In this age of digitisation, the consumer buying process has changed drastically. People looking for a particular product refer to the reviews left by previous customers online and decide accordingly whether to buy it or not. These reviews can either make or break a business. Hence, Online Reputation Management should be one of the key aspects a business should focus on.
“In a time when 92% people trust businesses with a great star rating on their business online, managing your online reputation is not an option anymore.”- Andy Gilman
What is Online Reputation?
Online Reputation is the image of a business on the internet and other digital platforms. It determines how people perceive the brand. This reputation further dictates its future performance. It is largely impacted by the kind of content used for Online Marketing, the reactions of and interactions with consumers regarding the product. Thus, Online Reputation Management is one of the most powerful and significant marketing assets a business possesses, and it can be further enhanced by an ORM services consultant.
How To Measure Online Reputation for a Business?
Here are some ways by which you can measure the online reputation for a business:
- Quality and Quantity of Online Reviews – Online reviews are akin to a bridge between prospective buyers and your product or service. A high volume of reviews makes an organisation look authentic and reliable in the eyes of the customers whereas reviews with a higher rating help guarantee more sales.
- Web Search Frequency – This is one of the Key Performance Indicators of the effectiveness of your Online Reputation Management and Online Marketing efforts. An increase in the number of web searches will automatically bring your business under the radar. So, this factor should be tracked daily to gauge your online performance.
- Referrals from Customers – Customers can prove to be priceless advocates for your brand when they are fully satisfied with the services rendered by you. Knowing the absolute number of such loyal customers can be a significant measure of your online reputation.
- Social Media – Social Media reach can be a clear-cut measure of the online reputation of your business in the form of likes, followers, positive comments, shares and reshares of content etc., by Online Marketing.
What are the Steps Involved in Enhancing Online Reputation?
Here are a few steps you can adopt to enhance your online reputation by effective online marketing:
- Monitoring your Online Reach – If you don’t know where and by how much you are lagging in terms of online reach, how can you upgrade? This is the first step towards enhancing your online reputation. An ORM services consultant can help you do this.
- Encouraging Online Feedbacks – By actively taking interest in getting feedbacks from costumers, you can build your online reputation. Positive feedbacks help drive more traffic to your website.
- Working with Social Media Influencers for the promotion of your brand – Social Media occupies a central position today in the online marketing world. Collaborating with social media influencers will help gain more visibility to your brand.
- Starting a Blog for your business – You can drive more traffic to your website by starting a blog that caters to the needs of the audience. This is a crucial step for Online Marketing and Online Reputation Management.
How To Sustain a Positive Online Reputation by Building a Strong Reputation Online?
Sustaining your Online Reputation is just as important as building one, if not more. Here’s how you can do that, with the help of an ORM service consultant:
- Dealing with Negative Reviews the Right Way – There are bound to be people who are dissatisfied with your products or services even after putting in your best efforts. What you can do in that case is take responsibility for the negative feedbacks and try to rectify them as soon as possible. This will also help in gaining more loyal customers.
- Maintaining Transparency – By being transparent in your business activities, you bring your weaknesses in the limelight and people appreciate this kind of straightforwardness.
- Being Consistent – People usually purchase repeatedly from your business because they are satisfied with your service and product offerings. Being consistent in the quality of services and product offerings rendered by you, will increase customer satisfaction, thereby, enhancing your online reputation.
Role of an ORM Consultant in Enhancing Online Reputation?
An ORM (Online Reputation Management) Consultant is a professional who can help you build and sustain your online reputation. ORM services help you understand the concepts of online management, online reputation management and online marketing. Some ORM services include:
- Reputation Monitoring and Protection – They follow and study the online reviews garnered by your business and prepare an action plan from the same. Once your business has a good reputation, an ORM services consultant develops strategies to protect it.
- Reputation Repair – If your organisation does not have a good reputation online, an ORM service consultant can help you build one by initiating various techniques of communication, interaction and persuasion with your respective target groups in order to regain a positive reputation for your business.
Key Takeaways
- Online Reputation Management helps to build brand image for a business both in the short and long term, which in turn helps achieving revenue goals for a business.
- Online Reputation Management builds Trust and Credibility for a business among consumer mind space.
- An excellent Online Reputation Management strategy can generate smart Business Insights on ways businesses can increase their brand awareness. Each review is critical as it can be an excellent way to attract new customers if they can be focused on the right channel.
It is quite evident that Online Reputation is very important for your business to function smoothly. Companies with good online reputation management strategies are way ahead of their game in today’s digital world!
