Is Online Reputation Management the Same as SEO?

Undoubtedly, there are some similarities between Search Engine Optimization and Online Reputation management. After all, both are subsets of online marketing. However, their concerns are different and you can’t use them as a replacement of each other.

SEO is generally concerned about promoting a specific web page to the top of the search results. ORM, on the other hand is more about managing and protecting the reputation of an organization.

The two use different forms of tactics and different metrics for measuring results. Let’s clarify their differences better through the points below –

Multiple Targets

In Search Engine Optimization Campaign, you ensure that your website and blog meet specific criteria which are necessary for ranking high on the search engines. In short, it aims at getting your website to rank as high as possible in the search engine results. In ORM, it is not as necessary if site A is on the 1st position or 10th position. What’s important is to control what is appearing onto the first page. ORM makes sure that when people search for your product or service online they come across a reliable image of your brand.

Displacement Vs.Promotion

SEO usually focuses on moving a specific web page up on search engine results. On the contrary, online reputation management focuses on replacing undeserving and miss-leading information with higher quality materials.

Difference in the Point of Focus

There is a lot of difference between their focuses too. SEO focuses on search engine norms and plans strategies accordingly. Online reputation management, on the other hand, prepares work plan as per the requirements of a business and its present reputation on the web. SEO norms are usually same for every website. This is why they hardly need different approaches for every business. On the other hand, ORM approach can vary according to the requirements and conditions of a particular business or entity.

Lack of Virality

Most of the SEO campaigns are aimed at making a particular website or content go viral. On the contrary, virality is not always beneficial in the case of online reputation management. When a website goes viral, it is more difficult to deal with it, if it is surrounded with negativity.

SEO Brings Traffic / ORM Builds Trust

The goal of SEO is to bring more traffic to a website using advanced SEO techniques that are as per Google norms. Opposed to this, ORM aim is focused on determining how people see a brand when they find it online. Basically, ORM helps to build trust about a brand and try to bring back lost customers while also managing the existing ones.

Difference in Approach to Boost Revenue

Ultimately, the aim of both SEO and ORM is to generate revenue by converting leads. However, both have their different ways of achieving the results. SEO does it by improving the website’s visibility and generating more traffic. ORM does it by creating an influential image of a brand and eliminating all the negative reviews.

Focus on Keywords 

In search engine optimization, a group of associated search terms or keywords are targeted to bring visitors to the site. ORM campaigns on the other hand, target a specific search term against which negative listings might be showing. Their major goal is not to drive traffic to a website, but to make sure users looking for something get relevant information from it.

Conclusion

In nutshell, we can say, SEO is about bringing potential customers to a website. It is the process of improving the website’s search engine results. And, online reputation management is associated with ensuring the online image of a company.