SIX TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION

In the age of the search engine, it’s becoming increasingly important to have a good online reputation. And if yours is marred by comments from displeased customers, disgruntled former employees, angry friends or acquaintances, or any other otherwise undesirable content, here are a few tips that can help improve your online image.

-  Search for Yourself

It’s important to know what’s out there. Take careful note of any times that your name or your business is mentioned on review sites (e.g. Yelp), blog posts, or on social media sites.

-  Clean Up Your Own Existing Online Presence

Your online presence as an individual can have an impact on the reputation of your business, as well. If at all possible, delete any incendiary posts from your own social media accounts. If possible, un-tag yourself from any potentially damaging photos. Protecting or locking existing social media accounts is also a good idea.

-  Create a New Online Presence

If you’re able, create a new social media presence. Replace any inflammatory posts with positive content, including more flattering photos. If in your previous social media life you went by anything other than your proper name, this is the time to reclaim your name. Since this content is going to be content you’re proud of, it should bear the seal of the most professional version of you.

-  Value Your Privacy

Once you establish your new social media presence, place tight controls around what sort of content can be reflected on your page. Be selective of the photos you allow yourself to be tagged in, and selective of the posts and comments that others are able to contribute to your page.

-  Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

In case the efforts above aren’t quite enough to remove every piece of undesirable content, there are companies that specialize in online image management and can scrub whatever you’re unable to delete yourself. In addition to cleaning up your online image, these companies can also assist in helping to make your new brand more marketable and search-engine friendly.

-  Be Proactive with Feedback

If you’re looking for a fresh start as a business owner, consider being proactive asking for customer feedback. Rather than allowing your site to fill with stale product or experience reviews that could potentially be unflattering, consider asking for customers’ thoughts immediately after they interact with your products and your site. This allows for real time feedback so that you can quickly address any potential concerns and ensure that all lasting comments left on your site are positive ones, either praising your products or, should a problem arise, praising the efficiency with which you handled the issue.

Ensuring that your online presence is one that you would want the public to see is not always an easy task. Restoring your internet image involves more than just making sure that what currently exists is cleaned up; it may also mean reinventing yourself. But if you’re willing to put the work in, it is a task worth undertaking.