According to multiple pieces of research (dated January 2024), it is reported that 81% of internet users check Google reviews, before visiting the website. Added to that –

• 94% of internet users stated that they avoided a business after reading about it online.
• 74% of consumers state that Google reviews and the online reputation of a brand encourage them to trust the website.
• 68% of visitors do not trust a website’s rating unless it has a host of reviews.
• 53% of consumers expect brands to respond to their negative feedback within a week.

This data states the importance of the online reputation of a website. It also directly reflects why you must consider every aspect associated with the online reputation management cost. This is an investment that will escalate your brand’s market value, enhance its website traffic, and expand its reach online. As they say, you cannot buy engagement, you need to build it!

This post will acquaint you with the factors that determine the cost of online reputation management, the market-backed multiple pricing models, the benefits of investing in ORM, and the key determinants of ORM budgeting.

Factors Influencing The Cost Of Online Reputation Management

Online Reputation Management is the practice of curating strategies that influence the public perception of a website, agency, or even individual online. It refers to tracking the comments made online about that company, engaging with the concerned stakeholders, and taking measures to enhance the brand’s visibility in the digital landscape.

In this section, we will give you an insight into the key points that affect the costs associated with ORM.

Factor 1 – The Size Of Your Business (Brand/Website) 

This is the first factor to consider while estimating the ORM costs. Managing a localized business is easier than an expanded one. Since websites that target the local public, have more intimate engagements, therefore extending ORM services to them are at a limited profile. Naturally, the costs are limited.

However, for a bigger website, the challenges are more resource-intensive and hence come at a higher rate. 

Factor 2 – Scope Of The Services Required

The second factor while determining the cost of online reputation management is – what is the scope of the ORM services that you need. If you are looking at a multitude of services like – content creation, SEO optimization, brand strategy development, review and crisis management, and even legal support, then you will have to shell out more cash than ever. 

Factor 3 – Complexity Associated With The Niche 

You might already know that in the digital landscape, one industry/niche is more difficult to target vis-a-vis others. Say, you belong to the healthcare or finance domain, you will require authentic and specialized knowledge. Therefore, the price of the ORM services proportionately rises with the associated industry. 

Factor 4 – What Is The Level Of Customization Required? 

Customization always costs more. If you are looking to provide your audience with tailored solutions (say, specific blogs on specified days, important social media engagement, or even updated GMB posts) – in that case, you have to get high-paying packages. 

Factor 5 – The Severity Of The Damage 

When figuring out online reputation management cost, one must also assess the severity of the damage.  Is it viral social media posts? Or a wave of negative news flooding the digital landscape? Perhaps it is an expose! As you know, desperate times call for stringent measures. Hence, for such cases, additional time and resources are required, and at times even expertise. All of these immediately escalate the prices. 

Factor 6 – Geographical Considerations 

This might come as a surprise since we are talking about the digital landscape. However, let us explain the concept. When we speak of geographical distinctions in terms of the internet, it implies local, national, and international outreach. When you target the local domain online, the strategies and costs of ORM will be less than the targets at national and international levels. Therefore, this becomes another crucial factor in determining the price of the ORM strategy. 

Factor 7 – The Required Speed Of The Results

The last factor that determines the monetary aspect of this reputation management is – the speed of the results you wish to derive. Say, your brand is in the middle of a controversy, and its name has been maligned. What you need is crisis management, and that costs more than the regular ORM techniques.

You will require round-the-clock monitoring, extreme PR activities, and employing the best tools to deliver precise results. Now, when you combine these features – automatically the price range for this ORM strategy shoots up.

The above-mentioned factors are the key to determining the cost of online reputation management. Only when you categorically analyze every point and estimate the amount of money to invest, will you be able to pin down a monetary value on paper. At an extended level, this will assist in determining the website’s investment. 

Pricing Models For Online Reputation Management Services 

You have seen the factors that determine the costs of ORM. Automatically, the next query that you will have is – what is the pricing model that a website can follow? We will disclose the standard models for you –

1.      Basic Packages

Most business owners who are new to this digital landscape, and have not been able to fathom the values of an online reputation management cost, opt for the basic packages. Also, if you have a website with a limited business area, a restricted expansion plan, and a specified investment amount, then this standard deal works well for you.

This deal works to

2.      Advanced Packages

If you are seeking a comprehensive package to attend to your online reputation management issues, then choosing the advanced format is the best way out. These packages offer multiple services to address the challenges created online. Here is how it can assist –

3.      Customized Packages

When you are talking about online reputation management cost, in terms of customization, it implies that the client requires ‘tailored’ solutions. So, reputation management is according to the website’s requirements, and its targeted outreach. Let us briefly explain that –

These are some of the preliminary ORM pricing models that most agencies offer to upgrade your brand. As an aware business owner, you need to determine which pricing model suits your requirements and maximize the same. 

For a precise understanding of the cost of online reputation management, we have given you an approximate valuation of the same. 

Average Cost Of Online Reputation Management Services 

For starters, a general survey conducted shows – online reputation could be 63% of your business’s value. That does give you an idea about the investment associated with the ORM of your website. We will detail it for you –

• The average online reputation management cost would be within the range of – $500 – $10,000 (monthly).
• Another data states that – for a smaller business, the budget could be anywhere between $3000 – $5000. It includes a limited amount of services. In the case of a mid-size business, it could go up to $10,000.
• However, when an MNC wishes to upgrade its ORM services or has a crisis to manage at a global level, it could invest anything between $30,000 – $80,000!

The cost of online reputation management depends on the factors that are mentioned above, and the packages that you choose. In clear terms, the higher the outreach, the more escalated are the costs! 

Giving you a basic layout of the factors affecting the ‘average’ costs –

Benefits Of Investing In Online Reputation Management For Your Business 

Though you are already aware of the advantages of ORM, let us go over them once again for clarity –

1.      Improving the image of the website

ORM helps to improve your brand image (if it has received a backlash), build one (if you are relatively new to the market), and engage with potential customers.

2.      Bettering the ‘trust’ factor

When a certain section of your customers will trust your website, that will improve the credibility. This will further lead to ‘word-of-the-mouth’ publicity online, which directly reflects in increasing traffic to your website. 

3.      Deal with online ‘reputation’ crisis

Correct ORM techniques assist in identifying negative search results, handle any online crisis, and help a brand recover its ‘image’ within a limited span.

4.      Affects the sales of the website

Lastly, the investment you make in terms of reputation management cost directly affects your sales (boosts it) and helps expand your market in the global domain.

Every marketer is aware of the importance of their online reputation. Whether it is a mom-and-pop chicken outlet or a software chain – customers will check you out online, and you need that ‘trust’ factor.

Wondering how much to set aside for ORM? We will provide you with the layout of the factors you must consider.

How To Budget For Online Reputation Management Services? 

In this section, we will discuss the factors that one must know when budgeting for ORM costs. Let us explore those factors that determine the ‘amount of money to be invested’ –

1.      How much money will you invest in ORM?

The first thing to note about the cost of online reputation management is – how much money are you ready to invest in it. Your company has a specific budget for PR and advertising, and you need a credible amount out of that for your ORM services. You have already seen the average price range, and therefore you need to accommodate the same accordingly. 

2.      Do you intend to use expertise and premium tools? 

Do you wish to use premium tools for your ORM services? For the unversed, that ‘comes at a higher rate’ and as a website owner, you must set out the money accordingly.

3.      The associated white-label fees 

When talking of reputation management cost, it is not just the ORM service that we are talking about. For premium quality service, you can connect with a white-label service provider who will assuredly cater to your specific demands and help you reach your goal faster. But that does come at a cost. Therefore, you need to set that amount from your budget. 

4.      What is the period for the services and how will you pay them? 

The last key factor to note about this cost is – the time for which you require the services and how you intend to pay for them. Say, you are taking a 3-month package. So, will you pay for it in one go, or will you wait it out in installments? Based on that, you have to create the budget. 

As an aware business owner, you must note that – an additional ‘star mark’ for your small business immediately enhances your revenue between 5-9%. When that ‘additional mark’ comes for a bigger business, the revenue could rise up to a massive 18%! Keep these numbers in mind, before you decide on budgeting for your ORM services.

Comparing The Cost Of DIY Reputation Management Vs. Hiring A Professional Service

Let us brief it out for you – 

Going the DIY way –

With DIY reputation management techniques, you and your in-house team will have to take care of the website’s publicity management. From taking care of the online reputation to getting the PRs and managing social media – you do it all by yourself.

Assuredly, if you are experienced and know the nitty-gritty of the market, then you can navigate through the internet quite well. But, if you lack expertise, are not aware of how to use premium tools in a targeted manner, or deal with the areas of concern correctly – the results will take time.

Hiring professionals –

At the same time, when you hire professionals/experts and set aside a credible amount as a reputation management cost, then the workflow is streamlined. The job is handled by experts after stringent market analysis and you get desired results within a specific time. This helps in the recovery of your brand faster and with brilliant strides. 

Conclusion 

Assuming you have read this blog post well, you now have clarity about the monetary aspects of ORM. Managing the reputation of a brand in this competitive digital landscape is no small feat. The online reputation management cost that the business owner will entail also depends on key factors. Being an aware business owner, you must take cautionary measures and ensure that your money is channeled in the correct direction. On doing that, the yield will also be positive.

So judge your website’s outreach, marketing agenda, and online presence and invest in its reputation management accordingly.

Sonam