photo by midweekpost
Blogging, social media, and consumer-written review websites are becoming mainstream, and fast. With these new developments, it would be safe to assume that someone is talking about your specific brand or industry every second of the day.
Do you have any idea on how to harness this tremendous growth potential?
Online Reputation Management (ORM) may be the answer.
ORM is the process of tracking, developing, and managing your online reputation so that you are prepared for good (and bad) consumer-conversation.
I like to refer to each process – tracking, developing, and managing – as the three pillars of online reputation management and here is why they are important:
1. Tracking Your Online Reputation
I would like you to imagine how hard it was to monitor what a handful of media outlets were saying about your company. It was a ton of work. Checking each website, RSS, and publication is time-consuming and expensive.
With blogging becoming mainstream, tracking media mentions got much worse.
Monitoring what a handful of media outlets say about your company seems simple compared to tracking millions of conversations on the internet. ORM services help you solve this real problem.
Why is this important? – Very simple. If you aren’t monitoring what people think, specifically internet people, how else will you receive uncensored feedback about your services or products?
2. Developing Your Online Reputation
Citizen journalism and consumer-written reviews are gaining major traction.
A Deloitte’s Consumer Products group revealed that 62% of consumers read consumer-written product reviews online. It would only be logical to assume that if people can’t Google you, you’re probably not that important.
Take one second to envision the top 10 Google results for your company. If they are non-existent, unprofessional, or negative, it is hurting your internet presence.
ORM services develop your online reputation to insure there is something to be said about your company and they help to show it in the most positive light.
Why is this important? - 62%. Need I say more?
3. Managing Your Online Reputation
Prior to the internet, companies would only allow public relations professionals to talk to the media. In some companies, this is still the case, but it is not the best option.
Now, companies need to proactively manage their internet presence since a negative, unaddressed, review could severely damage your company’s brand. Whereas, a positive review, could be the difference between an okay product and a hot product.
Online reputation management addresses these issues and opportunities.
ORM companies specialize in addressing negative commentary and promoting positive commentary, which should help send your company to a potential “Tipping Point.”
Why is this important? – Would you leave your company’s brand in the hands of random people on the internet? I think not.
The Bottom Line
Tracking your online reputation keeps you informed, developing your online reputation creates buzz, and managing your online reputation highlights the information you want consumers to know. What is stopping you?
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