Understanding the Online Reputation Landscape

How can you find the right firm to help repair or build your online reputation? More importantly, who is trustworthy and can deliver a legitimate solution at a fair price? The choice and selection can be daunting. 

Unfortunately, unscrupulous online reputation management firms seem to proliferate. Finding the right one is paramount – getting this right can mean the difference between success and failure. Some companies buy reviews, purchase low-quality links from India, overcharge, engage in hacking, or follow “black hat” techniques. Ironically, the industry could use a reputation management overhaul itself. Working with the wrong firm can actually lead to additional reputation damage.

Key Questions for Evaluating ORM Firms

Here are some key questions to ask when seeking a reputable online reputation management firm.

1. What is the Website Like?

Review the website. Is it helpful? Does it answer your questions in a clear and concise manner? Have they published recent blog posts? Can you spot typos or AI-written language? Is it filled with popups, phone numbers, and a push to sign up? Carefully evaluate their site to glean insights into the firm’s process – after all, if it appears careless or sloppy, you might expect the same poor work on your project.

2. What Is the First Contact Like?

What is the first contact like with the reputation firm? If via email, does it seem formulaic or a hard sell with an urgent time to respond? If on the phone, do they seem distracted, disinterested, or unable to answer technical or procedural questions? Get a sense of the reputation management firm through your introductory contact. 

A competent web reputation analyst should listen intently to your specific issue, offer a detailed solution, and be well-versed in web reputation and repair issues. Since some large firms use quota or commission-based salespeople, try talking with someone who will actually be doing the work.

3. Is the Pricing Realistic or Does It Change Quickly?

Do they offer a set price and then drastically reduce it? Some reputation firms quote an initial fee but quickly lower it. Beware: this could indicate that the firm is overcharging, is providing substandard work, or is basing their fee on what they think you can afford. 

Also, is the proposed amount realistic? Some companies might offer a woefully inadequate fee that should be ten times larger to be successful. A price quote should be based on how many hours it takes to solve the issue and the complexity of the task.

4. Quick Solution Within Weeks?

Are they promising a fast solution in weeks? Although total removal or suppression in less than a month might be possible depending on the severity, an average online reputation repair case takes six months or more. 

People who promise nearly immediate results are over-promising or are purposely deceptive. It’s wise to move on.

5. Are They Using Bad or Blackhat Techniques?

Does the reputation firm use shady or “black-hat” techniques? Disreputable firms engage in bad practices ranging from buying followers, falsifying reviews, and even hacking. Most egregiously, I’ve heard of reputation businesses purposely damaging a random person and then contacting them to offer a solution! Also, be aware of the term “proprietary solutions”. 

This often refers to things such as “link-farms” or a series of low-quality websites made that link back to each other to artificially boost their client’s web presence.

Options such as these have no or minimal reputation value, and can actually incur further reputation damage. Reputable firms focus on analysis, research, excellent content creation, and consistent monitoring.

6. Do They Guarantee Removal?

Do they guarantee outright removal? While images or videos which violate copyright rules are possible to delete, most articles are not, especially if they are journalistic or media-related. 

If a firm says they can remove any type of content, they are probably engaging lawyers who submit dubious take-down requests, which is often not effective with Google search results. In reality, suppression is often the only option. Transparency in their approach is key.