The art of online reputation management

Essentially, these are proactive measures to monitor and manage the reputation of a brand, service or product on the Internet. In short: Get someone out of unpleasant situations as quickly as possible. 😉

Practical relevance of online reputation management

As already explained, ORM plays an extremely important role in our increasingly digitalized world. On the one hand, the ranking in search engines is increasingly based on reviews from customers, which means that these reviews can decisively determine whether a company receives attention at all. On the other hand, online reviews have a fundamental influence on consumer behavior, as the experiences of previous customers are incorporated into the buying process as an important decision-making factor. With consumers' increasing digital affinity, online reviews are becoming increasingly important. This is particularly true when Generation Z makes up a significant portion of the customer base.

“A full 77% of consumers actively take note of reviews when looking for local companies. ” brightlocal

‍

From our own experience, we know that negative experiences are remembered for longer. A single bad review can therefore have a significant impact on a company's reputation despite ten positive reviews. In addition, we often only see extremely positive or negative reviews, which is due to the high level of commitment of these two categories.

“Negative reviews deter an average of 40% of consumers from buying from a company” brightlocal

In addition, according to a study, expect 79% consumers that brands respond to their inquiries on social media within 24 hours. However, the average response rate across various industries is less than 25%. Even more material to get a negative review in a flash. ⚡

ORM is therefore extremely important in practice and should not be neglected under any circumstances.

Key Aspects of Online Reputation Management

The core elements of the ORM include the following aspects:

1 Monitoring

Monitoring online platforms, forums, and social networks so that we can respond immediately to feedback. Negative comments and reviews should generally not simply be deleted. Instead, you should respond constructively in order to regain customer trust. However, since people can talk about brands on countless platforms, it is challenging to closely follow all conversations and respond appropriately.

2 Content creation

Another crucial aspect is the proactive creation of positive content and good reviews. By publishing high-quality and relevant content, companies can specifically improve their online presence and influence users' search results.

3 Authenticity

Last but not least, authenticity plays a decisive role. Transparent communication and admitting mistakes can help rebuild trust.

LONG STORY SHORT

Neglecting online reputation management can be extremely damaging to a company. Negative reviews spread rapidly and can barely be removed from the Internet. Because extreme customer opinions in particular find their way onto review platforms and these are also more likely to be taken into account by consumers, this can quickly create a devastating and unrepresentative image of a company.

In order to counteract this, positive reviews must be specifically promoted and happy customers must be encouraged to review them online. At the same time, intercepting negative experiences before they end up on Google and Co., strengthens your online reputation and gives more weight to positive experiences and thus to the company's rating.