How to Fix Your Online Reputation

[David Sandusky]

Now that the brand experience is online full force (do you have your online identity yet?), an obvious challenge is how to protect or fix an online reputation gone wrong.

Businesses are learning their reputation can be hijacked or Dissed Online faster than ever.

Whether you are a business of one and are the products/services or employ many, you own your reputation and have to control your brand.

"If your product is getting consistently low ratings, there is a reason," says Janet Boulter, a business adviser at Denver's Center Consulting Group. "Choosing to ignore the issues and concerns raised by your customers will cost you sales. Most customers will vent about a problem to the world but they rarely contact the company to address their issues or concerns, so it is imperative that companies reach out to their customers."

[searchguru]

There are now a number of firms that can help you with your online reputation.

The one I like best is Naymz.com. There, you can monitor who is saying what about you online, and with a Premium subscription ($9.95 a month), your name will show up as a Sponsored ad whenever someone searches for you.

[Maria Elena Duron]

I like Naymz, too, yet I favor QAlias.com - you can create you on-line bio along with ranking #1 on your search.

Where most people miss in QAlias or ANY on-line bio (on LinkedIn, Xing, Biznik, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is that they write a horrible bio for themselves! Keep in mind that it needs to possess "compelling context" for someone to connect with you. It's not a resume, or an autobiography or a "sell, sell, sell like hell" sort of feel - this is your bio, written in third party format, so it can continue to place you higher and create connections.

Sign up for "google alerts" (it's free) and put every format and spelling of your name in there. That way, when your name is used on the web, it will send you an email to let you know where it's being used.

There are many things you can do to actively manage your reputation on-line. The key is to be active. Just like any other "paid for" spot on the web - it's easy to "pay" for an advertisement to say that you're wonderful, terrific, amazing, "trust me". (I know you've seen them in newspapers and television - loads of people can buy something to say they're awesome). So, the challenge is to be interesting enough and an expert in your field to get people to mention you on their sites and blogs and link to you - that's the power of WORD OF MOUSE!

[Carlos]

Thanks for that last reference. I will get going on QAlias. I don't like Naymz too much, it doesn't feel "right" for me.