Pssssssst! People are talking about your restaurant online. They see your business on social media and they are developing big opinions based solely on the appearance of your website, and the comments diners leave on your review sites.

So what can your restaurant do with this information? How can you use it to your advantage and make it a part of your restaurant’s business strategy?

That’s where ORM comes in.

And What the Heck is ORM?

Just like LOL=Laugh Out Loud, IDK=I Don’t Know, and a wealth of the more colorful acronyms that have taken up residency in the English language, “ORM” is short for “Online Reputation Management.”

ORM probably sounds like a scheme that was created to dupe you into shelling out dollars for an unneeded service, but we assure you, it’s not.  

Gone are the days when word of mouth could carry a business to success. Harnessing the power of the digital space to help protect and boost your restaurant’s brand has become increasingly important. A strategic plan to protect and enhance your business online should be a part of your business plan.

What is Shaping My Online Reputation?

The perception of your restaurant can’t be confined to one corner of the Internet – there are several key spots online that can influence how diners view your brand.

Social media – This is where businesses go to engage with their customers online. How they see you as a brand can be positively or negatively influenced by how you manage your accounts, and how other people are talking about your restaurant on their own social media accounts.

Your Website  – If your website is outdated, the food photography is bad, and your menu is hard to view online, you are already leaving a bad taste in the mouths of potential customers.

Review Sites – How many stars do you have? Are you responding positively to your customers who are leaving negative reviews about their experience? These sites can have huge impacts on your bottom line. Read on for more on this topic.

Why is Online Reputation Management Important for Your Restaurant?

ORM has become a crucial component of the marketing toolkit for all businesses – especially for restaurants – who are increasingly at the mercy of online review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.

One study found that:

• A whopping 88 percent of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
• 85 percent of consumers said they read up to 10 reviews.
• 72 percent of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more.

Source: SearchEngineLand.com

If you are unaware or are just flat out ignoring the conversations that are happening online, your business could suffer. Your customers want to know that you are listening to their concerns and that you care enough to respond.

So How Do You Monitor Your Reputation Online?

Online Reputation Management takes time and dedication. It can quickly turn into a full-time job. It’s not necessarily easy to accomplish, but it’s a critical part of your business strategy that shouldn’t be left out.   

Luckily, several management tools exist online, and there are some web agencies – like New Mexico’s very own Enchanted Dish – that will help manage your accounts, build rapport with your customers online and actively work to squash negative reviews.

Get in touch with us to find out how we can bolster your restaurant’s brand and reputation online.