It doesn’t matter if you are a white collar professional employed in a company or a business owner, online presence is of utmost importance these days. Before the digital boom took the world by storm, there was much less first-hand customer feedback on a product or service. However, the digital era has ushered in many new changes as people are more freely expressing their emotions and opinions about everyone and everything. A simple slip or bad timing can lead to a big dent in reputation. What’s said about your company, how your brand is perceived across social media, and search results can have a great impact on your business and its bottom line. Thus, regardless of the business you might specialize in, it’s essential to maintain and protect your online reputation. Here are some tips to do so:
- Track your reputation. Even if you are unaware of it, chances are that you already have an online reputation. The information that you shared through blog comments, Facebook posts, snapshots, tweets, videos, and links is enough to create an online persona. Others also add their opinions to your actions, and that adds to your reputation. If you find it hard to believe, just Google yourself. That’s what you do when you are planning to hire someone, do business with a new client, or even go on a date. Some 42 percent of U.S adults search someone before doing business with them, and 45 percent of these individuals are influenced by the search results and will change their mind about doing business based on them. If you want to track what kind of online image your name conjures up, set up a Google alert on it to keep a track of any new content. The same goes for your business.
- Create a positive aura around yourself. Content creation is a great way to build a personal brand online. If you think you have good expertise, don’t be afraid of showing it through a blog. Create what others want to see. Alternatively, join a professional network such as LinkedIn and put together a robust profile. Commenting on blogs of other professionals is also a good way of creating a credible and positive aura around your name. When writing a blog, maintain a clear and consistent style, and supplement your articles with high-quality images. Write pieces that invite visitors to have a conversation.
- Keep a sharp line between your professional and personal networks. The best practice to avoid any online mishap is to have a clear demarcation between your personal and professional profiles. Each profile should use a different e-mail address, blog, and Website. Maintain a cautious approach when adding personal information to your professional profile. Cross-references are best avoided. Privacy settings that each social network offers should be utilized to their full effect.
- Respond to negative comments. If you or your company makes a mistake, fails, or otherwise does something wrong, be ready to take the ownership of it. Make a sincere apology to those who were affected. When responding to negative or hate comments or bad reviews on your social profile or blog, do not get involved in further bashing. Seriously consider that there may be something wrong with your action or a weakness in your process that needs to be addressed.
- Seek recourse for reputation hits. If your reputation does suffer as an unavoidable consequence from a series of misplaced and mistimed actions, immediate recourse is highly desired. Time is of essence. Quick action on your part can help avert a lot of unpleasantness associated with such accidents. However, impulsive action can further deteriorate the situation and is not advised. If you find information about yourself that is offensive to your online reputation, in a respectful way, ask the person who posted it to remove it or correct the error (if it is an error).
Technically speaking, you can’t get a negative search result removed from search engines. The only way forward is to push them down with better results. If you find negative information, hide it with positive content. Participate in social sites and discussions and link anything you publish to your name. With consistent efforts, this content soon will enough start showing up in search results and immunize you against any further damage from the bad online publicity.
Building a strong online reputation may seem like a herculean task, but it is vital for your professional health and longevity. If you are considering a job change in the near future, or are currently applying to new jobs, it is highly advisable to take a stock of the situation and how it bodes for you.
Saurabh Tyagi is a writer and digital enthusiast. He consistently writes for an online audience that consists of young professionals like him, most of whom are either working or applying to new jobs. Follow him on LinkedIn.
