Of course you do. We all do.
Some more than others, of course.
But we’ve all done it at least once.
Punched our name into Google to see what comes up.
When was the last time you did this for your name? or your company/brand?
The results can sometimes be surprising but the kind of surprise will depend on how well you’ve managed your online reputation.
Online reputation management (ORM) is always thought of as something for people in the spotlight, typically socialites, celebrities and politicians.
But everyone needs to worry about their reputation online.
The Internet never forgets which is why you need to care a whole lot more about your rep on the net.
If you Google yourself, you’re likely to find your Facebook profile appearing in the top results. I say Facebook because just about everyone has a Facebook profile.
Now if you’re on Twitter and other social media platforms, those profiles should also surface higher. special mention to LinkedIn because this is another biggie where a lot of people are present.
Having your social profiles appear when you Google your name is perfectly fine. Just make sure you review your privacy settings and it’s also a good idea to review what you’ve posted previously so that it does’t come back to bite you…
Scroll down page 1 and onto page 2. If the results are all benign, you’re in the clear but if there’s anything not to your liking, you need to take action. Now.
This is reactive ORM.
It can sometimes be madly difficult in cases where a negative mention in a news publication needs to be addressed.
But it can be done.
And its also how most ORM projects come about, sadly.
I should add that reactive ORM requires a significantly higher investment to get results and also takes longer.
The solution to this is proactive ORM. This is my approach.
I like to tackle things before they become a problem.
I put you in the driver’s seat and give you the tools to write your story. (yes I mixed driving and writing but you get my drift)
You don’t have to be a celebrity, politician or someone who associates with interesting characters.
ORM is for everyone.
If you act early, you have a lot more control about what the Internet says about you.
It puts you in the best position to tackle any issues should they come about.
And the best part is, it’s not hard at all.
Because working to strengthen and protect your reputation should never be difficult.
It’s so easy that once you work at it, after a while it becomes second nature.
Remember, your reputation is priceless.
So invest in making it bulletproof and immune to the big bad world around it.
Here’s to your impeccable reputation on the intertubes!
>> Does your online reputation need a fix? I know a guy. Let’s talk.
