No algorithm can tell whether information accurately reflects you or not,

so popularity becomes the main measuring stick of what makes a good search result.

 

That’s why embarrassing party photos, frivolous lawsuits dismissed years ago,

and other kinds of irrelevant but intriguing “clickbait” often dominate online reputations.

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Online reputation management counteracts that human bias for gossip, ensuring that the materials

that actually matter aren’t overwhelmed by the rumors.

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Do you trust your reputation to be accurately represented by an algorithm that doesn’t know the

difference between what’s tantalizing and what’s truthful?

If not, then you need to develop an online reputation management strategy to protect your interests.

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In fact, it’s probably going to get more and more important to manage our online reputations

as search engines and other online algorithms become a bigger part of everything we do.

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Online Reputation Management, or ORM, is a multi-faceted concept that is aimed at creating

a positive public perception of a brand, business, or person. Reputation management includes monitoring reputation, addressing any content or customer feedback that could damage the brand,

and using strategies to prevent and solve problems that could damage an entity's reputation.

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Not only do people view the Internet as their first source of information, but they also trust

what it tells them. More importantly, they make decisions based on what they find online.

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Two out of three people see the Internet as the most reliable source of information about

a person or a business 70% of hiring managers have rejected a candidate

because of something they found online 

When looking for a local business, 97% of people read online reviews 
Over 80% of reputation damage comes from a mismatch between the buzz and the reality 
Looking at statistics like these, it’s clear that what happens online affects your entire life.

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Why Reputation Management Is Important for Your Online Business

We have explained why online reputation management for your brand is critically important.

However, let’s get into how exactly an efficient ORM strategy can benefit your business.

 

Impact on Buying Decisions

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The lack of management of your online reputation can actually cost you your customer base.

 

As 81% of buyers do some online research before making a purchase, the way you appear online is the make-it-or-break-it factor in their final decision.

And your online reputation really a business quality check with 88% of consumers reading reviews to determine if your business is reliable enough.

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2. It Is the Online Version of Word-of-mouth

85% of consumers treat online reviews as personal recommendations and trust them

as much as a tip from a friend. It is a great thing if your reviews are impeccable,

but what happens if there was some bump on the road and someone posted

a well-grounded negative comment?

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In the age of social media when news spread like wildfire, it can be an absolute bombshell. 

United Airlines lost over $1 billion in market value after a video of a passenger being violently forced away from an overbooked flight went viral. The video earned over a million mentions a day and over 100 million views.

 

The CEO of United Airlines was accused of failing to deal with the situation and the lack of PR crisis management.

Nestlé also faced a notorious failure in reputation management when they were publicly accused by Greenpeace of harmful environmental practices.

 

While Nestlé failed to react to the rising social media crisis, it even worsened it

by asking YouTube to remove the Greenpeace video.

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In the aftermath, the company was forced to temporarily shut down its public page

as people started posting the altered version of their Kit Kat logo all over the web.

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