Too many people don’t even think about their online reputation until it’s in ruins
One thing that most – if not all – of my clients have in common is that they didn’t know what an online reputation was until it jumped up and bit them in the proverbial ass. Another thing they have in common is that when they find something negative about themselves online, no matter what they might have done to deserve it, it hurts in a very human way.
The problem is that it’s not in our nature to go looking for critical feedback. Culturally, we don’t like it and as individuals and organisations, we go to some lengths to avoid it. However, to safeguard your reputation, you’re going to have to change that and start looking and listening for what people have to say about you.
In the broadest sense, there are three key things you can do to enhance and protect your online reputation. The first is to build a confidence-inspiring and credible online presence. The second is to give people reason and opportunity to say good things about you and your products and services. The third is to respond to attacks in a way that turns them into opportunities to gain respect and trust.
The problem is that someone who hasn’t thought about their online reputation is also unlikely to have built up a strong online presence or amassed any positive social media ‘word-of-mouth’ about their business. Add to that a tendency to react to criticism with defensiveness and it’s easy to see why most people who experience a reputation crisis feel powerless in the face of their attacker.
For us, the cold slap of discovering that you’re the subject of some less-than-savoury comments online is – paradoxically – a very positive place to be. Why?
Well, first of all because it’s probably going to be the last time you get taken by surprise by what people are saying about you online. And secondly because if it matters enough, you will do what it takes to start building a stronger presence and a better reputation online.
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