Managing how you’re perceived online is more important than you might think. Every business and individual is at risk of receiving negative attention online, whether through negative reviews, comments, or defamatory articles against them.
In an age of ‘cancel culture’, removing this negativity from the web can be challenging once it’s shared online, even if it’s entirely baseless and untrue.
It is crucial to prevent online negativity from damaging the online reputations of high-profile individuals like business owners, public figures, and celebrities.
When their online reputation is at risk, many turn to online reputation management services to improve their online image, protect their personal reputation for personal or business reasons, and protect their brand on the internet.
This article tells you everything you need to know about online reputation management, including what it is, how it works, and how it can help you.
What is online reputation management?
Online reputation management (ORM) is the practice of shaping how you or your business is perceived on the internet. It consists of influencing the conversation about you on the internet to neutralise negative sentiments and promote positive ones.
There are two main aspects to this process. The first is monitoring your online presence, which involves keeping track of what people are saying about you on review sites, social media, and search engines, and correcting misinformation about you or your business.
The second is influencing the online conversation: This can involve responding to reviews, creating positive content about yourself or your business, and correcting misinformation about you or your business.
ORM overlaps with digital public relations (digital PR), but the emphasis is on defending your reputation rather than solely building a good brand image of yourself.
Its goal is to ensure that the information people find about you online is positive and accurate. This can be important for businesses since many customers will research a company online before making a purchase.
But it’s also becoming increasingly important for celebrities and everyday people, as potential employers, business colleagues, and even romantic partners may look you up online.
Who needs online reputation management?
Online reputation management (ORM) can be valuable for a wide range of individuals and businesses.
1. Businesses and Large Organizations
Companies of all sizes, especially those reliant on customer trust and online presence, need ORM. Customers rely heavily on online reviews and information before making purchasing decisions.
Negative online reviews, social media complaints, or unexpected news can damage a brand’s reputation. ORM helps businesses monitor online mentions and respond promptly to address issues before they escalate into major crises.
ORM practices like creating high-quality PR content and managing online presence can improve search engine rankings. This means the brand’s positive content appears higher in search results when customers search for the business or related products/services.
2. Public figures and celebrities
Politicians, actors, musicians, and other high-profile individuals can benefit from ORM in managing their public image.
This is because these individuals are essentially brands themselves, and unexpected controversies or scandals can erupt online and destroy this. Having an ORM strategy in place allows them to address issues promptly, minimise damage, and potentially repair their image.
For professionals like doctors, lawyers, or consultants, a robust online reputation built on positive reviews and informative content establishes them as credible experts in their field.
Celebrities and public figures can also use ORM to cultivate positive interactions with fans and followers, and professionals can use it to connect with potential clients or collaborators.
3. CEOs and professionals
CEO’s online image is intertwined with the company’s brand. A positive online reputation for the CEO builds trust and credibility for the entire organisation, potentially attracting investors and customers, while a scandal or negativity surrounding the CEO can damage the company’s reputation.
Investors often research a company’s leadership before making investment decisions. A solid online presence showcasing the CEO’s experience, leadership qualities, and industry knowledge can inspire investor confidence.
Trust is paramount for high-profile professionals like lawyers and doctors. A strong online presence with positive reviews, testimonials from satisfied clients, and informative content about their practice areas establishes them as credible and trustworthy professionals.
Many people research potential lawyers and doctors online before making an appointment. A well-managed online presence with good search engine optimisation (SEO) can help these professionals get noticed by potential clients searching for their services.
How does online reputation management work?
Online reputation management (ORM) works by strategically influencing the online narrative about you or your brand.
It all starts with understanding what people are saying. ORM involves using social listening tools and scouring review sites, forums, and search engines to identify mentions of your name or brand. This helps you understand the current sentiment and what kind of information is already out there.
Once you have a general idea of how you’re perceived online, it’s all about changing that online reputation. This could involve creating and actively managing social media profiles and a professional website or hiring a dedicated online reputation management team to create content to improve your online persona.
If you’re a brand, responding to both positive and negative reviews is a great way to do this, as it shows you’re engaged with your audience. The goal is to populate search results with credible and positive information from you or your supporters.
ORM isn’t just about one-way communication. Building relationships with influencers in your industry can lead to positive brand mentions and endorsements. Collaborations or partnerships can amplify your positive voice online.
Once you have a strategy in place, it’s crucial to track the effectiveness of your ORM efforts. Monitor how search results and sentiment change over time. This will help you identify what strategies are working and which need adjusting.
Why is ORM important?
Online reputation management is crucial for keeping your online brand in check. Studies show that a negative reputation can deter potential customers or business partners and damage a brand’s image. A positive online reputation can lead to increased success and customer loyalty.
When people search for you or your business name online, you want positive content to appear at the top of the results rather than negative.
Negative online comments or reviews can quickly spiral into a PR crisis, and ORM helps you promptly identify and address negative feedback, minimising potential damage.
ORM helps improve your search engine and ranking by promoting positive content and potentially mitigating negative content.
Positive online reviews and a strong social media presence can significantly boost brand credibility and customer trust. People are likelier to do business with a company or individual they perceive as trustworthy and reliable.
You gain insights into customer sentiment and satisfaction by responding to reviews and online feedback. This allows you to identify areas for improvement in your products, services, or customer service.
Examples of ORM Success Stories
1. United Airlines
In 2017, a video of a passenger being forcibly dragged off a United Airlines flight went viral, sparking outrage and damaging the company’s reputation.
United Airlines took a swift and transparent approach to ORM. They apologised, accepted the incident’s responsibility, and outlined policy changes to prevent similar situations. The CEO personally addressed the issue, emphasising empathy and a commitment to improvement. They also actively engaged with customers on social media, addressing concerns individually.
While the initial incident caused significant damage, United Airlines’ prompt and sincere response helped them begin to regain public trust. Their commitment to improvement and focus on customer service helped them navigate the crisis and start rebuilding their reputation.
2. 21c Museum Hotels
21c Museum Hotels, a boutique hotel chain known for integrating art into their properties, faced challenges with online reviews. While some guests appreciated the unique experience, others found it unconventional.
Instead of trying to suppress negative reviews, 21c Museum Hotels focused on amplifying positive aspects. They leveraged ORM to showcase guest reviews highlighting the hotel’s unique features and excellent service. Additionally, they actively solicited feedback and addressed negative comments directly.
By focusing on its strengths and engaging with customer feedback, 21c Museum Hotels improved its online reputation. They achieved a significant increase in positive reviews and overall customer satisfaction scores.
3. Reece Witherspoon
In 2013, Witherspoon was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after a disagreement with police while her husband was being pulled over. The incident garnered significant negative press and potentially tarnished her “America’s Sweetheart” image.
To recover the brand the actress had built up with her acting career, Witherspoon’s team implemented a strategic ORM approach. Her team avoided excessive public apologies or justifications and instead focused on pushing online content that demonstrated Reece Witherspoon was cooperating with legal proceedings. Witherspoon also leveraged her social media presence to highlight her philanthropic work and positive contributions, reminding audiences of her broader character.
While the arrest wasn’t completely forgotten, Witherspoon’s image largely recovered. She continued to secure acting roles and endorsement deals, demonstrating the effectiveness of a well-managed online reputation strategy.
Why choose SIP International for Online Reputation Management
SIP International offers comprehensive online reputation management services encompassing digital marketing, positive public relations solutions, and online brand value management.
Our team of experienced professionals, including public relations experts, legal specialists, sales and marketing professionals, and technologists, possess the necessary expertise to analyse, allay, protect, and minimise the risk of a negative online brand reputation for individuals such as CEOs, world leaders, and celebrities, as well as firms such as small, medium, and large businesses, attorneys, and PR firms.
No matter what the language, SIP, with its dedicated open-source software, will search the world-wide-web to identify and review harmful content about you across social, electronic and print media, like posted blogs on websites, social media, forums, industry-specific third-party listings & Glassdoor, Capterra, or Trustpilot.
