Latest / Online Reputation Management Podcast / The ROI of Reputation: What Most Business Owners Miss
Transcript
- James Dooley: Today we’re talking about the ROI of reputation. Everyone wants to track KPIs and measure the return on investment behind branding and online reputation management. But sometimes ROI isn’t just about gains — it’s about preventing potential losses. Kasra Dash: Exactly. People invest in reputation management and immediately think of ROI metrics. But what should businesses look at when tracking ROI? James Dooley: It’s a big debate. Everyone wants numbers, but with branding and reputation management, the value often comes from avoiding damage. Keeping negative reviews suppressed is sometimes a defensive strategy to continue winning work. It’s not always possible to assign a precise number to that. Every growth-focused business should allocate a budget for branding and ORM even without hard ROI metrics. Kasra Dash: Fair point. But let’s say someone invests in ORM for 12 months — what indicators can they observe? Increased revenue? Stronger control of branded keywords? Harder for negative content to rank? James Dooley: Absolutely. That’s the nuance. While some want to stop branding or ORM when they don’t see direct ROI, stopping is exactly what causes problems. You could lose massive deals simply because your brand SERP isn’t controlled. But yes — there are things you can track. For example, dominating the first two pages of Google with positive assets. Ranking guest posts for branded keywords. Even though these activities build reputation, they also generate inquiries and leads — which is real ROI. Kasra Dash: When it comes to tracking revenue, is there a way to see how much comes from branded searches? James Dooley: It’s possible, but tricky. You can track branded search volume increases, UTM tags, Google Business Profile clicks, and dedicated tracking numbers. Five-star reviews can also boost GMB keyword rankings. But sometimes leads come from positive brand SERPs or long-form content, and you only know the source if you ask the client directly. James Dooley: Another tactic: create “versus” content. For example, Pepsi vs Coca-Cola. You capture competitor search traffic and redirect it toward your brand. This generates inquiries even if it’s hard to track end-to-end. Unlike PPC or Facebook ads, ORM isn’t always cleanly measurable. Kasra Dash: What about tracking SEO-related brand signals — like Google Alerts or new articles? James Dooley: Those matter. Positive reviews, referring domains, backlinks, and unlinked brand mentions all strengthen brand authority and rankings. Helpful Content Updates have shown that strong brands are protected more than non-branded local or affiliate sites. ORM is part of the SEO foundation — you don’t build a house without solid ground. Kasra Dash: Another overlooked element: Google uses sentiment analysis. If you have 60 positive articles about you, and someone attempts negative reputation attacks, Google sees the sentiment mismatch. Negative posts struggle to rank. So building strong “castle walls” early is better than reacting after an attack. James Dooley: Exactly. And that’s our discussion on tracking ORM and the ROI of reputation.