Dos and Don’ts of ORM

Online reputation management (ORM) is the process of putting strategies in place that influence the perception and reputation of a brand or company in their online presence.

It must be noted that ORM services are not inexpensive as experts need to be employed to carry out these services. In this post, digital marketing, and SEO/ORM expert, Alan safahi, will discuss some of the Do’s and Don’ts of online reputation management.

Don’t Procrastinate

Don’t wait till you get bad reviews before you start practicing online reputation management. Business owners sometimes don’t see the need for ORM until they have a bad review online which is not a good idea. “ORM should be considered from the very outset of any business in order to create a solid foundation to the reputation of the business,” says Alan Safahi.  When a  business has a good foundation in ORM, it can better handle bad news and help reduce any lasting damages to its reputation.

Do respond to customer reviews

It might seem exhausting to reply to customer reviews, but it’s a very important part of ORM and it should not be left out.

When replying to customer reviews, you must do it professionally and politely, resisting the urge to use harsh words or assigning blames.

Don’t employ inexperienced ORM personnel

Business owners might be tempted to employ personnel or agencies with little or no ORM experience because of the low budget they have provided for ORM.  This is not an area for cost-cutting since an experienced ORM team can do a lot of damage to your business.  It is highly recommended that you use only proven, experienced ORM experts for this sensitive position.

Do report any review that seems fake or wrong

As much as you should reply to customer reviews with utmost urgency and expedience, Alan Safahi recommends that you promptly report reviews that look unreal or fake.  Google sometimes takes down such reports, which is good news, but it might take a while so be diligent in reporting these fake reviews..

Do Periodic Checks

If you don’t care to find out what people are saying or what people think about your brand, then there is no point for ORM to be practiced. Make sure you keep yourself posted about the news and conversations going around about your business, so you know when your reputation is under attack.

Don’t sideline your customer service

“A brand or a company’s good customer service makes online reputation management very easy and influences the reputation of the brand in a good way” according to Alan Safahi.

A lot of unnecessary tantrums can be avoided with good customer service. Business owners are advised to make sure their customer service is on point so as to maintain a good online reputation.

Do create quality contents on your page

When the contents of your company page actually speak to the customer and answer their questions, it gives the customer a feeling that your business is genuine and purpose-driven.  Fluff and irrelevant content can be a very bad signal and is not good for ORM.