your digital reputation. Some of them are as follows:
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Analyse Your Online Presence
The first step in controlling or mending your internet image is determining where you stand. Look up yourself on Google to see if you have any shortcomings. You’re off to a good start if you don’t have any negative information. However, if you need help getting results for your name, it may be beneficial to start generating favourable content.
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Establish Google Alerts
You must keep an eye out for new search results because the internet is constantly changing. Create Google Alerts for your name, company name, or other essential trademarks or terms that one may associate with you. This allows you to stay on top of changes in your internet reputation.
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Change Your Social Media Account’s Privacy
You should make your personal accounts on social media private whether you run a business or not. What you publish on your personal social media channels can have a significant impact on your personal & professional life. If you are concerned about your online reputation, you must maximise your accounts’ social media privacy settings.
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Use Social Media Consistently
While we recommend keeping personal social media accounts secret, you should keep your professional social media profiles active! Curate and distribute information that complements the identity you want to portray. You should utilise social media accounts to generate positive and quality content if you own a company.
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Publish Engaging Content
Businesses should provide as much information as possible to establish and strengthen their digital presence. Creating a website, blog, and Wikipedia profile can help you gain awareness and minimise negative feedback. Individuals can also develop their material to improve their online presence. Personal websites, portfolios, or blogs are the most common ways to demonstrate your abilities and professional competence.
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Foster Positive Reviews
Positive evaluations can directly impact your profitability if you own a business. Before making a purchase decision, potential buyers want to know if your service or the product has received positive feedback. Reviews also help to increase your online presence and might drive visitors to your company’s website.
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Managing Bad Reviews
Negative feedback is common. While excellent customer service is the ideal review management method, some negative reviews are inescapable. If you actively monitor your company’s performance reviews, you’ll be able to respond to dissatisfied customers quickly. Clients sometimes just want to be heard and willingly withdraw their feedback if you attempt to set things straight.
Online reputation management services are effective, but nothing is ever guaranteed. The ORM results will depend on how much time, effort, and funds you invest into creating a solid reputation, including making excellent and positive company and personal decisions that attract favourable attention. However, there is no replacement for high-quality services and products. You may have a perfect ORM strategy, but if your company provides poor customer service, you will suffer from unfavourable reviews.
Similarly, only Google controls where things appear in its search engine results. These can be constantly improved and controlled, but no one can promise rankings. There is no established or sustained strategy to “cheat” one’s way to a positive digital footprint. ORM services can help you digitally share and enhance a positive company image, but they cannot generate one. This applies to both individuals and organisations.