I have recently initiated, among other internet marketing initiaives in my organisation, something called Social Media Marketing. One of the facets of Social Media Marketing is ORM (Online Reputation Management). Infact it will not be wrong to say that ORM is just another face of Social Media Marketing.
In India there's a fairly low level of awareness about ORM/SMM, and I thought it will be great to start a discussion around similar topics which are cutting edge and in vogue in mature economies, but gradually gaining ground in India.
So here it goes, please do contribute, it will be great to assimilate different ideas:
What is Online Reputation Management?
Online Reputation management is the process of tracking our image and perception in the market among stakeholders, recording the relevant perception pointers and opinions in the market; and creating a response strategy and action plan to either strengthen the positive pointers or weaken the negative perception.
Since a large base of customers/prospects/stakeholders access and share information via websites/blogs and search engines, Search Engine Reputation Management (or SERM) tactics are one of the most integral part of an overall ORM strategy.
3 Prime Focus Areas:
Monitor
Optimize and
Engage
Monitor
We need to monitor what: Brand, Products, Company and Key Executives.
Where: News, Blogs, Forums, Social Media and Search
Optimize
Most of the reputation management companies (and Corporates) often indulge in reactive measures. What they end up doing is chasing the dissenters and do not their brand in a position of control.
In-fact, in India a very common (and uneducated) response would be to ask one’s online agency to remove all bad content about oneself from all blogs in the world!
A few others of similar variety would attribute negative imagery on blogs to competition, and would want the agency or online marketing division to retort back with greater vengeance!
While the competition may be involved in spreading a negative word about you, it will be wise to stay stoic and not indulge in a similar reactive strategy.
What many people forget is that the consumer or the reader is much smarter than what they think of him!
What one needs to have, instead is a well thought –out long term strategy to have their digital communication optimized, so that they are present in the form of blogs, articles, or video content across identified set of sites.
Once one starts participating in selected number of strategic sites, their content will grow, communities around these content areas grow, and subsequently this content starts featuring in search results. Since more sites with positive content will feature in search engine, the old negative content sites will automatically be pushed down.
Engage
Online Reputation management is the process of tracking our image and perception in the market among stakeholders, recording the relevant perception pointers and opinions in the market; and creating a response strategy and action plan to either strengthen the positive pointers or weaken the negative perception.
Since a large base of customers/prospects/stakeholders access and share information via websites/blogs and search engines, Search Engine Reputation Management (or SERM) tactics are one of the most integral part of an overall ORM strategy.
3 Prime Focus Areas:
Monitor
Optimize and
Engage
Monitor
We need to monitor what: Brand, Products, Company and Key Executives.
Where: News, Blogs, Forums, Social Media and Search
Optimize
Most of the reputation management companies (and Corporates) often indulge in reactive measures. What they end up doing is chasing the dissenters and do not their brand in a position of control.
In-fact, in India a very common (and uneducated) response would be to ask one’s online agency to remove all bad content about oneself from all blogs in the world!
A few others of similar variety would attribute negative imagery on blogs to competition, and would want the agency or online marketing division to retort back with greater vengeance!
While the competition may be involved in spreading a negative word about you, it will be wise to stay stoic and not indulge in a similar reactive strategy.
What many people forget is that the consumer or the reader is much smarter than what they think of him!
What one needs to have, instead is a well thought –out long term strategy to have their digital communication optimized, so that they are present in the form of blogs, articles, or video content across identified set of sites.
Once one starts participating in selected number of strategic sites, their content will grow, communities around these content areas grow, and subsequently this content starts featuring in search results. Since more sites with positive content will feature in search engine, the old negative content sites will automatically be pushed down.
Engage
Let’s say that we encounter a negative article on a blog, here are steps in dealing with it:
Research the situation – is there merit?
If not, provide the facts and ask for corrections
If yes, then offer to discuss
Be ready to respond with your own blog
Be honest, be transparent and LISTEN
Results can be any anything from a positive turn around to a loyal brand evangelist.
If not, provide the facts and ask for corrections
If yes, then offer to discuss
Be ready to respond with your own blog
Be honest, be transparent and LISTEN
Results can be any anything from a positive turn around to a loyal brand evangelist.
A few tips to interact with negative blogs:
Investigate facts internally before taking action - could this be a competitor spreading rumor? Is there really something bad about a particular service which is being complained about?
Always take the high ground
Always take the high ground
Be honest!
Explain what you have done to rectify any issue
Offer to resolve any complaints personally - have a senior-level staff member make the offer - try to continue discussion offline and utilize your allies.
Don’t create new “personas” to support your position in blogs, forums and message boards as you’ll likely be caught! As I said the reader/consumer is very smart!
Look froward to the 2nd and concluding part next week!
