Search engine optimization (SEO) aims to drive organic traffic by improving a website’s visibility in search results.
Online reputation management (ORM) is all about promoting and protecting a brand’s reputation.
When you bring them together, SEO reputation management becomes the practice of crafting and curating content that not only ranks well in search engine results pages (SERP) but also shapes the way a brand is perceived.
In this blog, we share practical steps so you can employ SEO for reputation management (and vice versa) to elevate your brand in the online space.
📗Related read: SEO and ORM: The Connection Between Search Rankings and Online Reputation
How To Use SEO for Reputation Management (and Vice Versa)
To build a solid online reputation management SEO strategy, you need to follow these 10 tips:
1. Audit and Monitor All Your Marketing Channels
When it comes to any facet of digital marketing, you can never go wrong by starting with an audit of all your key marketing channels.
Review your owned media, which includes your website, blogs, social media profiles, email newsletters, mobile apps and any other digital properties your brand controls.
Online listings like your Google Business Profile can also be considered owned media. While Google owns the platform, the content within your profile is yours. You control the information you provide.
Next, take a look at your earned media — think third-party mentions like news articles, blog features and customer reviews. These are valuable because they show how others talk about your brand.
Lastly, review your paid media, such as Google Ads, display ads, social media promotions and any other sponsored content.
All your marketing channels can shape public perception but require consistent oversight, not just a one-off audit. While all three are important, we’ll focus on owned media.
In online reputation management SEO, owned media is where you have the most control and can make the biggest impact.
2. Claim All Your Listings on Online Directories
Continuing from our focus on owned media, let’s zero in on your online listings. Online directories, like Google Business Profile, Yelp and others, are often prioritized in SERP, especially for local searches.
For instance, Google listings even have their own dedicated search features, such as the Google Local Pack that are highly visible to potential customers.
To harness the impact of these listings for search engine reputation management, you want to claim them. This ensures that you have control over the information presented. Optimizing your listings is just as crucial.
Make sure your business information is accurate and up to date, and take full advantage of the platform’s features. If the directory allows you to post updates, share news or highlight special offers, use these tools to keep your listing dynamic and engaging.
Note that online platforms reward profiles that are complete and active with even higher visibility.
📗Related read: How To Rank Higher on Google Maps in 11 Easy Steps
3. Keep Your Social Media Profiles Updated
Social media profiles, in many ways, function like online directories, but they’re a whole different beast that demands extra care.
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and Pinterest are among the top social channels.
Still, you don’t need to be on all of them, especially if they aren’t relevant to your industry. For instance, Pinterest caters to niche markets, making it ideal for visually-driven industries like fashion, design or food, but less so for others.
No matter which platform you choose, it’s key to keep your profiles updated with accurate business information and relevant and engaging content.
Nintendo / Social media post example
You don’t have to overcomplicate your post. Sometimes, a simple post like the above can stir positive emotions like nostalgia from the audience.
And although social media is primarily a playground of trends, that doesn’t mean you should hop on every bandwagon. Be selective with the trends you participate in. Otherwise, jumping on the wrong one could harm your reputation.
4. Encourage Authentic Reviews
When it comes to online reputation management, reviews are a given, but they’re also instrumental for SEO. Reviews are packed with keywords that can promote your search visibility or simply inform your content strategy.
While encouraging reviews on online listings like Google or Yelp is important, you should also consider collecting them on your own site if you have a dedicated review space.
Here are a few tips to help generate authentic reviews:
1. Just ask, whether online or in person. There are perfect moments to request a review — right after a purchase or a positive interaction, for example.
2. Let customers leave a review with minimal effort. Include a direct link to the target platform in your follow-up emails or display QR codes in-store.
3. Automate the process. For eCommerce, set up an email campaign that automatically sends a review request a week post-purchase. For customer support, consider adding a mini-survey or rating system after resolving a case.
Whatever approach you take, avoid manipulating reviews or buying fake ones. And if you’re offering incentives, make sure it’s done ethically. Most platforms frown upon incentivized reviews, so it’s best to limit this to your own site.
5. Analyze Your Branded Keywords
Branded keywords are specific terms that directly relate to your business, such as your company name, product names or even the names of key figures in your company. These keywords are crucial in both SEO and online reputation management because they trigger branded search results.
When someone searches for these terms, what pops up can significantly influence how your brand is perceived.
For example, if someone searches your company name and the top results include a negative video review or a critical news article, that’s a problem.
Pay close attention to all the results on the first page for your branded keywords, especially the top results. In most cases, you’ll find your own website, social media profiles or online listings. Look for opportunities to further improve owned and positive results, like updating content, optimizing profiles or increasing engagement.
For any negative search results, you likewise want to explore ways to address them, whether through direct communication or by amplifying positive owned content from the second page. Let’s talk more about this in the next section.
6. Find Ways To Address Negative Content
Negative content that may appear in branded search results can be a pain but not impossible to deal with. Examples of this could be a critical post on Reddit, an unfavorable video review on YouTube, or a negative Google review. Even issues on your own site, like outdated information or an HTTP error, can count as negative content.
So, how do you address these?
• Publicly reply to negative posts or reviews. Be professional, empathetic and thorough in your response, because it will be visible to customers and prospects. Demonstrate accountability and clearly outline how the issue has been or is being resolved. Then, after your initial public reply, take the conversation off-platform.
• Flag defamatory posts and fake reviews. Reach out directly to the platform and flag the content for removal. Most platforms have strict protocols for dealing with false information.
• Promote positive content on the second page of search results. You most likely have content you own on the second page of branded search results. Getting it to the first page with updates or optimization can help push down negative content.
The Encounter Cafe / Negative review response example
Remember, in search engine reputation management, your goal is to protect your brand image without resorting to deceptive tactics.
7. Publish Helpful and Optimized Blog Posts
If you haven’t been giving your blog the attention it deserves, now’s the perfect time to change that. A well-maintained blog can do wonders for both your SEO and online reputation management.
The key is to create content that’s not only helpful to your target audience but also optimized for search engines. This means that your posts should address search intent and incorporate relevant keywords.
Analyze your top-performing blog posts. What made them successful? Was it the topic, the structure or perhaps the way it resonated with your audience? Use these insights to guide your future posts and make sure you’re not duplicating content.
When brainstorming new blog ideas, consider the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about your brand and offerings. For example, if you’re a SaaS company, you could create evergreen content that provides detailed how-tos on using your software.
Maintaining your blog also positions your brand as an authority in your field, promoting both your SEO and reputation. To add, you also want to stay updated with the latest Google algorithm news.
8. Create Multimedia Content
To elevate your blog posts, incorporate multimedia content like images and infographics.
Not only do these elements make your content more engaging, but they also improve your SEO. Every image should be accompanied by an alt tag, which are short descriptions that tell search engines what the image is about. These tags are also key to improving overall accessibility.
Beyond your blog, you should also focus on sharing multimedia content (images, infographics, videos and more) on your social profiles and online listings.
Search engines like Google have dedicated spaces in search results specifically for images and videos, so having optimized content in these formats can help you claim that valuable real estate.
If your brand is already engaged on YouTube, make sure you’re optimizing your videos with proper titles, descriptions and tags. This will enhance your chances of propping your reach video search results.
📗Related read: Video SEO Marketing Tips: How To Optimize for YouTube and Beyond
9. Improve Your Backlink Profile
Your backlink profile, essentially the collection of links from other websites pointing to your site, is a critical factor in SEO. A strong backlink profile signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative, which can boost your rankings.
Here are some effective link-building strategies to improve your backlink profile:
• Publish high-quality content. Content that offers original data or case studies is particularly valuable and can naturally attract backlinks from other reputable sources.
• Leverage broken link-building. Identify broken links on relevant websites and propose your content as a replacement. This not only helps you but also provides value to the site owner.
• Guest post or contribute insightful articles to other blogs and websites in your industry. While not all outlets may allow a direct link, even a mention of your brand can increase visibility.
• Use Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Now called Connectively, the platform connects journalists with subject matter experts. By providing valuable insights, you can earn mentions and backlinks from reputable media outlets.
Although mostly squarely aimed at SEO, link-building is also closely tied to ORM, as high-quality backlinks enhance your brand’s credibility or reputation online.
10. Stay On-Brand in All Your Content
While the previous tips focused on specific tactics for SEO and ORM, staying consistently on-brand touches every aspect of your content creation and communication.
It’s easy to drift away from your brand’s core identity when you’re churning out content across various platforms for online reputation SEO. Still, everything should align with your brand’s overall aesthetic and messaging, whether it’s your website, social media profiles or even guest posts.
For brand voice, while a more conversational tone may suit social media, your core brand voice shouldn’t be overshadowed.
Taco Bell / Social media post example
For instance, some brands can pull off a humorous or quirky tone, while others might be better off staying professional.
More than the look and feel of your brand, consistency also extends to your mission and vision. Stick to these guiding principles, ensuring that all your actions, online and offline, reflect them.
Let’s Help You Rank Higher With a Better Reputation
SEO reputation management can be highly rewarding, but only if done the right way. On top of an appealing brand image and higher visibility, a strategic approach to reputation SEO leads to better conversion rates and brand loyalty.
Thrive is here to help you make effective reputation SEO happen for your brand.
Some of our services are:
• SEO
• SEO audit services
• Reputation management software
• Online reputation repair
• Social media reputation management
Ready to dominate the SERP with a stellar reputation? Talk to our team.
