Online Reputation Management Services: What & Why

Every firm wants to make a good impression online, but a unique website or social media presence isn't enough.

 

Nowadays, everyone has an opinion on almost everything, and shoppers are astute enough to recognise when a brand is genuine and when it is concealing a terrible fact.

 

If your company receives a terrible review or unfavorable media coverage, it may feel like the end of the road.

 

Why Does Online Reputation Management Matters?

 

Online reputation management is the process of monitoring and influencing how your company is seen on the internet, with the goal of neutralizing negative opinions while encouraging favorable ones.

 

It usually entails responding to negative reviews, concealing unfavorable search results, and correcting misconceptions about your company.

 

Whether your company is big or small, with one or multiple locations, your consumers are talking about you online. The significance of those online exchanges should not be underestimated. The viral nature of today's information has the potential to either build or destroy reputations in a single minute.

 

Your online reputation reflects the overall health of your brand and business, and it is a good predictor of future potential growth and success. That's why online reputation management (ORM) is so important.

 

ORM primarily works by responding to unfavorable customer comments online and stories in the media (both social and traditional) that portray your organization in a poor way.

 

For example, you may issue a public statement responding to the story's substance or post on social media.

 

Also Read | Top Strategies For Online Reputation Management

 

What distinguishes online reputation management from traditional PR?

 

While the terms "reputation management" and "public relations" are frequently used interchangeably, their true meanings are considerably different.

 

Both can be used effectively as part of your brand's overall strategy, but it's critical to grasp the distinctions before investing in one or both choices.

 

Whereas ORM is purely concerned with the interests of the brand and preserving a positive online image, PR fosters a more mutually beneficial relationship between a brand and other organizations, particularly the media.

 

Public relations initiatives can and should strive to improve a brand's public image.

 

However, the normal purpose is to convey information about a certain topic, such as a new product or service. PR, like other forms of advertising, is a direct marketing channel that firms may utilize to boost their awareness online and offline.

 

Although ORM and PR can be used alone, combining the two will assist a business handle behind-the-scenes brand building (ORM) and public-facing marketing (PR).

 

When your brand receives negative feedback online, even if you have a strong ORM programme in place, PR can be utilized to distribute crucial updates or remarks to assist solve the issue.

 

Also Read | Understanding White Label Products and Solutions

 

Softwares for Online Reputation Management

 

Online Reputation management software enables organizations to promote their brand positively and respond quickly to unfavorable customer experiences before they spiral out of control. Reputation management includes online review management and social listening, which allow firms to monitor and respond to reviews that influence how consumers perceive their company. 

 

However, it is much more than that, with review management being simply one fundamental component. A conventional reputation management software package comprises news monitoring, competition analysis, and customer service, all of which work together to help firms build a solid reputation.

 

Listed below are some of the online reputation management softwares being used majorly- 

 

1. Sprout Social

 

Sprout Social is at the top of the list of the best online reputation management software, serving as a one-stop shop for all aspects of brand reputation management. Sprout's review management, social listening, and sentiment analysis technologies enable brands to constantly monitor their online reputation.

 

2. Podium

 

Podium is another service that helps local businesses manage their internet reputations more effectively. Podium focuses on creating more leads and increasing engagement by leveraging the seamlessness of texting.

 

Customers may quickly and easily submit reviews for your products using this application. Through its interface, brands may automate review invitations, evaluate online trends and keywords, reply quickly to reviews, and improve customer connections.

 

3. Reputation.com

 

Reputation.com is a cloud-based reputation management solution that enables multi-location businesses to track and improve their online ratings, reviews, customer service, traffic, and other metrics. It offers a unified dashboard with a 360-degree view of your online and offline reputation.

 

Reputation.com provides a reputation score that calculates an organization's success across multiple customer categories in real time, using star ratings, reviews, company listings, and social media activity. The solution even includes a machine learning-based AI programme that provides personalized recommendations to improve the customer experience.

 

4. Birdeye

 

Large brands can choose Birdeye for review acquisition. It provides a variety of ways to contact your customers for feedback, including personalized text messages, email, a company website, Facebook plugins, and mobile kiosks. Birdeye also includes features for managing and tracking reviews, such as automatic alerts and updates. It also includes features for monitoring your social networks, thorough analytics on reviews, and the ability to keep your online business listings up to date.
 

They even provide full demonstrations of the entire review acquisition and administration procedure.

 

5. Yext

 

Businesses with physical locations who need to keep their clients updated on location changes or growth into new areas can use Yext to do it effectively. This is one of the most effective tools for managing your internet presence and making it easy for clients to locate you.
 

Yext enables users to update search engines with relevant keywords and submit their information to major web directories. It also provides personalized responses for enhanced communication and a centralized review dashboard, allowing firms to stay up to date on good and negative feedback online.

 

6. BrandMentions

 

BrandMentions provides real-time updates on all keywords connected to your business. You may collect talks from social media platforms, websites, blogs, and other sources, ensuring that your brand is never forgotten.

 

BrandMentions also allows you to follow your competitors' keywords and gain insight into their marketing tactics.

 

7. Brand24

 

When selecting online reputation management software, one important feature to look for is the ability to track what consumers and critics are saying about your business online. Brand24 has a media monitoring and analytics tool that accomplishes this effectively. These technologies provide brands with valuable insights about their internet presence.
 

Aside from that, you may monitor any keywords related with your brand on social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. It also analyzes reviews on popular review sites such as the Google App Store, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. 

 

8. Mention

 

Mention offers The Brand Grader, a tool for monitoring and analyzing online reputation. The tracking takes place on a variety of websites, review platforms, and social media channels. Because of its broad reach, many organizations can rely on this online reputation management software to give useful insights and quick updates whenever a brand-related phrase is spoken. However, access to the sentiment analysis feature is only available through a pro plan, which is more expensive.

 

9. Broadly

 

Broadly is a cloud-based online reputation management platform designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises stand out both locally and internationally. For most small businesses, generating leads through favorable reviews and interacting with customers can be difficult, especially when you consider your competitors' quality and reach.

 

10. Google Alerts.

 

You may not have considered it, but Google Alerts is a free and straightforward tool for monitoring your online mentions and, as a result, your reputation. Use Google Alerts to track your company's name, trademarks, competitors, and even your own name across the internet, including social media.

 

Setting up notifications and tracking certain keywords helps you to manage all mentions of your brand's reputation, both favorable and negative. 

 

Summing Up

 

Online reputation management is hardly a stroll in the park. Long-term tactics require you to regularly interact with your audience and create trust. However, selecting the correct online reputation management software can help make this trip easier.