What is Online
Reputation Management?
By Sarah Quek
2018 was a happening
year.
Last year, countless
scandals involving renowned social media influencers, celebrities and other
prominent persons surfaced. While 2019 has yet to pass its halfway point, several
cringe-worthy scandals have already bombarded the internet.
One of the latest
buzzes today involves Hong Kong
celebrity Andy Hui’s alleged infidelity. The scandal has even made its way
to numerous local publications in Singapore!
Today, our perceptions are largely influenced by
what we find on the internet. A simple Google search about you would be telling
enough. Sadly, one mistake could cause
your reputation to go down the drain.
But alas, all hope is
not lost yet. Because with a handy online reputation management strategy,
you can influence a user’s perception of you when he Googles your name.
Sounds complicated?
It’s actually pretty simple. Read on to learn about what online reputation
management is and how it can help you!
Definition of Online Reputation
Management
Whether you are an
owner of a business, an influencer or a working professional, one negative
review and scandal could damage your
reputation. That’s where online reputation management comes in.
But how exactly is online
reputation management defined?
In a nutshell, online reputation management (or ORM)
can be defined as a strategy to build a “good” reputation by various tech-based means. These include the accumulation of positive
reviews on social media and development of microsites.
Effective ORM involves
a lot more than just knowledge about SEO, customer service, web development and
content marketing. It demands quick
turnaround time to respond to negative reviews and websites. Reputation
management specialists are constantly on their toes and ready to troubleshoot
whenever negative reviews surface.
2 Simple Ways to Manage Your Online
Reputation
In the age where
reviews matter, ORM is crucial in boosting brand awareness and constructing a
professional image. Here are some ways it can be done.
1. Accumulate as Many Positive
Reviews as Possible…
If your website and
social platforms are flooded with numerous negative reviews, it would probably
be quite difficult to earn trust. When you have a colossal number of positive
reviews, however, you are more likely to get a lead!
In this sense, getting
more positive reviews is imperative.
Try to ask for testimonials and feedback to build your own portfolio on your
website as well as social networks. Provide incentives like rewards and offers to amplify those 5-star ratings!
Also, make sure you
monitor your social media carefully and consistently so that you stay
up-to-date with the latest buzz.
…and Respond Professionally to
Negative Reviews
Every rose has its
thorns. But instead of throwing in the towel when you get a negative review,
use it as an opportunity to showcase
your professionalism.
If you do get a negative review, own up and
apologise as soon as possible. Provide a solution to give the angry reviewer
the assistance and help he needs. Never ever ignore a negative review.
2. Develop Positive Microsites
These days, whenever
scandals occur, any regular internet user will immediately head to Google to
learn more about the situation. In order to give off a good first impression
when a user googles your name or business, the first page of Google Search
Engine Results Pages (SERPs) needs to be filled only with positive
websites.
This is where
knowledge about search engine optimisation (SEO) and web development would come
in handy.
SEO refers to the
process of incorporating high-traffic
and low-competition key phrases and words to your website. It also involves
internal linking to other pages on
your website as well as external links
to other websites outside your domain.
ORM experts leverage microsites and craft content with
high-traffic and low-competition keywords to push the rankings of negative
websites down on Google SERPs. After all, most users do not browse beyond the
second page of Google! ORM specialists create and edit microsites such that the
microsites will be able to rank high on Google SERPs.
In order to make sure
the positive microsites dominate the
first page of Google SERPs, ORM specialists need to make sure that their
microsites contain SEO-friendly content based on relevant and optimal keywords
as well as internal and external links. Moreover, the microsites need to be
completely free of errors. That
means no broken links, no HTTP 404 Not Found Error, and no spam.
A Sure-Fire Strategy to Salvage Your
Reputation
The internet is a cold
and cruel place. But luckily with online reputation management, you have
another shot at salvaging your professional image.
If you are looking for
online reputation management specialist to get your positive URLs ranking on
the first page of Google SERPs, then First
Page Digital is your best bet. Its online reputation management specialists
will be able to offer the most effective solutions to help you salvage your
rep. Click here to learn more about what they do.
Tags: Guest blog,
Guest Blog Singapore, Guest Blogger, Guest Writer, Lifestyle, Technology
About Author
Sarah is a
20-something year old content producer at First Page Digital
with more than 2 years of experience in SEO, blogging, paid-marketing, and social
media management. She enjoys producing content related to health & fitness,
digital marketing as well as beauty. Follow her on Instagram (@sarquek_).
Wrote by Only William...