The Dos and Don’ts of Reputation Management

This article discusses what you should and should not be doing when it comes to business reputation management.

We already know that a brand’s online reputation and brand sentiment are important to a company’s success. And when it comes to reputation management, there are definitely many right — and wrong — ways to approach your strategy.

You may plan on hiring an outside ORM company or brand reputation manager to help monitor and protect your reputation. Or, you might prefer to take on this task yourself. Either way, it’s crucial to the long-term success and first impression of your brand to follow these dos and don’ts of reputation management.

Remember, reputation management services aren’t cheap. In many cases, the companies and brands that are using these services already have a lot invested in their products, brands and businesses.

When approaching an ORM firm, you need to be calculated. If you’re desperate to get started, you could end up paying thousands of dollars for methods that aren’t targeted at your specific issues.

Before attempting to manage your own reputation online or hiring a brand reputation manager, be sure to read through our recommended dos and don’ts below.

Along with our parent company NetReputation, OnlineReputation.com provides reputation management information and services to help you protect your digital presence. Get started with a free online reputation analysis here.

Do Create Quality Content

Content is king. When you’re in control of the content that ranks at the top of the search results, you’re also in control of how others first see your brand online.

Are you already posting quality content to your own sites? Consider reaching out to other high-authority sites and providing them with content as well.

Today, online reputation management is more important than ever before. Get started with a free analysis here or explore our services offered through our parent company, NetReputation.

Don’t Flood the Internet With Spammy Links

Many SEO experts and ORMs will tell the average person, brand or site owner that links are what drive content up in search results.

While this is true, anyone with a legitimate website or brand should only focus on high-quality links. Placing spammy backlinks all over the place won’t help your article rank against the most competitive sites. Even worse, this practice could actually get you banned or penalized by Google.

Do Take Advantage of News and Media Outlets

Huge news and media outlets are always looking for new stories, quotes from experts, and contributions for their online sites. Being an expert or a well-known brand within your space can go a long way when trying to get press mentions and publicity for your brand. Reach out to top news sites, editors and reporters who might be interested in your story.

Don’t Spend a Ton of Money on Promotions

Getting publications and stories on high-end news and media sites is something many ORMs specialize in; however, it also comes at a cost. Clients of top ORM firms may end up paying thousands of dollars for content to be placed on top news sites. Instead, they could have contacted these news outlets directly and had the same opportunity for free.

Do Monitor What People Are Saying About You Online

One of the best ways to protect and manage your online reputation is to actually know where, why, and when people are talking about you or your brand online. Free tools like Google Alerts are a simple yet effective way to start monitoring Google’s search results for new content around your name or brand. Many ORM agencies will also offer their own monitoring platforms and online reputation management software that can scale way beyond just the search engines.

We work with clients to help them build their brand’s reputation and take control of their digital presence. Give us a call at

to learn more about creating a reputation management strategy.

Don’t Respond Negatively to Online Reviews

Knowing how to respond to online complaints, negative content and online reviews is one of the most powerful ways to manage your brand’s reputation. Some companies or individuals will go and publicly attack anyone who has left a negative article or complaint online. However, the best approach is to connect with the person directly and try to resolve the issue via a private forum.

There are many ways to use online reviews and customer feedback to your advantage. Think of it as another opportunity to invest in your brand’s reputation.

Do Take Advantage of Social Media

There are currently over 5 billion people across social networks. First, your brand should be active on its own social profile pages. Plus, social media is a great way to monitor what other people are saying about your brand. And you’ll connect with your audience and customers in the process.

Don’t Outsource Reputation Management to a Cheap Agency

Always be cautious when looking to outsource any type of SEO, content creation or reputation management strategy. What might seem like a fancy website or service could actually be run by an inexperienced person who isn’t up to speed on industry best practices. Quality reputation management companies will not offer suspiciously cheap services.

At OnlineReputation.com, we provide must-know reputation management information to individuals and businesses who want to create, grow or repair their digital reputation. Whether you’re prioritizing your personal or professional online reputation, our advice and team of experts can help.

Through our parent company, NetReputation, we offer a range of effective reputation management strategy solutions. We can handle ad management, search engine optimization, online review management, content removal and more. Our five-step reputation management strategy ensures we cover every base to create a tailored program that’s right for you.

It’s possible to create a robust, positive online reputation even if you’re starting from zero or rebounding from a PR crisis. Call us at

for more information.