6 key elements for effective online reputation management
The Institute of Public Relations classifies reputation as an intangible asset that allows a company to better manage the expectations and needs of its various stakeholders, creating differentiation and barriers with its competitors. Reputation must be ensured in all areas, both offline and online. Online reputation management, also known as ORM, is the effective use of different digital platforms for the development of a strong online corporate reputation.
Online reputation management helps companies to be viewed as if they are people with emotions, personalities, and responsibilities. That’s why managing an online reputation has become a very valuable strategic move for companies. Businesses with a good online reputation demonstrate a differentiating ability to attract investors and retain both customers and employees. In addition, a strong digital presence that evolves over time allows a company to personalize its brand, be more accessible, and develop a solid online reputation. If a brand has a good and healthy online presence, it will benefit sales and even pave the way towards an expansion.
The following are some effective ORM principles:
1. Strategy - First identify: how do you want your brand to be perceived across its online presence? Some answers to this question could be: clean, simple, innovative, or relatable. Then think: How do you want your social media profiles to look? How do you want your brand to sound? What is the tone of your brand online? What are your company’s values? The answers to these questions will provide you with a strategy that will build your online reputation.
2. Planning - Develop content calendars for social media and online campaigns for specific initiatives. This will allow you to anticipate special dates and big projects.
3. Consistency – Sharing ongoing brand information, looks, and messages fortifies the development of Brand Awareness.
4. Innovation – A company needs to be bold and try new strategies. The first step is gaining insight into social trends and public opinion. This will allow your business to adapt to the ever-changing needs of its customers.
5. Social responsibility – Today's consumers are very different from past generations. People are changing the way they purchase goods and services, wanting to align with brands that share their values. It's very interesting for companies because what the brand believes in, values, and supports will impact its revenue.
6. Monitoring – When a company has a successful online presence, the results can produce a lot of information to process. Therefore, the use of monitoring tools can help visualize campaign results, alert you when your brand is mentioned, and, most importantly, know what people are saying about your brand. This will allow you to have actionable results to help develop or maintain a desirable online reputation.
The evolution of online reputation in the digital era has converted customers and stakeholders into the main characters of your brand’s story. What they think and say about your company has the power to impact the business positively or negatively. A weak ORM will impact your overall reputation, which will eventually impact revenue. Therefore, the key to success will be to plan and be prepared with a solid and effective ORM plan that works for your brand.
To chat about online reputation management for your brand, contact us.