What is Reputation Management (ORM)?

Reputation management is the effort to influence what and how people think of a brand or person when viewed online. In other words, the character is firm and this is the work of building his reputation. Reputation is what others think of who the person or firm is, and today it is mainly based on what artificial intelligence systems portray about the brand rather than first-person experience.

Reputation management is known by different names with this name; Internet reputation management, online reputation management (ORM), brand perception and reputation management. Whatever the name is called, the goal is to shape the overall perception of a person or business, but it may surprise you to learn how little control brands and individuals actually have over their reputation. This article attempts to answer some of the most common questions about reputation management.

Definition of Reputation Management

Reputation management definition is as follows; Reputation management is the effort to influence what and how people think of a brand or person. Even if the above definition covers what is essentially reputation management, of course there is more.

Reputation Management Mostly Occurs Online

A large amount of communication takes place online. We meet with friends, resolve disputes, discover new jobs and find new industry news. Many people even spend their free time online. Therefore, it is inevitable that reputation management will mostly occur online; In fact, the terms reputation management and online reputation management are now almost synonymous. So reputation management happens online because most of the communication takes place here. As people prefer to interact on online platforms, reputation management companies use social media and SEO tactics to achieve their goals.

Reputation Management Strengthens Sales and Marketing

Reputation management lives in the vast world of sales and marketing, and although it can be described as a tactic, it cannot be neglected. In reality reputation management is an essential component of sales and marketing. Because what people think of a brand affects everything about that brand. It is almost impossible to sell products to a customer who does not trust or does not believe in the brand. A good reputation management plan can enable positive messages to have maximum impact. The content will reach more readers when the target customer already believes in the company’s mission.

Reputation Management Is Crucial to the Survival of a Business       

It would not be an exaggeration to state that reputation management is essential for a company’s survival. Because the firms that disappeared after corruption and the ensuing public relations reaction can be given as an example to this. Companies like BP, Wells Fargo, and United Airlines are able to survive adverse events because of costly reputation management. All of these examples are on the importance of online communication for reputation. While people who have had a bad experience with a business may have only told a few close friends before, now posting their views online has made it possible to reach thousands or even millions of people. These days, a single badly managed situation can quickly drive a company into bankruptcy.

As will be remembered, in the fall of 2017, officers forcibly landed a passenger from United Airlines flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville. Following the enormous negative impact on the public, investors watched in horror as United Airlines’ market value dipped in blood to nearly $ 1 billion. However, United Airlines continued to fly actively. Instead, a less equipped and small firm would not survive and sink.

Reputation Management Is Valuable For Both Businesses And Individuals

Although the focus is on reputation management that applies to businesses, this is also important for individuals. An executive director of a public company trying to cover up extramarital affairs is in the public interest. Most people in the modern world cannot live their lives anonymously because almost everything about them can be found out by searching search engines.

People also read their reviews about the business and talk about the brand on social media. Also, other players in the same industry may play different games to spoil a brand’s reputation. That’s why it’s essential to take an active stance to show the good side of the brand online with reputation management. In addition, those who do not have a great personality or a strong brand can manage their reputation themselves. It is possible to raise the reputation with subtle nuances, following a complimenting photo on Facebook, a prominent quote on Instagram or a resume on LinkedIn.

Reputation Management Is A Rapidly Growing Industry

If a firm’s reputation has bottomed out, its business will also plummet. In fact, 87% of customers abandon their purchasing decision after seeing negative content about a brand or product online. It is not surprising, then, that businesses spend to maintain or improve their reputation. This meant that reputation management has become an industry and this industry is shining day by day. It is an undeniable fact that companies that want to have a strong brand, succeed and survive give priority and importance to reputation management efforts.

Can Reputation Management Be Abused?

Reputation management is abused for malicious purposes. Like almost anything else in life, reputation management has a dark ethical side. It is difficult to decide whether reputation management is inherently bad or good because it is used for both. For the positive implementation of reputation management, it is important that it is managed by employees who have a logic to protect the company and brand interests. And it is an important detail to respond to negative comments on social media in the most appropriate way and in a short time.

Is Reputation Management a Legitimate Practice?

Reputation management exists in part because people tend to believe, share and spread negative news rather than positive news. Humans are inherently created to react to threats that develop a negative bias. Essentially, bad news brings more clicks, more attention and ultimately more revenue for media outlets. So a single misstep can have a powerful impact on your reputation to have lasting effects. Reputation needs maintenance. Still, many businesses don’t have the time, expertise, or knowledge to retouch their Wikipedia articles, fix their about us page, or ask for a few more positive comments on a review site like GlassDoor. In this sense, they may need professional support from reputation management companies. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to reputation management. However, there are a number of legitimate, ethical and effective tools to navigate the process. Businesses can use a variety of methods to improve their online reputation, including:

• Search engine optimization
• Technical optimization
• Google Knowledge Panel optimization
• Social response tools
• Reputation tracking
• Connect portfolio management

To summarize, reputation management is about influencing what people see or think about a company and brand. In today’s complex world, reputation management takes place in the digital space and is an essential component of a brand’s marketing strategy. And it is critical to the survival of a brand and firm in general. As the importance of reputation management for both individuals and businesses increases, the desire to become aware of how effective it can be when used correctly is increasing day by day.