The concept of reputation can be extremely important to both businesses and individuals, because it can significantly influence people’s behavior and attitude towards them. In today’s world, a person or business’ reputation can be defined by what is posted about them on the internet, which has led to the rise of online reputation management.
A bad online review can severely damage a company’s reputation and have an adverse effect on sales. Meanwhile, an individual’s online reputation can negatively impact their career prospects, with 70 percent of companies having admitted that they have rejected applicants based on information they have found about them online.
Online reputation management – or ORM for short – focuses on using the internet to positively affect reputation.
Reputation In the Internet Age
The internet and social media sites are playing an increasingly important role in modern life. However, while sites like Facebook and Twitter can be extremely valuable resources, they can also have a damaging impact on the reputation of companies and people in general.
Over-sharing, posts from years gone by, or regrettable photos on social media can damage people’s reputations in numerous ways, while businesses are also having to contend with a shift from communicating with passive audiences to having direct interaction with customers, who are able to express their views in a truly powerful way.
Indeed, negative comments, reviews or other forms of feedback can be shared instantly and seen by thousands of people and it is becoming clear that businesses and people have little influence over the way they appear online.
Online Reputation Management
Of course, social media is not the only potential problem for people looking out for their online reputation and whether it is a malicious news report, a string of negative comments on a reviews website, or personal medical information, people may have very valid reasons for wanting certain information to be hidden.
Online reputation management is a process whereby professionals control, influence or manipulate a client’s reputation using internet-based methods. Examples include:
Using SEO methods to make negative content less visible
Publishing positive content or feedback on other websites
Sending press releases to authoritative websites, which perform well in search results
Taking legal action against those who have published libelous information
Censorship of harmful content
Reputation Squad is a professional ORM agency, which is able to offer advanced internet-based solutions to those concerned with their online reputation and public image. Over the years, they have shared their expertise with a wide range of clients, from celebrities and high-profile individuals to businesses and corporations.