Top 10 Best Tools to Monitor Online Reputation Management

Maintaining a spotless online reputation has become a critical priority for businesses in the digital age. Customers now turn to online reviews, mentions, and social media chatter before purchasing. Online Reputation Management (ORM) is necessary and essential for protecting and building your brand identity.  

How do you monitor your digital reputation effectively? Don’t worry. We’ve rounded up the top 10 online reputation management tools that help businesses track mentions, analyze reviews, and stay ahead in building a positive online image.  

Why Online Reputation Management is Crucial for Businesses  

Your online reputation directly impacts trust, customer loyalty, and sales. Here’s why every business needs to prioritize ORM:

• Build Trust: Positive reviews and mentions foster customer trust and drive more sales.  
• Crisis Management: ORM tools alert you to real-time negative comments or PR disasters, helping you swiftly address issues.  
• Market Edge: Monitoring your reputation lets you benchmark competitors and identify gaps to enhance market performance.  
• Customer Insights: Customer sentiments and feedback open the door to improving products and services.  
• Sales Growth: A polished reputation encourages customers to choose you over competitors, boosting conversions.  

Ignoring your online reputation is akin to leaving your credibility at the mercy of the internet. Leading businesses rely on ORM tools to monitor, protect, and grow their brand presence.  

Key Criteria to Choose Online Reputation Management Tools  

Before we get to the top tools, defining the features that make a great ORM tool is critical. Here’s what you should look for when selecting one:

1. Real-time Monitoring: The tool must track mentions, reviews, and comments as they happen to enable proactive responses.  
2. Comprehensive Coverage: Ensure the platform is monitored across essential channels, including social media, blogs, news, and review platforms like Yelp or Google.  
3. Data Visualizations: Insights presented in charts and reports make analyzing trends and understanding customer sentiments easier.  
4. Ease of Use: Tools with user-friendly dashboards and intuitive navigation are more effective for teams.  
5. Pricing and Scalability: Look for affordable price plans and tools that grow with your business needs.  

Let’s explore the top 10 tools that set the gold standard in online reputation management.  

Top 10 Best Tools for Online Reputation Management  

1. Google Alerts  

Features:  

• Monitors brand mentions across the internet for free.  
• Setting up keyword alerts, such as your brand or CEO’s name, is easy.  

Pricing: Free  

Pros: Cost-effective starter tool, customizable alerts.  

Cons: Limited to basic tracking, lacks sentiment analysis.  

2. Reputation.com  

Features:  

• Centralized dashboard to monitor reviews and customer feedback.  
• Sentiment analysis to gauge customer tone and mood.  

Pricing: Custom pricing plans based on business size.  

Pros: Advanced analytics and automation, suited for enterprises.  

Cons: Higher pricing for small businesses.  

3. Mention  

Features:  

• Real-time brand mentions monitoring across social platforms.  
• Provides competitive analysis and sentiment tracking.  

Pricing: Starts at $25/month.  

Pros: Affordable for small businesses, beginner-friendly UI.  

Cons: Limited integrations for advanced users.  

4. Awario  

Features:  

• Social listening and competitor analysis.  
• Detects brand mentions in over 50 languages globally.  

Pricing: Starts at $49/month.  

Pros: Excellent analytics and reporting features for SMBs.  

Cons: Monitor limitations in basic plans.  

5. Brand24  

Features:  

• Tracks mention hashtags and reviews in real-time.  
• Share of voice analysis for market metrics.  

Pricing: Starts at $49/month.  

Pros: Great for social media monitoring, budget-friendly.  

Cons: Limited customer support options.  

6. Hootsuite Insights (powered by Brandwatch)  

Features:  

• Comprehensive social media management and ORM platform.  
• AI-powered sentiment analysis for brand perception.  

Pricing: Custom pricing quotes based on needs.  

Pros: Highly versatile, ideal for medium to large brands.  

Cons: Overwhelming for small teams.  

7. Birdeye  

Features:  

• Review generation and management.  
• Business reputation score to assess performance.  

Pricing: Starts at $299/month.  

Pros: Effective for businesses with multiple locations.  

Cons: Expensive for smaller companies.  

8. Yext  

Features:  

• Ensures accurate business listings across directories.  
• Facilitates review monitoring and response.  

Pricing: Starts at $199/year.  

Pros: Ideal for local SEO and small businesses managing directory presence.  

Cons: Primarily focused on listings over sentiment management.  

9. Sprout Social  

Features:  

• Centralized social CRM for managing interactions.  
• Advanced analytics and enterprise capabilities.  

Pricing: Starts at $249/month.  

Pros: Multi-channel ORM for PR and marketing teams.  

Cons: High pricing for individuals or micro-businesses.  

10. Trustpilot Business  

Features:  

• Monitor customer reviews exclusively from Trustpilot.  
• Generate trust scores to highlight credibility.  

Pricing: Custom pricing plans are available.  

Pros: User-friendly with extensive reach for ecommerce.  

Cons: Limited beyond the Trustpilot platform.  

Comparison Table of the Top ORM Tools

Tool	Key Feature	Starting Price	Best For
Google Alerts	Basic brand mention monitoring	Free	Beginners
Reputation.com	Advanced AI and analytics	Custom Pricing	Enterprises
Mention	Affordable real-time tracking	$25/month	Budget-conscious users
Awario	Multilingual sentiment analysis	$49/month	Small-medium businesses
Brand24	Real-time social monitoring	$49/month	Social media-focused teams
Hootsuite Insights	AI-driven ORM insights	Custom Pricing	Marketing professionals
Birdeye	Multi-location reviews	$299/month	Multi-location businesses
Yext	Local listings management	$199/year	Local SEO
Sprout Social	Multi-channel ORM	$249/month	Large PR teams
Trustpilot Business	Trust-building reviews	Custom Pricing	Ecommerce brands

How to Choose the Right ORM Tool for Your Business  

Selecting the right ORM tool will depend on your specific business needs. Here are a few tips for making the best decision:

• Start free with tools like Google Alerts if you’re new to ORM.  
• For businesses with a heavy social media presence, consider Mention or Brand24.  
• Choose Reputation.com or Hootsuite Insights for enterprise-level ORM.  
• Local businesses will benefit most from specialized tools like Yext or Birdeye.  

Tips for Effective Online Reputation Management  

1. Actively monitor and respond to customer feedback—both positive and negative.  
2. Encourage happy customers to leave detailed reviews online.  
3. Engage with your audience on social media to build rapport.  
4. Address negative mentions promptly to prevent PR escalations.  
5. Regularly re-evaluate your ORM strategy to stay competitive.  

With the right tools and approach, managing your business’s online reputation can become effortless and impactful.  

The Future of ORM  

The ORM landscape is steadily evolving with advancements in AI-powered tools and customer sentiment analysis. Businesses that adopt these solutions now will stay ahead of the curve, building stronger relationships with their audience while safeguarding their brand.  

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned PR pro, an online reputation management tool is invaluable for maintaining trust and improving customer relationships.  

Take the first step toward seamless ORM today—start implementing these tools to build and protect your brand image.