A curator is someone who carefully manages and protects a priceless collection. Zoologists manage a zoo’s collection of wild animals. Museum curators manage their historic displays. When it comes to your brand, you need to be the curator for your brand’s online reputation. (Tweet this!)
Online reputation management, sometimes referred to as ORM, is a growing need for more and more companies. With real-time feedback being at the highest its ever been, it pays to be informed about your brand’s online reputation. The amount of online traffic can often cover a surge of negative feedback if you’re not careful.
Some might object, “Who cares if someone writes a bad review? Let people have their own opinions.” For one, you don’t know who will read an negative opinion and reconsider. For another, never underestimate the depth of someone’s feelings and influence. If they truly feel offended by your brand’s service and reputation, you may have some significant damage control in the future.
Here’s the truth: everyone already has an opinion of your brand. Even if someone’s never heard of you or your company, they still have an opinion: indifference. It’s up to you to curate new opportunities to drive their opinion upward in a positive way.
Protecting and managing your brand’s online reputation starts with knowing where to pay attention. Here are some good places to start…
- Online feedback – This is everything from emails to info@yourbrandname.com to posts on your brand’s Facebook page to tags in tweets and everything in between.
- Google Alerts – This takes the power of Google and puts you on notice when anything is mentioned regarding your brand. And by anything, I mean anything.
- Be proactive – It takes time and attention to invest in your target audience. Listen to what people are saying. Learn from their feedback. Apologize and make amends when your brand messes up.
For more reading… Jim Joseph recently wrote a fantastic article about managing your ORM when it comes to social media. Follow the link to read, “Why Reputation Management Is Critical to Your Personal Brand“. It’s worth the read.