Guide to reputation management online

We cannot control what people think about us. But we can adjust what people see

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. Internet is the new first impression and people are measured online by likes, comments and reviews. Anyone can say anything and it will be shown online. People don’t ask for references anymore, instead they rely on Google. But what happens if there is negative, misleading, inaccurate and damaging content? Rumours, lies, harmful material/images, bad reviews or anonymous posts from troublesome sites showing up in social media search results about us?

Many treat social media accounts as a purely social vent, casually updating statuses and posting photos online to socialise with people. However, truth is that online actions can seriously limit one’s educational, personal or professional prospects.

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Checking up a prospective employee’s social media profile has become a routine for many employers. Talent acquisition and HR teams feel social media helps them gain more insights into a candidate rather than the conventional resume. There’s nothing wrong with using social platforms for fun or social networking. But a little awareness will go a long way in managing your online reputation.

What matters?

• Anything about us online

• What people say about you

• What other sites say about you

• How we respond

What makes up?

• Our websites and blogs

• Comments about us from sites or blogs

• Comments we write

• Social media chats

Our findings

80 per cent say online reviews influence purchasing
75 per cent of recruiters use search engines to study applicants
35 per cent of recruiters eliminate candidates based on expressions online
70 per cent of companies face a crisis that negatively impacts their share price

Tips

• Never write your own reviews, even under a different name

• Never respond using harsh language

• Never defame those who criticise you

• Never ask friends to help with social media responses unless they are professionals

• Never use shortcuts such as ‘link farms’

Tricks

Know the social media audience and remember the goal is to generate good reviews. This doesn’t mean you delete negative comments that pop up.

• Twitter- Get key followers and tweet good content several times daily

• LinkedIn- Join several good groups and add comments and connections

• Facebook- Add relevant images, videos and post comments daily

• Google- Use Google Circles and post content frequently

Repairing damaged online reputation

• This depends on how bad the negative item is

• How popular it is or how many hits it gets

• Your existing online presence and the effort you put into fixing it

• Average project takes six months

Reputation management

It’s understood that we cannot control what people think about us. What we can adjust is what people see, which then affects how they form a perception about you. Below are a few sources that affect reputation which can be monitored and controlled by us.

• Negative articles – Online news articles are often the first choice of people. Many tend to believe what they read in newsfeeds

• Negative online images – Celebrities and ordinary citizens have been the subject of leaked photos or other negative online images

• Wikipedia – A free online encyclopedia, created and edited by volunteers around the world, is a must place to be on

• Blog posts – Anyone can write anything they want about anyone and this could result in a flood of misinformation and confusion

• Review sites – Review sites like TripAdvisor and Google Reviews help consumers make guided choices based on what other customers have experienced

• Social media – It is the method of choice for people recommending brands, spreading gossip, airing complaints, and criticising public figures

Conclusion

• Remain calm

• Don’t take everything personally

• Learn and move on

• Continue to add good content

Stay Tuned to Cyber Talk Column for more on internet ethics and digital wellness by Anil Rachamalla, End Now Foundation. www.endnowfoundation.org

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