How to Use Online Reputation Management Software to Boost Customer Trust

Online Reputation Management (ORM) software helps businesses monitor and improve their online image. Here's how to use it effectively:

Choose the right ORM tool for your needs
Set up monitoring for reviews and mentions
Respond quickly to customer feedback
Encourage positive reviews
Use insights to improve your business
Track metrics to measure success

Quick Comparison of Popular ORM Tools:

Tool	Best For	Key Features
Reputation.com	Large businesses	All-in-one platform
BirdEye	Small-medium businesses	Review management
Podium	Local businesses	Text-based review requests
Hootsuite	Social media focus	Social listening
Google Alerts	Basic monitoring	Free, simple alerts

ORM software boosts customer trust by helping you stay on top of what people are saying about your brand online. It lets you respond to feedback quickly, showcase positive reviews, and use customer insights to improve your products or services.

Remember: Consistency is key. Regularly monitor and respond to feedback, and use the data to make meaningful changes in your business.

Basics of online reputation management software

ORM software is your digital watchdog. It keeps tabs on what people say about your business online. Here's the lowdown on how it works and why it's crucial for building customer trust.

Main features

ORM tools come with a toolkit to manage your online image:

Review monitoring: Tracks customer feedback across Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
Sentiment analysis: Uses AI to sort comments into positive, negative, or neutral.
Alert system: Pings you about new mentions or reviews instantly.
Response management: Helps you reply to feedback fast and professionally.
Reporting: Gives you the scoop on your online reputation trends.

Different types of ORM tools

There's an ORM flavor for every business taste:

Type	Best for	Key Feature
All-in-one platforms	Medium to large businesses	Full-scale monitoring and management
Review-focused tools	Local businesses	Central review management
Social media monitors	Brand-heavy companies	Social listening and engagement
SEO-oriented software	Online-focused businesses	Search result optimization

How businesses benefit

ORM software can give your business a real boost:

1. Builds trust

When you respond to reviews, customers see you're listening.

2. Boosts sales

Better ratings = more customers. Fun fact: One extra star on Yelp can pump up profits by 9%.

3. Improves search rankings

Positive reviews and active online presence can push you up in search results.

4. Provides insights

Feedback helps you catch and fix issues before they snowball.

5. Saves time

Automation handles the grunt work of monitoring and initial responses.

2. How to pick the right ORM software

Choosing ORM software doesn't have to be a headache. Here's the lowdown:

What to look for

When shopping for ORM tools, keep these in mind:

Cost: Find a balance between your wallet and your needs.
Features: Look for the essentials:
- Social media tracking
- Review monitoring
- Sentiment analysis
- Custom reports and dashboards
Integration: It should play nice with your current tech.
Scalability: Pick a tool that can grow with you.
Support: Good help when you're stuck is a must.

Comparing popular options

Let's see how some top ORM tools stack up:

Features	Detailed SEO	YCS	Filmot	ChatGPT	Yelp Improvement Calculator	Google's Spam Report	Google Alerts
Cost	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
Social listening	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
Review management	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Sentiment analysis	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Customizable reports	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Ease of use	High	Medium	Medium	High	High	High	High

The best tool? It depends on YOU. A restaurant might need solid review management, while a tech company might care more about social media buzz.

Not sure? Take a few for a spin. Many ORM tools offer free trials - perfect for a test drive before you commit.

3. Creating your ORM plan

Let's build a killer ORM plan to boost your online rep:

Set clear goals

What do you want? Be specific:

"Bump up Google reviews by 30% in 6 months"
"Cut negative mentions on Twitter by half this quarter"

Make it measurable, doable, and tied to your business goals.

Choose your platforms

Where should you focus? Think about:

Where your customers hang out online
Which sites impact your business most

A restaurant? Yelp and Google Reviews are your jam. B2B company? LinkedIn and industry forums might be your sweet spot.

Plan your responses

How will you handle different types of feedback?

Feedback	Your Move
Positive	Say thanks, highlight what they loved
Neutral	Address concerns, ask for more details
Negative	Apologize, offer fixes, take it private

Pro tip: Have response templates ready, but always add a personal touch. Nobody likes a robot reply.

4. Setting up ORM software

Let's get your ORM software running:

Installation steps

Pick your ORM tool. Popular ones? Reputation.com, BirdEye, and Podium.
Sign up, download if needed.
Add your business info to your profile.
Link your social media and review sites.
Set up alerts for new reviews or mentions.

Connecting with other systems

Boost your ORM by linking it with:

CRM software
Social media management tools
Analytics platforms

Here's a quick look:

System	Benefits	Example
CRM	Unified customer view	Salesforce + Reputation.com
Social Media	Centralized management	Hootsuite + BirdEye
Analytics	Better reporting	Google Analytics + Podium

Teaching your team

Get your staff on board:

Train them on the software's features
Create a user guide
Assign roles (who handles what?)
Practice common scenarios

"Training is key. We saw a 40% increase in positive review responses after our team completed ORM software training", says Sarah Chen, Customer Experience Manager at TechCorp.

Remember: The right setup and training can make or break your ORM efforts. Take the time to do it right.

5. Tracking and understanding your online reputation

Once your ORM software is up and running, it's time to dig into your online reputation. This step is crucial for building customer trust.

Reports and dashboards

ORM software gives you powerful tools to analyze your online presence:

How many reviews you're getting
Your average star rating on sites like Google and Yelp
How customer sentiment changes over time

Take Reputology, for example. Their dashboard shows reviews from over 100 websites and social platforms. It's like a bird's-eye view of your online reputation.

Decoding customer sentiment

Sentiment analysis is a game-changer. Here's how it works:

1. The software scans reviews and comments

2. It labels them as positive, negative, or neutral

3. You get a clear picture of what customers really think

Sentiment	Target %	What to do
Positive	70-80%	Aim for this
Neutral	10-20%	Address if too high
Negative	5-10%	Respond ASAP

"We saw a 75% drop in negative sentiment within 90 days of using Widewail's Invite service", says a Widewail customer.

Spotting room for improvement

Use your ORM data to find trends and fix issues:

1. Look for patterns in negative reviews

2. See how changes impact your ratings over time

3. Compare yourself to competitors in your industry

6. Responding to customer feedback

Handling customer feedback is crucial for building trust. Here's how to use ORM tools to respond to reviews:

Dealing with good reviews

Don't ignore positive reviews. Here's what to do:

Thank the customer quickly (within 24-48 hours)
Use their name and mention specifics
Keep it short

Example:

"Thanks, Sarah! Glad you loved our new coffee blend. See you soon!"

Pro tip: Set up automated responses for positive reviews. Just don't make them sound like robots.

Handling bad reviews

Negative reviews? They're a chance to show you care. Here's how:

1. Act fast: Respond within 24-48 hours

2. Stay calm: Take a breath before replying

3. Apologize and empathize: Show you get it

4. Offer a solution: Explain how you'll fix it

5. Take it offline: Invite them to chat privately

Good example:

"Hi Tom, sorry about the long wait. That's not what we want. Let's make it right. Email me at [email protected]? - Sam (Owner)"

Key stats:

Stat	Value
Customers expecting response to negative reviews	54%
Consumers reading responses to negative reviews	89%
Increase in purchase intent when businesses respond	186%

Responding to reviews isn't just damage control. It shows potential customers you value feedback and want to improve.

7. Getting more positive reviews

Want more positive reviews? Here's how ORM software can help:

Automating review requests

ORM tools send review requests automatically. Here's how to do it:

Set up triggers for specific events (purchases, service completions)
Personalize messages with customer names and recent interactions
Use text messages (98% open rate, 95% read within 3 minutes)

Lake Powell Paddleboards used Podium's review platform. Result? They went from under 100 TripAdvisor reviews and 11 Google reviews to nearly 300 on TripAdvisor and 400 on Google. Average rating? 4.9 stars.

When and where to ask for reviews

Timing matters. Here's what to remember:

Don't rush. Customers need time to evaluate.
Sweet spot? 13 days after purchase (according to a study).
Focus on major sites like Google and TripAdvisor.

For different products/services, timing varies:

Type	When to Ask
Restaurants	1-2 days after
Hotels	3-5 days after
Online purchases	7-14 days after delivery
Home services	1-3 days after completion

Remember: Products that need time to evaluate? Wait longer. Quick services? Ask sooner.

8. Using feedback to improve your business

Making changes based on feedback

Customer feedback is gold. Here's how to use it:

Collect and organize: Use ORM software to gather feedback. Help Scout uses Trello to sort customer ideas.
Spot patterns: Look for common themes. If multiple customers mention an issue, it's time to act.
Prioritize: Focus on high-impact, doable improvements that fit your goals.
Test first: Before big changes, try them with a small group. Help Scout did this with Beacon 2.0.
Implement and tell: Make changes and let customers know. Show them you're listening.

Measuring the impact

Track these metrics to see if your changes work:

Metric	Measures	How to track
Net Promoter Score (NPS)	Customer loyalty	Regular surveys
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)	Satisfaction with interactions	Post-interaction surveys
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)	Long-term business impact	Sales data analysis
Review sentiment	Overall customer perception	ORM software analytics

"We use feedback software that texts a quick survey after massage appointments. It lets us gather real-time feedback and respond fast to unsatisfied guests." - Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage

9. Solving common problems

Dealing with fake reviews

Fake reviews can hurt your business. Here's what to do:

Check if it's real: Look for the reviewer in your records. Watch out for vague reviews or sudden negative spikes.
Tell Google: Use Google My Business to flag fake reviews. Pick "Report Review" and choose why it's fake.
Talk to competitors: If you think a competitor's behind it, ask them to stop. If they won't, report them.
Get more good reviews: Ask happy customers to leave reviews to outweigh the fake ones.

Mixing automation with personal touch

You need both automation and a personal touch for good ORM:

Automate This	Add Personal Touch Here
Use fill-in-the-blank fields	Add customer names and product details
Pre-write answers for common issues	Say when a team member will follow up
Filter out spam and mean comments	Check flagged content yourself
Set up review request timing	Adjust timing based on customer interactions

Keep it real:

Don't just copy-paste AI responses
Don't overload automated messages with links
Have real people handle negative reviews
Be open about using AI in your responses

"We use text surveys after massages. It helps us get quick feedback and fix problems fast." - Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage

10. Checking if it's working

Want to know if your ORM is boosting customer trust? Keep an eye on these numbers:

Review volume and quality: More reviews and better ratings? You're on the right track.
Net Promoter Score (NPS): Higher score means customers are more likely to recommend you.
Customer Effort Score (CES): Lower score is better - it means you're easy to work with.
Website traffic: More visitors from review sites and social media? Your online rep is improving.
Conversion rate: If more visitors are becoming customers, they trust your brand.

Metric	Meaning	Good trend
Review volume	New reviews	Up
Average rating	Overall stars	Stable/Up
NPS	Customer loyalty	Up
CES	Ease of business	Down
Website traffic	Visitors from reviews/social	Up
Conversion rate	Visitors to customers	Up

Business growth signs

Link ORM to business success by tracking:

Sales trends
Customer retention
New customer acquisition
Market share
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

"After improving our online reputation, we saw a 20% jump in sales. Addressing negative reviews and boosting customer service led to more loyal customers and new business", said an e-commerce business owner using ORM software.

Conclusion

ORM software is a must-have for businesses aiming to build trust. Here's what you need to know:

Monitor and respond to what people say about your brand
Get happy customers to leave reviews
Use feedback to make your business better
Keep your brand voice the same everywhere online
Track important numbers to see how you're doing

Remember: ORM isn't a one-and-done deal. It's something you've got to keep up with. Why? Because:

1. It pays off in the long run

The more you work on your online reputation, the more customers will trust and stick with you.

2. It gives you an edge

If you're on top of your online reputation and your competitors aren't, you'll stand out.

3. It prepares you for tough times

When you're always managing your reputation, you'll be ready to handle any PR nightmares that come your way.

What You Get	Why It Matters
Customer trust	More sales, loyal customers
Better brand image	Stand out in the market
Customer feedback	Improve your products
Handle problems better	Less risk to your reputation

FAQs

How do you integrate customer feedback?

Here's how to make customer feedback work for you:

1. Engineer forum posts

Get your engineers to post on forums when they make changes. It shows users their feedback matters.

2. Split-testing

Test new changes to see how users react. It's like a real-world experiment for your product.

3. In-person tests

Do usability tests and interviews. You'll learn how customers ACTUALLY use your product.

4. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Use NPS to check overall customer happiness. It's simple but powerful.

5. Review response

Always respond to reviews, especially the bad ones. It shows you're listening.

Method	Why it's good
Engineer posts	Builds trust
Split-testing	Real user data
In-person tests	Deep insights
NPS	Quick satisfaction check
Review response	Shows you care

Here's a fun fact: 54% of shoppers expect a response to a negative review. So, respond!

"Feedback like yours helps us improve, thank you for submitting this review..." - Drew Frey, Webroot

Webroot, an internet security company, responded to 70% of its low-rated reviews. It made their brand more human.

Don't just collect feedback - use it. 66% of retailers use reviews to improve products, and 50% use them to boost marketing. When you act on feedback, you're showing customers they're part of your team.