If you search using your business name in Google, you are likely to see the name appearing in several websites. You can apply online reputation management to change how your business name appears. This is done by filling the internet with neutral or positive content. Though content which is damaging or irrelevant is not easily removable, it can be ‘washed out’ to ensure that only positive and relevant content appears in search engine results.
The following are some great strategies for online reputation management.
Web 2.0
In search engines, sites such as Aboutus.org, Squidoo and Wikipedia.org feature prominently. However, though Wikipedia.org is very likely to appear in the first page in the search for a company or business name, its content is user generated and thus neutral. Therefore, if your company has received negative publicity, it is advisable to avoid Wikipedia, since its content is not controlled.
Flickr/Youtube
Creating Flickr images and YouTube videos that have your business or company name in the title can enhance your rankings. Besides improving your rankings, images and videos can project a positive image of your company.
Content Addition/Removal on Website
If you find some negative information about your business on the internet, request the website administrator to remove the content. Alternatively, find out if they can post an article which portrays your company in a neutral manner. If they allow you to post an article, this article might end up replacing the negative webpage in search engine results.
Create blogs and sub-domains
The advantage of sub-domains is that they get instant authority from the original domain. Remember to include your business name on all your existing web pages. For instance, if you sell products online, you could insert your business name in some of the product pages. When people look for your business name using search engines, these pages will appear.
Press releases
You can use one of the many free press release sites to create press releases which feature your business name. Eventually, these could end up outranking web pages or websites that are not very authoritative.
Guest blogging
Write posts and have them published in several prominent blogs. This will not only generate traffic for your site, but will also push down negative publicity.
User generated content allows people to write their own opinions of any business. However, since the claims presented cannot be verified. This leaves room for negative publicity, which can destroy the reputation of any business. All the above-mentioned tools for reputation management are useful for dealing with the adverse impact of user generated content.
Web 2.0 is the most important way to have reputation online.
Charles Mburugu you have shared very useful suggestions to sustain the reputation of web page. I am using guest blogging, press release etc but never tried flicker and youtube. Now I will surely try it.
Hey Shailja, all the best as you try out flicker and youtube.
Hi Charles,
Nice points, This way you can certainly show your reputation as you’ll be referred by multiple big sites.
I agree to you, this are great strategies on how to build Online reputation. In building my reputation,I am focused on my content generation. Guest blogging is also one that I considering having new ideas.
Most of the people ignores second point. Creating image for flicker and YouTube channel can do wonders.
@Isha Your related post image is not appearing .Please see to it ASAP.
Video optimization and Press Release both are very useful and fast resulting methods in SEO of any website and both are help to build a Brand name in Market also…
Really needful post…man…
Keep it up…
In order to safeguard the reputation of a brand i think in addition to above factors it is very important to prevent over dosage of publicity as sometimes excessive marketing yields negative impact on a brand name.
good points to remember and work on