What Is an Online Reputation Defender?

If your personal or business reputation is suffering from negative search results, you need a professional online reputation defender right away.

Do you need someone to help defend and define your online reputation? For most people, the answer is “yes.”

If your business, career or personal life is being hurt by negative customer feedback, online reviews, and media coverage, you definitely need digital reputation management right away. However, even if you aren’t affected by unflattering content right now, you might work in a field where a bad reputation could create a real problem. In that case, ORM could offer preventative protection to shield you from future reputation damage.

Reputation defenders are experts in online reputation management. And the right reputation defender can help you take control of your digital footprint. They can also help shape your Google search results to make a positive first impression on people searching your name online. 

InternetReputation.com provides the information and services you need to protect your online privacy and digital presence. Get started with a free online reputation analysis by calling 941-259-4554 today.

What Does a Reputation Defender Do?

It takes extensive resources to carry out a successful reputation management campaign, and going it alone can be a major challenge. Reputation defenders work on your behalf to protect and defend your reputation. 

When choosing an online reputation management provider, you can opt for a large firm or a smaller, more specialized company. Whichever type you choose, though, reliable reputation management teams include a variety of essential services to manage crises and help restore your online image. 

We can help you with online reputation management, even if you’re starting from zero or rebounding from reputational damage. Call us at 941-259-4554 for more information.

Online Monitoring

It’s nearly impossible to monitor new online mentions of your name or business every day, especially without specialized tools. Luckily, reputation defenders have the technology and expertise to do so. 

Good reputation managers can identify, analyze and point you toward new Google results based on keywords they’re tracking. They also use 24/7 alerts and real-time updates to stay ahead of emerging threats to your reputation. 

Overall, round-the-clock monitoring allows your ORM team to tackle new issues as soon as they pop up, whether that’s flattering customer feedback or a negative news article.

Content Removal

Bad online reviews, viral social posts and negative news stories can creep up to the top of Google search results fast. Once at the top, these items create an instant threat to your online reputation.

Consider these stats:

• The top organic Google search result has an average CTR of 27.6%. Plus, it’s 10x more likely to be clicked than the No. 10 result.
• The top 3 search results on Google get over 54% of all clicks.
• Less than 1% of users go past the first SERP and click on a second-page result.

Additionally, Google doesn’t look too deeply at how truthful content is before including it in top search results. Instead, search engines mainly consider characteristics like how often others link to content and how many people click on results.

When a bad link starts moving up on the search engine results page (SERP), it can be impossible to remove on your own. 

A seasoned ORM firm can help you identify and remove these bad search results — and other negative content — to protect your online brand. Even better: The right team can help resolve your online problems much faster than you could by yourself. They use tools and methods to locate threats you may have missed or overlooked. 

Online Reputation Repair and Maintenance

The most important services offered by an effective ORM firm are reputation repair and maintenance. Experienced reputation defenders use the extensive resources at their disposal to help you repair your online reputation. They can do so no matter the type of threat or the amount of damage done.

Once they help restore your online image, they can help you identify, manage and remove any problems that may hurt your reputation in the future, too.

Our clients come to us when they need professional online reputation management. Call us at 941-259-4554 to learn more.

How To Find the Right ORM Company

ORM companies provide the tools and content needed to repair your Google results and manage what people find when they search your name online. 

When it comes to protecting your online reputation, choosing the best reputation management team is essential. The right reputation services company puts control of your reputation in your hands while handling necessary tasks for you. 

When searching for the right reputation defender, you’ll want to carefully research your options and locate the best fit for your unique online needs and budget. Here are a few things to look for in a quality ORM company:

Background and Experience

Before choosing a reputation management team, always consider their level of experience. Get answers on how long they’ve worked in ORM, the clients they serve, and the tactics and strategies they use to repair online reputations. This information will give you a sense of how long their process takes and what they’ll use to fix your own reputation.

Great Track Record

The best reputation management firms know how to deliver results. They also have the experience and satisfied client base to prove it. A great ORM firm will have ample experience with — and proof of — providing numerous clients with the services needed to reach their full potential on the web. Request testimonials and case studies that show their work and how they achieved results for past clients. 

Focus on Innovation

Good ORM firms understand that the web is always changing and that what worked last year or even last month may not work now. They also know that newer, better and faster reputation management methods and technologies are needed to stay a step ahead and deliver great results. Focusing on innovation ensures they’re always prepared for an unpredictable digital threatscape.

Commitment to Quality

Getting reputation management right takes a dedicated team and a lot of hard work. When searching for the best ORM provider, look for a team with proven tactics that stick rather than cheap services that fall apart shortly after the campaign ends. You want an ORM firm with a comprehensive and tailored approach, not a one-size-fits-all package of services.

Realistic Deliverables

Trusted reputation defenders don’t promise to deliver results overnight. They also don’t guarantee to fix bad reputation scores in days or weeks. Instead of over-the-top claims, an effective ORM firm provides honest answers and assessments about your online problems and what it will take to get across the finish line. With a realistic approach, your reputation score can be improved dramatically. 

Strong Communication

Like any service provider, the ORM firm you choose should always be open, honest and available when you need them. A reputable ORM team will be reliable and maintain open communication. This ensures you can get answers and address problems on your schedule. 

Good reputation defenders know how important strong communication is to an effective ORM campaign, particularly since reputation matters are personal and must be handled with great care. 

In-House Solutions

The right reputation managers have the in-house resources and expertise to manage each aspect of your campaign, rather than outsourcing certain elements or asking you to supplement the process. The best ORM providers bring together many in-house specialists to ensure effective collaboration and maximum efficiency.  

Advanced Resources

No matter the nature or size of your online issues, you’ll need an ORM company with the resources needed to tackle them effectively. The right reputation defender not only has a dedicated team of specialists to resolve your internet problems, but they also have the processes, technology and built-in flexibility needed to create a lasting firewall around your reputation. Having access to such resources in-house helps ensure your strategy remains consistent and effective from start to finish. 

Do you need to speak with an expert about reputation monitoring, management or repair? Get in touch with our online reputation management team by calling 941-259-4554 today.

6 Red Flags To Avoid When Hiring an ORM Company

Experienced reputation defenders help you defend and repair your reputation online. Unfortunately, there are many others that promise big things, only to fall short when delivering results. 

Here are six red flags to watch for when shopping for ORM providers.

Dirt-Cheap Pricing

Many small-time ORM firms lure people in by promising to fix their online reputation for bargain prices. 

Unfortunately, these low-cost providers seem too good to be true because they are. Most often, they make big-time promises but don’t end up hitting the mark. In fact, the cheaper the offer is, the more likely that the ORM firm will cut corners and create more problems than it’s worth. 

Anyone claiming to provide amazing results at such low prices — such as promising to remove threats and fix search results in record time — should be avoided at all costs. Though you may see some short-term improvement on Google, the long-term consequences could be severe. This is particularly true if blackhat techniques are used along the way. 

Spammy Content

It’s fairly common practice among reputation management firms to help you build a better online presence by creating a variety of websites, social media profiles and business listings across the web. For the most part, this is a good strategy that can generate positive results. 

Unfortunately, there are some ORM agencies that take this approach way too far. For example, they might develop hundreds of sites that end up diluting your progress and hurting your reputation. Search engines like Google often view such practices as spammy and sometimes even penalize those sites as a result.

Unethical SEO Tactics  

Despite recent Google updates and a stronger focus on quality content, some so-called reputation defenders continue to rely on unethical SEO tactics to fool search engines and get quick results. 

Shady operators use common blackhat techniques like keyword stuffing, link buying and web traffic farming to get around using proven, above-board SEO strategies. This often leaves clients in a lurch, owning websites that are later banned from top-ranking spots altogether.

Always beware of ORM providers that utilize blackhat SEO. Such practices are risky and make it much harder to restore your reputation down the road. 

Fake Review Strategies

Also known as “astroturfing,” buying fake reviews is a common cheat among small-time reputation managers. It’s mostly done by those companies promising to deliver better ratings and instant results to business owners. Astroturfing is not only a blatant form of false advertising, but it also goes against consumer protection laws designed to protect buyers from false information. 

Buying fraudulent reviews isn’t just bad for consumers, either. Companies can get into legal trouble and be fined for creating a false impression of their business. 

If your firm is ever caught utilizing this practice, chances are good that you’ll face fines and the bad publicity that comes with it. In turn, you’ll have a reputation scar that’ll likely follow your business reputation for years. 

In short, steer clear of reputation defenders that guarantee an instant boost to your ratings and reviews online. The consequences of working with this type of firm could be disastrous. 

Inexperienced Providers

Sometimes, a business consultant or other professional will offer reputation management without having the expertise to deliver the services. These “experts” may not have the in-house team of digital marketers, content creators or social media managers that are required to run a successful ORM campaign. 

When a consultant provides ORM as an offshoot of another service, such as marketing or PR, they likely won’t have the expertise needed to tackle your problem and get the results you’re looking for. 

Hidden Costs

While all reputation agencies should clearly outline the costs of your campaign at the beginning, some aren’t so transparent, charging unexpected fees that can add up in a hurry. These can include anything from travel to phone and internet service fees, leaving you to pay much more than you originally intended. 

A reputable ORM firm is committed to transparency. They also detail the price of each unique service right from the start. This includes all costs associated with the level of work needed, plus any supplemental services that might be needed in the future. 

Do You Need Professional Reputation Management Services?

We’re here to help. 

Utilizing the latest in ORM technology, processes and industry-leading expertise, our reputation specialists help you remove bad search results and build a stronger, more positive presence on the web. Whether you’re managing a career or running a business, we can help you achieve your goals and realize your full internet potential. 

We offer a range of online reputation management services, including personal branding, improving your social media presence and generating more reviews. Our process includes analysis, web property development, content creation, publishing and promotion.

Get in touch with our team of online reputation management experts today by calling 941-259-4554 — we look forward to speaking with you.