To put it simply, online reputation is what and how other people see you when they search for you online. Hence the need for online reputation management – a process of controlling and piecing together what shows up when people look up your name online.
This may sound so easy to understand, but surprisingly, there are actually tons of misconceptions about online reputation management. For one, people think it’s simply about monitoring the social media. Some think it’s about public relations.
Know That People Are Talking About You
Just a few years back, the internet is very different from it is today. Businesses and companies have no interest engaging with customers, rather, they simply send out selling paraphernalia passively. People couldn’t reach companies in a powerful way; the communication landscape is simple “top down.”
It’s no secret that the situation is very different now. Websites are no longer the online version of companies’ brochures. Regular interaction with one’s target audience through various social networking platforms became natural. User-generated content is now a must.
No matter what type and size your business may be, you should know that people are talking about you. They share their experience about your products and/or services in their Facebook posts, or leave comment on your Facebook fan page. They post in-depth reviews of the things you offer in their blog, they tweet about it, they make videos about it, etc.
Thus, if you think you can simply skip people’s voices, reviews, and opinions, think again.
Why Online Reputation Management Matters
Online reputation management identifies and cleans up any damaging content about you (and your business) online. This includes negative social media comments and reviews, risky Google results, and images that may be detrimental for your company’s reputation. At the same time, it helps boost positive content about your business to help you look good online.
The rise of internet paved the way for a lot of things, including things that are not so good. Anyone’s good reputation can be tarnished, as any information can end up to anyone we may not identify.
If someone says something negative about your character, your business, your products and/or services, whether it’s old, obsolete, or completely untrue, these things can really damage your reputation.
What Exactly Does An Online Reputation Manager Do?
Depending on the needs of your business, online reputation management can be a simple and straightforward process, or a complex and multi-faceted approach.
Customers for this kind of service range from dads and moms, to Fortune 500 companies. It is the job of the online reputation management specialist to take full control of what other people sees about their clients online, thus, giving their clients all the power to choose and decide what people view about them online. Whether it’s information they don’t want others to see about their professional history, or any information they don’t want to be seen, such as a medical past.
Why Can’t Others Handle Their Own Online Reputation?
Think of online reputation management as an anti-virus software for your computer. Anti-virus protection is a technical expertise, and there are probably very few people on the planet who can do a good anti-virus protection on their own. Online reputation management specialists are like these engineers who can work specifically for your name (or your business’ name) and improve its profile and online reputation.