What is online reputation management and why does it matter?+
Online reputation management (ORM) is the practice of monitoring, influencing, and improving how a business, brand, or individual appears across online platforms particularly in Google search results, review platforms, and social media. It matters because online reputation directly affects commercial outcomes: review ratings influence conversion rates, negative search results reduce proposal-to-sale conversion, poor Glassdoor ratings affect talent acquisition. Research shows 93% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision, and 94% say a negative review has convinced them to avoid a business. In 2026, your online reputation is your first impression in almost every commercial context.
Can you remove negative Google reviews?+
Google reviews can be removed in specific circumstances: if they violate Google's review policies (fake reviews, reviews containing prohibited content such as personal attacks, spam, or off-topic content, or reviews left by someone who is not a genuine customer). Reviews that are simply negative but do not violate policies cannot be removed attempting to remove legitimate negative reviews violates Google's policies. Our approach is threefold: where fake or policy-violating reviews exist, we submit removal requests with specific evidence. Where genuine negative reviews exist, we respond professionally and implement a review acquisition programme to build positive review volume that puts negative reviews in accurate context. Where negative reviews reflect genuine service failures, we recommend service improvement addressing the underlying issue.
How long does online reputation management take?+
Timeline varies by severity and specific interventions required. Review acquisition programmes typically show measurable rating improvement within 60-120 days as positive volume accumulates. Professional response programmes improve the appearance of the review profile immediately. Counter-content programmes targeting first-page search result displacement typically produce measurable ranking movement at 4-8 months and achieve displacement target at 8-18 months depending on domain authority of negative content and competitive landscape for the brand name search query. Crisis ORM response is immediate but the search engine impact can take 12-24 months to fully remediate.
How much does online reputation management cost?+
ORM programme costs vary by scope. A focused review management programme (Google Business Profile optimisation, review acquisition, response management) typically costs $2,000-$5,000 per month. A comprehensive ORM programme (review management plus counter-content programme plus monitoring) typically costs $4,000-$12,000 per month. Crisis ORM response is typically scoped as a fixed-fee engagement based on severity and complexity. Executive personal reputation management typically costs $3,000-$8,000 per month. We provide detailed proposals after the reputation audit identifies the specific programme required.
What is the difference between ORM and SEO?+
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) aims to improve a website's ranking for target keywords to drive traffic and commercial outcomes. ORM uses many of the same technical tools content creation, link building, on-page optimisation but applies them to a specific objective: shaping what appears in search results for branded queries (the business's name, the individual's name) to present the desired narrative rather than maximising traffic from non-branded queries. ORM is SEO applied to brand reputation control rather than traffic acquisition. The disciplines overlap significantly particularly in counter-content strategies, where building authority of positive content requires the same link building and content quality techniques that SEO requires.
How do you handle fake or malicious review attacks?+
Coordinated negative review attacks where a competitor or disgruntled individual organises multiple fake negative reviews in a short period require a multi-step response: immediate evidence collection (screenshots, timestamps, review account analysis), Google review reporting with specific evidence supporting fake review claims, Google Business Profile support escalation for attacks automated reporting fails to remove, legal advice on potential defamation or tortious interference claims for severe coordinated attacks, and a rapid positive review acquisition programme to counterbalance the volume impact. We have managed coordinated review attacks and have processes for each stage of the response.
Do you work with personal reputation management as well as business reputation?+
Yes we provide personal reputation management for executives, founders, high-profile professionals, and individuals facing personal reputation challenges. Personal ORM uses the same tools as business ORM owned content development, search result displacement, review management where applicable but applies them to personal name search queries. For executives, personal ORM typically involves: LinkedIn profile optimisation (which frequently ranks on page 1 of personal name searches), personal website or professional portfolio development, authored article and interview placement in relevant publications, and speaker profile development creating authoritative first-page personal search results.
What monitoring tools do you use?+
We use a combination of enterprise-level monitoring tools: Brandwatch for social media and news monitoring across 100+ million sources in real time, Google Alerts for new indexed content mentioning the brand or individual name, Semrush for search ranking tracking of brand name queries and competitor brand mentions, Birdeye or Podium for review platform monitoring and response management across Google, Trustpilot, Facebook, and industry-specific platforms, and ReviewTrackers for aggregate review performance reporting across all platforms. Monitoring reports are delivered weekly with immediate escalation alerts for high-priority reputation incidents.