Online Reputation Management: How To Protect Your Brand 

Key takeaways: 

1. The seamless integration of online reputation management (ORM) with search engine optimization (SEO) enhances brand visibility and builds digital trust. 
2. Proactive digital monitoring is key to effective ORM. 
3. Every customer interaction serves as a public demonstration of brand commitment. 

A brand’s reputation is no longer confined to word-of-mouth or traditional advertising—it lives online in reviews, mentions, and search engine results. It makes ORM pivotal for any business to thrive. 

ORM influences and controls what is said or seen about an individual or organization online. It involves monitoring, identifying, and addressing digital content related to your brand. ORM is about shaping public perception through strategic communication and proactive measures. 

Why is it important to manage your online reputation?  

Consumers today are savvy; they research, read reviews, and scroll through social media feeds before making purchasing decisions. The link between a strong online reputation, consumer trust, and conversions is direct and undeniable. 

Here are reasons why ORM is important: 

• Consumer decision-making. Studies consistently show that consumers rely heavily on online reviews and ratings when purchasing. A high star rating and positive comments can sway a hesitant buyer, while negative feedback can send them running to a competitor. 
• Increased conversions. Customers who trust your brand will more likely engage with your content, make purchases, and become repeat customers. This trust reduces perceived risk, making the customer journey much smoother. 
• Higher customer lifetime value (CLTV). A positive reputation fosters loyalty. Loyal customers will buy again and advocate for your brand, driving organic referrals and enhancing your reputation. 
• Reduced marketing costs. A strong reputation serves as an organic marketing tool. Positive digital “word-of-mouth” in the digital age spreads naturally, reducing the need for costly advertising campaigns. Customers become your unpaid sales force. 

When you disregard reputation management, you leave your brand vulnerable to problems ranging from minor setbacks to business failure. 

How do you track your brand’s online reputation? 

Tracking your online reputation means looking for brand mentions online, from social media to customer review platforms. Here are key areas you can monitor: 

• Search engine results. Search for your brand name and relevant things to see what comes up. Pay attention to the first few pages. 
• Review websites. Platforms like Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), Yelp, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific review sites are crucial to giving you detailed references to how customers perceive your business. 
• Social media platforms. Monitor mentions, hashtags, and direct messages on platforms relevant to your audience (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.). 
• News outlets and blogs. Look for mentions of your brand in industry news, local news, and influential blogs. 
• Forums and online communities. Forums like Reddit threads are good places where your potential and existing customers discuss your brands (and your competitors). 
• Artificial intelligence (AI). You can leverage AI for real-time ORM by analyzing rising negative sentiments. Tools like Brandwatch, Sprinklr, and Meltwater offer AI-driven analytics that you can use to shift sentiment across digital channels. 

Key tools for online reputation monitoring 

The right tools are important for tracking your online reputation across various platforms.  Consider the following for monitoring your brand’s online presence: 

• Google Alerts. This free and intuitive tool emails you whenever your brand name, product name, key personnel name, or specific keywords appear on new web pages, news articles, or blogs. 
• Social media monitoring platforms. Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Mention, or Brandwatch offer comprehensive social listening capabilities for deeper insights into social conversations. 
• Review monitoring platforms. Many ORM tools specialize in collecting reviews from multiple platforms like Google Business Profile and Yelp into a single dashboard. Some even allow you to respond directly from the platform, streamlining your review management process. 
• Brand mentions tools. Specialized tools like BuzzSumo or Ahrefs (Content Explorer) can help you discover unlinked brand mentions on blogs, news sites, and forums. 

How are reputation management and SEO related? 

While online reputation management often focuses on public perception, its relationship with SEO is highly interlinked. Your online reputation influences human perception and how search engines interpret and rank your brand. 

Search engine algorithms are continuously refined, and a key aspect of this evolution is their focus on delivering the most relevant and trustworthy results to users. Markers of trust and authority, which are core parts of good corporate reputation management, directly translate into better SEO performance. 

How do you respond to negative reviews? 

Negative reviews, even for the most reputable brands, are unavoidable in doing business. A thoughtful, professional, and timely response can turn a negative experience into a way to show excellent customer service and commitment to satisfaction. 

When negative feedback is handled correctly, it carries a unique power impact that can benefit your brand. For example, a spotless 5-star rating across the board can sometimes seem suspicious, whereas a few constructive criticisms lend credibility. 

Here are some best practices for responding to negative feedback: 

• Respond promptly. Aim to respond within 24-48 hours to show you’re attentive. 
• Be polite and professional. Even if the review is unfair or angry, maintain a calm and respectful tone. 
• Acknowledge and empathize. Start by acknowledging the reviewer’s experience and expressing empathy for their frustration. You can say something like “I’m so sorry to hear you had this experience…” 
• Apologize (if appropriate). If your business was at fault, offer a sincere apology. For example, “We apologize for the inconvenience you faced…” 
• Offer a solution (if possible). If there’s a clear solution, suggest it. For instance, “We’d like to offer you a discount on your next visit to make amends.” 
• Learn from feedback. Use negative reviews to learn and improve your operations. 

What is social media’s role in reputation management? 

Social media platforms have become key channels for direct communication and public perception. They can amplify positive sentiment but equally spread negative sentiment rapidly.  

A comprehensive ORM strategy must integrate active social media management. Social media’s role in reputation management is immense due to its immediacy, reach, and user-driven nature. It’s a direct platform for: 

• More accessible engagement 
• Customer service 
• Brand storytelling 
• Sentiment analysis 

Here’s where social media analytics come in: 

• It turns data into insights that you use to make business decisions. 
• It shows what works (and what does not) 
• It shows who your audience is  
• It shows what your competitors are doing 

This information can point you to areas of improvement in your brand reputation. 

How is customer service important to reputation management? 

Customer service and ORM are strongly related: great customer service boosts your brand’s online reputation. Every interaction a customer has with your business, from their initial query to post-purchase support, contributes to their perception of your brand. 

Here’s how they are linked: 

• Review generation. Happy customers, often those who’ve received excellent service, are more likely to leave positive reviews. 
• Negative review prevention. Proactive and effective customer service can resolve issues before they escalate into public complaints. 
• Crisis mitigation. During a crisis, empathetic and swift customer service can de-escalate tension and even turn critics into supporters. 
• Brand differentiation. In competitive markets, superior customer service can be a key differentiator that builds loyalty and positive word-of-mouth (both online and offline). 
• Long-term loyalty. Consistently great service fosters trust and loyalty, creating a base of repeat customers who contribute positively to your brand’s digital narrative. 

A single outstanding customer service experience can lead to glowing reviews, while a poor one can trigger a cascade of negative feedback. 

Effectively handling customer complaints, whether online or offline, is an important component of a strong ORM. Every complaint is an opportunity to salvage a relationship and demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction to a wider audience. 

How do you handle an online reputation crisis? 

Despite the best proactive management efforts, a business can sometimes face an unexpected online reputation crisis, like negative publicity or a public relations disaster. 

When a crisis erupts, immediate and decisive action is paramount. The goal is to contain the damage, communicate effectively, and rebuild trust. 

Here’s a general guide on how you can handle negative publicity or a PR disaster: 

1. Alert your crisis management team. Designate a small, agile team responsible for all crisis communications and decisions. This team should include leadership, PR/marketing, legal, and relevant operational leads. 
2. Pause unnecessary communications. Temporarily halt scheduled social media posts or marketing campaigns that might appear tone-deaf or irrelevant during the crisis. 
3. Gather all the facts. Before responding, thoroughly investigate the situation. Understand what happened, why, who is affected, and the scope of the problem. Avoid speculating. 
4. Draft a holding statement. Issue a brief, empathetic initial statement to acknowledge the situation, express concern, and state that you are investigating/addressing it. 
5. Choose your channels wisely. Decide where to communicate—often official websites, press releases, and key social media channels. Ensure consistency across all platforms. 
6. Communicate transparently and empathetically. Be honest and sincere. Avoid corporate jargon or defensiveness. Take responsibility if your brand is at fault. Show empathy for those affected. 
7. Monitor and analyze sentiment. Continuously track online mentions and sentiments to understand how the crisis evolves and how people receive your communication. 
8. Prepare for media scrutiny. Anticipate tough questions from journalists and have designated spokespeople ready with approved messaging. 
9. Engage with affected parties. Reach out directly to individuals or groups most impacted by the crisis, offering sincere apologies and solutions. 
10. Learn and adapt. Use the crisis as a learning opportunity. What went wrong? How can processes be improved to prevent recurrence? 

Once you contain the crisis, the long road to reputation recovery can begin. It starts with learning from your lessons, creating new positive content, and rebuilding relationships with stakeholders and customers. You can also contact online reputation management companies for better guidance and strategies for your brand’s recovery. 

Protect your brand’s reputation long-term with Network Solutions 

Building and maintaining a solid online reputation is a continuous process. To successfully maintain your brand, employ proactive online reputation management strategies for a positive and resilient brand narrative. With the right strategies and tools, you can also use your reputation as a powerful asset for growth. 

When you’re ready to take charge with your online narrative, go check out Network Solutions‘ wide range of services, including our Professional SEO Services for a credible and strong online identity. 

Frequently asked questions