In the digital age, online reputation management (ORM) is more crucial than ever for businesses of all sizes. Research indicates that more than 85 percent of customers believe what other consumers say about products purchased online. ORM services help with lead generation, customer loyalty and even customer revenue.
However, knowledge of the factors that determine the success of ORM efforts is vital. It also entails the necessary measurements that should be taken and the appropriate mark points that would make the businesses evaluate the ORM influence. In this article, we will explore top strategies to measure success of your ORM efforts.
Tips to Measure the Success of Your ORM Efforts
1. Monitoring Customer Sentiment and Brand Mentions
One of the critical components of ORM is monitoring of everything that people post about a brand, customers in particular and in general the public. You need to track your brand mention in social networking profiles, in review and discussion forums, and in the news. Branded keywords allow understanding of how frequently your business is mentioned, and whether the conversation is constructive, negative, or neutral.
For real time monitoring of brand activity there are tools such as Google Alerts, Brandwatch and Mention among others. It is possible to note that positive or neutral sentiment means that people have a favorable or a neutral perception of the entity. On the other hand, a sharp increase in negative sentiments informs one that there is some area which requires particular attention from the entity. Sentiment fluctuation analysis shows how well ORM initiatives containing concerns, engaging responses, and increasing positive reputation are working.
2. Analyzing Customer Reviews and Ratings
Filtering of the internet content and its ranking are also affected by the reviews on Google, Yelp, and others, including Trustpilot. Measuring the frequency, rating, and disposition of the reviews gives ORM a direct measure of success. Thus, the average star ratings as well as a variation in volumes can help to determine the effectiveness of actions taken to meet the customers’ needs. For example, when an organization engages in an ORM campaign, the subsequent rise in positive reviews may be a sign of good customer satisfaction management.
Furthermore, analyzing language used in the customer reviews may reveal patterns, for example, can be features of the product quality or service. Pervasive positive reviews indicate high brand trust, which is a favorable sign, and if there are fewer negative reviews upcoming ORM actions will only be enhancing consumers’ satisfaction. It is also imperative to welcome reviews and respond to them. A company that ensures it engages with its users of the system adds credibility and accounts for any loophole.
3. Measuring Social Media Engagement
ORM would not be complete without social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram because they allow direct communication with clients. ORM success can be measured based on likes, shares of the content posted, number of comments and retweets in the social media accounts.
By observing the kind of comments that are made, a business can adjust the kind of content that they post to mirror what gets a positive response from their audience. Moreover, comparing engagement rates to the previous periods it is possible to understand if ORM promotes the creation of the community that appreciates the business. There are also tools available such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social that effectively point out engagement statistics and customer sentiment, thus, it makes it all the easier to analyze the effectiveness of ORM on social media platforms.
4. Assessing Website Traffic and Search Engine Results
Potential customers looking for information relating to a particular brand will first visit the website. By monitoring the traffic to the websites involved in ORM activities, its effects can be observed. For instance, a raw growth in the direct or referral continuities might mean that positive online discourse is leading a number of persons to the company’s website. While, lesser traffic may suggest certain reputation concerns, and these may affect a number of potential buying customers.
Besides, a good ORM strategy entails managing Search Engine Results Pages so that that information relevant or containing the name or any other identifiable feature should show preferably positive or accurate information. By using SEO tools, organizations can monitor the frequency, in which either positive stories or the information pages of the firm feature on the first page of Google search results. Increased search visibility is a positive sign of ORM success since it shows that positive information about the brand is easier to find.
5. Calculating Conversion Rates from Reputation-based Campaigns
ORM isn’t only about perception—it’s about influence. What is important is that through reputation-based campaigns, businesses can directly relate customer perception to conversion as a way of analyzing whether online reputation management yields tangible returns. These conversions may be as simple as subscribing to a newsletter, requesting for a quote or as elaborate as buying a product.
Special ORM campaigns like posting a testimonial or celebrating the good ratings received can be traced as to how they influence sales. When the conversion rates rise once ORM-focused advertising or content has been posted, we get a clear sign that potential customers believe in the brand enough to back it up. Measuring conversion criteria after employing certain ORM plans is also useful in proving ORM outcomes. Platforms such as Google Analytics and other conversion tracking tools can be used to determine which particular reputation campaigns are bringing most of the conversions thus aiding the business to further optimize.
To summarize, one can specify that ORM activity effectiveness should be assessed to retain a strong, reliable reputation in the online environment for a brand. Through capturing customer feelings, following reviews and ratings, gauging social media engagement, analyzing website visitation, and tracking conversion, businesses can develop all side pictures of its reputation.
At EZ Rankings, the ORM services provided are personalized as per the clients’ requirements. EZ Rankings can assist companies in building and maintaining their favorable online image. Through ORM with EZ Rankings in place, organizations are equipped with the necessary solutions for brand reputation management, and ultimately brand development through the foundation of a strong and positive online brand image.
Abdul Basit 
Spero Agency