Are you thinking about hiring a reputation management company for your business? This is how to find the best reputation management service for you.
Spending on social media advertising has grown in recent years, and its growth is projected to reach nearly $220 billion in 2024. This is an indication of just how large and widespread the internet has become. It also shows how important it is to control your company’s reputation.
A quality reputation management service is something you should seriously consider. Online reputation management (ORM) experts understand the tools, philosophies and techniques that matter most.
But what is reputation management? And how can you find a company that can help you use it to your advantage?
We’re glad you asked. In this article, we’ll cover what you should know about finding the best reputation management services for your needs.
6 Ways To Determine If an ORM Company Is a Good Fit
You don’t want to rush into finding an online reputation management company when it comes to something as important as public relations, the ability to get new customers or dealing with the fallout of negative reviews. Here’s what to look for when searching for a reputation firm that will deliver the results you’re after.
Figure Out What Kind of Reputation Services You Require
If you’re going to hire professionals for reputation management, first get to know what types of services they typically offer. This way, you can opt for the services that are most needed by and relevant to your company.
With reputation management services, professionals take steps to control and protect your company and online perception. They assess the type of business you run to figure out your unique needs.
Some people, brands or companies also use reputation management to bolster their online profile. Others may use ORM to keep track of reviews and testimonials.
When you connect with an ORM provider, they’ll help you create a plan that suits your specific situation.
Learn How They Handle Online Reviews
Handling online reviews is crucial for your company. At the moment, this is one of the biggest facets of reputation management.
The average customer today will look for online reviews before making a purchasing decision. You’ll even see people in retail stores whip out their phones to search for reviews before buying a product. E-commerce businesses particularly live and die from online reviews.
Because of this, you have to regularly track the reviews that you get so that you can figure out what to do with them.
An online reputation management company will help you respond to reviews so that you improve your interactiona with customers and publicly address any criticisms or complaints that people have about your brand.
This builds your transparency and trust and helps you control negative feedback. Reputation management companies will also help you to offset poor reviews by garnering more positive reviews.
This way, you will have high ratings all over the web, in addition to improved brand trust that can lead to new and repeat business.
Ask About Their Reputation Monitoring Services
When you speak to a reputation management company you’re interested in hiring, ask about their strengths and specialties, particularly how they monitor for brand mentions online.
Most online reputation companies use some sort of software or tools to get brand- or name-related alerts on a daily basis (or even more frequently).
Reputation monitoring is important for any individual or brand. However, if you’re facing a PR crisis that involves smear campaigns or untruthful hit pieces, this is an even more important step to improving your online presence.
Look for a reputation management company that’s used to dealing with major PR issues — you’ll feel confident that they can do the heavy lifting you require for ORM. When vetting the right company for you, ask about the brands they’ve helped in the past who have faced similar challenges to what you’re dealing with.
Choose a Company That’s Experienced in Search Engine Optimization
Without question, focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the best things you can do for your company’s reputation management. This form of marketing helps you grow your presence while organically giving you more “real estate” around the web.
When the highest-ranking Google Search results are dominated by content you created, it’s easier for you to control your narrative and reputation.
Learning how to manage a blog can be a critical piece of the puzzle. Blogs are important because they are updated on a regular basis and allow you to continuously use pertinent keywords and add high-quality links.
Other aspects of a solid SEO strategy include creating a well-designed site, posting video content, and making your site mobile-optimized.
Speak to The ORM Company’s Previous Clients
Before making a decision about hiring an ORM company, get in touch with as many previous clients as possible. This will give you a realistic view of the company’s overall capability, professionalism and competency.
When speaking to different clients, you should have a list of questions prepared. Your goal should be to get an authentic impression of how they were helped and if the services were beneficial.
Use these references to inform your decision to make sure that your time and money are well spent.
Find Out How Much ORM Services Cost
Take the time to get price quotes from any reputation management company you’re considering hiring. Legitimate ORM companies won’t hesitate to give you a free online business analysis, along with a price quote. This way, you can start to plan for what it will cost to fix your reputation issues.
The best reputation management providers will find out what services are most necessary for your company, such as burying bad reviews, suppressing negative links and providing extensive reputation repair services.
ORM services will differ depending on what you need, so you’ll want to find out the plan in advance so you can fit everything into your budget.
Book a consultation to specifically address your company’s needs. Pay careful attention to how they say they’ll handle social media and other important aspects of your company or brand’s online reputation.
Find the Best Reputation Management Services for Your Needs
The above tips explain how you can find the best reputation management services for your company. By getting the services that you need, you’ll be able to boost your brand’s perception and prevent negative comments, reviews and media coverage from hurting you.
When you’re looking for the best in reputation management, NetReputation has the expert services you’re after. Contact us here or or call us at 844-461-3632.
by Net Reputation