Messenger Marketing as a Direction of the Company Online Reputation Management (ORM)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the substantiation of messenger marketing as an independent direction and a specific tool in the management of the company’s online reputation (Online Reputation Management – ORM). On the basis of the empirical method of the included observation (five-year author’ experience of practical activity on online marketing), the analysis of professional materials on a research subject, studying of the content of official messengers’ blogs and features of messengers’ functioning, the expediency of messenger marketing separation has been justified, the concepts of “Messenger Reputation Management – MRM” and “Instant Messaging Reputation Management – IMRM” have been proposed. The basic possibilities and features of using messenger marketing as a practical tool to support and control the positive online reputation of the company, which in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid development of social networks and messengers acquire new qualitative value in achieving performance, have been revealed. It was found out that the tools of the messenger marketing that can be used to monitor the situation, as well as to broadcast and moderate messages, including Hidden Marketing (HM), include working with voice rooms, with comments and feedback in channels, groups, and chats, use bots and chatbots, newsletters and even targeted advertising. It has been noticed that at present it is difficult to identify the optimal tools for solving the problems of marketing messenger in ORM, which necessitates additional research. At the same time, effective messenger marketing requires an appropriate corporate culture, built on the highest degree of freedom, trust, and responsibility, which allows the employee to independently and quickly make tactical decisions and respond to changes in the information field within the established competence.