Why Online Reputation Management Matters

When crafting a digital presence for your business, you might think you’ve covered all the essentials; you built an amazing website packed with SEO-friendly keywords, developed engaging social media accounts, curated a strong email list, and worked hard to build trust with your customers. But there’s one element of a digital presence that business owners often overlook: online reputation management (ORM).

What Shapes Your Online Reputation?

For most customers, online reputation is determined by the top results they see when searching for your business. Studies show that 93% of online experiences start with a search, so most customers aren’t coming directly to your website. Instead, they’re seeing third-party reviews, articles, and social media accounts first. This means that one bad Yelp review can influence customer perception of your business for years—scary, right? The opposite is also true; with careful reputation management, you can make search results benefit your business.

Developing an ORM Plan

There are several facets to successful ORM. The first is managing the search results that appear for your business. For example, you want your website to appear before Yelp or Google reviews. This means that SEO-optimized content is key; your website, social media content, and press coverage should closely associate your company name with keywords that relate to your core offerings so that search results paint a clear picture of your business. ORM also includes customer-facing interactions that build trust and a positive brand image, like well-monitored social media accounts and thoughtful responses to reviews on third-party sites.

Benefits of ORM

Good ORM creates a unified, positive online experience of your brand at every step of customer interaction, from Google autocompletes to customer reviews. A focus on ORM dictates your first impression with new customers and builds lasting relationships with your entire audience. When executed well, ORM makes you the online authority for your business.