What Affects Your Online Reputation?

Reputation Management in the Internet Age

These days, there’s not a store, business, or individual in existence that doesn’t need to manage their reputation online. Everyone from the small mom-and-pop shop around the corner to behemoths like Wal-Mart can and should engage in online reputation management – and it doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Here’s a detailed look at how to manage your online reputation yourself, without the aid of expensive firms or fancy technology!

Search yourself

Do a Google search for your name and also a search for your name in Google Images. Do set up a Google alert on your name to keep track of any new content. You can have notifications mailed to you once a day, so as not to overwhelm your inbox.

Put all your content in one place

There are a number of sites that let you do this now, including Tumblr, WordPress and About.me. You can also “apply” your domain name to these sites, which means that anyone who goes to patrickambron.com will be routed to your Tumblr page or your WordPress page. That’s convenient because Tumblr and WordPress offer nicely designed templates where you can set up what looks like a professionally designed website without having to hire a designer.

Join social networks

Even if you don’t feel like you have time to be active on these sites, do join them and take the time to fully fill out the profiles. As most of us know, the major sites are Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+. Though you don’t hear a lot of people chattering about Google+ these days, author Stradtman predicts the site will gain in power over the coming years in part because it is a Google product so Google will favor content from there in searches. If you can make the time, also join Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube and possibly others. You don’t have to be active but don’t be completely dormant either. Add new content at least once a month. That can be as simple as attaching an article and writing a short comment about why it interests you.

Optimize your presence on these sites

Do fill these sites out as fully as you can, customizing the URL when you can and repeating your name where appropriate. For instance, on LinkedIn you can scroll down to where it says “public profile” on your profile page, and edit the URL. Instead of saying something like http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=30269383&locale=en_US&trk=tyah, you can set the URL to read http://www.linkedin.com/in/susancadams. Also be sure to use your full name and not a nickname or slogan you think is catchy. Another important trick: Most websites give you the option of linking to other social media sites. Do this. It will make your online presence stronger. – via Forbes

Common Sense and A Little Effort

When you think about what people see when they google your name as an “advertisement” of sorts, it begins to make more sense to manage your online reputation. After all, is that angry review on Yelp something you’d use in an ad on TV? Probably not. So it makes sense to put content out there that enhances people’s view of your brand and projects the image you want them to see. Here’s a look at just a few of the types of content that impact how people view you when they google your business’s name!

Rants You Write

It feels so good to let it all out sometimes, doesn’t it? The problem is, what feels good in the heat of the moment can cause you problems in the long run. Remember, any piece of content you produce could be the very first impression someone gets of you online. Resist the urge to voice your public opinion when you’re angry or upset, unless you’re absolutely fine with this piece of content representing your brand.

Rants Written about You

You can’t control what others say about you online, and unfortunately, a 2013 study shows that “79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.” (See the full report at Search Engine Land.) If someone writes an emotional rant about you on their own site or on a review site (like Yelp), it can have devastating effects on your reputation. You can’t control what others say to you, but you can leave a personal, professional response. The worst thing you can do is not say anything, because it looks like you’re ignoring the problem.

Images

Images can be good or bad, depending on the specific images you post. Personal images help to humanize your brand. Think about: if someone mentions you on Twitter, are you more likely to respond if their avatar is a logo or a face? So, definitely post images on your website and social accounts. But use caution. Even if you think you’re posting an image privately, it could easily be made public accidentally or by someone hoping to damage your reputation. Don’t post an image anywhere online unless you’re okay with that picture being posted on a huge billboard with your name, company, and email address. That image of you guzzling drinks at your friend’s wedding might be bad news if your own a family-friendly brand, but it might be perfectly fine if you own a bar. – via OnlineReputation.com

What would you put in a TV ad about your business? Is the same type of image projected by your presence online?