Online Reputation Management

This post is the first in a short series on online reputation management. We're writing about ORM for a couple of reasons. First off, we want to simply explain what it is, why it's important, and how it works. There is so much information out there on the topic that it becomes difficult to aggregate and understand in its entirety. Second, there are plenty of business owners and heads of organizations that view ORM as a bottomless money pit and a time suck because its ROI is difficult to document. While it's true that returns on investments made towards ORM are not easily or clearly documented, one must keep in mind that social media marketing involves more than just money made; it has an effect on your overall marketing strategy and brand position. For a more in depth look on the topic of social media ROI, see the this post from the Marketing Mystic blog and this post from the MetricsMan blog. So what is ORM? Online reputation management (aka online brand management) involves a dedicated monitoring of your organization across the web universe. An ORM campaign serves to: Stifle a sudden storm of negativity surrounding your brand, whether it’s a defective product or terrible customer service. Whatever the fiasco, the flames must be smothered as soon as possible. News travels fast. Prevent the above from occurring. Increase brand awareness and consumer loyalty. Better understand your target audience(s). Managing your online reputation is an all-encompassing examination and engagement of your brand across the Internet, from social networking sites to online shops. Stay tuned for the next installment on the Web Works ORM series, when we'll specify the ways in which brands can be managed online.