Why ORM and Digital Marketing Should Go Hand in Hand

Banner showing crossed hands between ORM & Digital Marketing

Online reputation management (ORM) works towards creating a positive impression online for a business. In addition, it involves monitoring the web for any negative mentions about the brand, addressing those, and crafting strategies to prevent as well as counter issues that may harm a business’s reputation. In the present day, ORM has become vital for all businesses irrespective of size, location, and industry.

The role of ORM in digital marketing

A massive 89% of consumers read reviews online before making purchases. While a quick Google search makes it convenient for potential customers to find your business, it also displays any negative or false information about your brand, which might dissuade customers from trying your product or service. This is where ORM comes in as a crucial part of any digital marketing strategy.

Using social media listening, ORM can do an in-depth audit of the existing online reputation for your business. It then helps to and build a positive web presence and tackle anything that might malign your reputation. It also opens up communication lines between you and customers, increases online traffic, and boosts your Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) ranking.

Benefits of integrating ORM in your strategies

A robust ORM plan is advantageous to any business. You can also go beyond the usual ORM strategies and leverage it to subtly call out negative action. OYO is an excellent example here – the brand used ORM to educate trolls posting distasteful comments about women on the brand’s social media pages. Within 11 days, there was a 42% drop in negative sentiment towards the hotel brand as well as a decrease in the posting of lewd comments.

Here are a couple of more advantages of integrating ORM in your digital marketing strategy:

The right ORM strategies will play a significant part in developing higher trust and credible reputation of your brand among consumers since trust is built primarily on the basis of feedback and online reviews about a business.

Moreover, ORM helps maintain transparency, and 94% of customers are more loyal to brands that value transparency in various aspects of the business.

Impact on sales

Even a single negative review or no reviews at all can harm your business, making it important for brands to practice both reactive and proactive reputation management. A good online reputation establishes you as a trustworthy brand, which directly leads to customers purchasing without hesitation and increasing revenue for you.

Addressing negative reviews promptly as part of your ORM strategy can also work wonders. Aim for a quick turnaround time with your responses, apologizing for negative experiences and providing the right solutions. According to a Harvard Business Review study, customers are more likely to purchase your product or service in the future if complaints are solved within 5 minutes.

How ORM can boost your digital marketing strategy

It is quite simple – good ORM practices can improve digital marketing while a poor one or no ORM at all can have a negative impact on your marketing strategy. Here’s how:

A good SERP ranking is an aim for all businesses. Using ORM actions like higher customer engagement on your social media pages, a Google My Business  profile, and an active LinkedIn account will create a buzz among Internet users. This increases web traffic for your business and naturally boosts you up to the first page of Google’s search results.

ORM can directly lift your business’s online visibility as you post updated content, interact with customers posting reviews, and maintain a well-designed website and blog. This creates a positive perception about your brand in customers’ minds and has immediate recall value when they wish to shop for the product you are selling.  However, the right ORM management is vital here. Enlisting the help of a reputable agency to improve ORM can be a lucrative step for your business.

Serious job hunters do their research before sending in job applications, and 40% of millennials feel that a company’s market reputation is the biggest influencer on their impression of a future employer. ORM not only gives you more options while hiring staff members, but also helps you employ a suitably qualified and loyal workforce since they already identify with your values and goals before coming onboard.

The Internet today is almost a one-stop source for anybody looking for any kind of information. Including ORM in your digital marketing plan lets you monitor what people are saying about your business, increase brand visibility as well as credibility, and handle negative information about you online. You can stay ahead of the curve by knowing about the latest ORM trends for an optimal strategy.

Germin8 can help you get the best results out of your Digital Marketing strategies using the power of Digital Intelligence. To Know More..