Although search engine optimization (SEO) and online reputation management (ORM) are distinct strategies, they share a common thread and aim.
SEO and ORM work hand in hand not only to make sure you’re seen online but also to ensure that what’s seen is positive and reflects well on you or your brand.
But just how exactly?
We talk about this and more in this blog:
• A Look at SEO Online Reputation Management (SEO ORM)
• The Importance of SEO for Reputation Management and Vice Versa
• Getting Started With ORM SEO: ORM Techniques in SEO Amplification
• Get Expert SEO Reputation Management
A Look at SEO Online Reputation Management (SEO ORM)
SEO focuses on elevating your website’s position in the search engine results pages (SERPs). This ensures you secure visibility when people search for keywords related to your business or content.
By optimizing various elements of your website — from its content and keywords to its structure and user experience — SEO strategies work to signal to search engines that your site is relevant, valuable and deserving of a top spot in search results. In turn, you drive more organic traffic to your site, potentially raising leads and sales.
SEO strategies include:
• Keyword research and optimization
• Content creation
• Technical SEO
On the other hand, ORM goes beyond just trying to rank well in search results. ORM is about actively shaping and influencing the online narrative around your brand or persona.
ORM involves monitoring and managing the information that appears online about you or your business, ensuring that positive news and reviews are front and center while addressing or mitigating harmful content.
Reputation management strategies might include:
• Highlighting positive content
• Engaging with customer reviews
• Leveraging social media
The goal is to create a favorable online presence that reflects well on you or your brand, influencing public perception and trust.
Thus, SEO brings people to your site, but what they find there and elsewhere online about you will be influenced by effective ORM.
Together, SEO online reputation management (SEO ORM) ensures not just visibility but also a positive and impactful online presence.
The Importance of SEO for Reputation Management and Vice Versa
While SEO is more technical and focused on search engines, ORM is broader in some way and deals with the overall perception of your brand on the internet. Ultimately, the intertwined online reputation management SEO (ORM SEO) practices offer common benefits:
Higher Visibility in Search Results
As mentioned, SEO’s primary goal is to increase your visibility on search engines like Google. This is achieved through optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search results. ORM complements this by focusing on managing your presence on review sites and other platforms that often appear high in search results.
By claiming and actively managing these listings, you ensure that when people search for your brand, they’re more likely to encounter positive and controlled narratives. This dual approach to reputation management SEO means that both your primary content and ancillary mentions are positioned strategically to capture audience attention.
Better Control of Public Perception
The blend of SEO and ORM gives you a toolkit for sculpting how the public perceives your brand. SEO ensures that your content reaches the audience, while ORM lets you manage the narrative around your brand, particularly in response to reviews and external comments.
This proactive stance means you’re not just passively waiting for others to define your brand; you’re actively involved in crafting its story. For example, responding to reviews—both positive and negative—in a constructive manner shows engagement and commitment to customer satisfaction, which can positively influence public perception.
More Positive Online Presence
A natural outcome of effective SEO and ORM is the creation of a positive digital footprint. By optimizing content for search engines, you’re more likely to attract visitors to your site. At the same time, effective reputation management ensures that what they find on third-party sites is also favorable.
This doesn’t just apply to neutralizing negative feedback but also involves promoting positive reviews, engaging with customers online, and ensuring that any searchable content reflects your brand values and messages. Over time, this concerted effort builds a strong, positive brand image across the web.
Greater Reputation Risk Management
Investing in both SEO and ORM not only addresses immediate visibility and perception issues but also builds a foundation for long-term brand resilience. By establishing a strong online presence and actively managing your reputation, you’re better equipped to handle potential challenges or negative sentiments in the future.
In reputation management SEO, having solid brand risk management means that your brand can maintain its positive standing and continue to grow, even in the face of adversity.
Getting Started With ORM SEO
Here are the top ORM techniques in SEO:
1. Conduct an SEO and ORM Audit
Begin by assessing your website’s current SEO performance alongside the public’s perception of your brand. This dual-focused audit helps you understand where you stand in terms of search engine rankings and online reputation.
By knowing what you’re working with at hand, you can pinpoint areas for improvement and strategically plan your next moves. Also, having such a comprehensive overview is crucial for aligning your SEO and ORM strategies effectively.
2. Take Charge of Your Business Listings
High-ranking review sites are key in shaping your brand’s online perception, so you want to claim your business listings across these platforms.
It’s a common misconception that avoiding listing creation can prevent negative feedback; however, many platforms automatically generate listings, and unclaimed profiles can become a breeding ground for unchecked reviews. Claiming your listings on all possible platforms allows you to curate your brand’s narrative.
3. Fine-Tune Your Google Business Profile
While managing all your business listings is important, we want to emphasize the cruciality of Google Business Profile (formerly called Google My Business). Since it’s a Google product, GBPs often appear prominently in search results, including the Knowledge Graph, which is a highly visible sidebar feature.
Optimizing your GBP enhances your search visibility and provides an authoritative source of information about your business, directly influencing your brand’s first impression.
4. Keep Tabs on Brand Mentions
Monitoring what’s being said about your brand online is paramount for ORM and SEO. Setting up Google Alerts for your brand name enables you to stay informed about mentions across the web. These mentions are opportunities for ORM to address feedback and for SEO to pursue link-building opportunities.
For instance, if a business mentions your brand in a blog post, reaching out for a backlink can promote your website’s SEO, specifically your backlink profile.
5. Promote Customer Reviews
Encouraging and leveraging customer reviews is common practice in ORM, but it has a direct impact on your SEO. Reviews are a form of user-generated content (UGC) that naturally incorporates keywords your customers use.
Content that is keyword-rich can enhance your website’s SEO by making your review pages more discoverable to prospective customers. Moreover, a collection of positive reviews on your site or third-party platforms contributes to a robust online reputation, fostering trust among potential clients.
But remember, SEO reputation management is a proactive and ongoing process requiring consistent effort to maintain a positive online presence. It’s a critical strategy for businesses and individuals alike in managing how they are perceived online, protecting their brand and ensuring that their online presence is an asset rather than a liability.
Expert SEO Reputation Management
Truth be told, there is still a possibility that negative reviews or comments can still rank high in search results despite ORM efforts. Fortunately, you can use this as an opportunity to showcase your commitment and professionalism by responding appropriately and taking necessary actions.
Be sure to communicate how you have addressed the negative feedback, as this will demonstrate to others how you have dealt with the situation.
If you’re eager to get started with using SEO for reputation management and vice versa, Thrive can help. Some of our key services are:
• SEO
• Local SEO
• ORM
• Online reputation repair
Talk to our team today.
