One of the best and worst things about the Internet is that it gives everyone a voice. Given that it’s more common for someone to complain than praise someone online, you need to pay attention to what people are saying about you and your company. When those negative things get picked up by search engines, they’ll pop up whenever someone searches for you. In an event like this, you should turn to the professionals. Here are a few things that you can do to change your online reputation.
Searching for Yourself
The first thing you should do is search for information about yourself online through multiple search engines. Take note of what has been said and where it was posted. Set up an alert so you’ll know when something has been said about you. You can change how often these alerts are delivered.
Posting Positive Information
Once negative information gets out there, it’s hard to control. In order to get that content to be less visible, you’re going to need positive content posted. Consider the site that hosts the negative information. Is it a simple blog? If it is, start by attacking Facebook and Twitter with positivity. Both Facebook and Twitter have more power than a simple blog, and by having positive information posted on these sites, they’re more likely to be seen than information on someone’s blog.
Respond to Negativity
The best way to confront anyone spouting negativity is to talk with them directly. Because this is a very sensitive area, you’ll need to be careful of what you say. By contacting individuals directly, you’ll give off a personal vibe that not many other companies or people can match.
Take Charge of Your Domain
Domain name prices have fallen dramatically. Setting up your own domain on the Internet will run about $12 for a year of service. You can do multiple things with your very own domain. You can hire a web designer and flesh out the page, filling it with information about you and what you represent. You could also have the website redirect to a social media account or a WordPress blog. Regardless of your choice, this will help your positive presence on search engines.
Be mindful of what content is posted and where it’s posted at. Once it’s on the Internet, it’s on the Internet forever, regardless of privacy settings.
When it comes to reputation management, you need to be aware of what you’re doing and how your actions will impact your reputation. You won’t be able to single-handedly push down all of the negative content and create a positive image for yourself or your company. Rather than tackling this task yourself, hire a professional to assist you.
