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Online Reputation Management: What You Should Know

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Reputation Management|Online Reputation Management: What You Should KnowHave you ever wondered how celebrities or big brands manage their presence on the internet? With the increase in people using online resources, social media, and reviews, one bad review can have a huge impact on a business’s success or reputation. Online reputation management helps those with larger public profiles to maintain a good online presence and representation in an age where everyone and anyone can use the internet to give their opinions. Here are some basic facts about online reputation management to help you understand what it is and how it works.

What is ORM?

ORM, or online reputation management, is the practice of using various strategies to help influence the public perception of an individual, brand, or business online. Obviously, if you, an individual, brand, or business, have genuinely done something wrong, then reputations should be damaged, and appropriate action should be taken, as covering things up can get you in a lot of trouble. However, if a person or business is under attack when they have done nothing wrong, for example, a competitor or jealous individual, this can have hugely negative consequences. This is where online reputation management can be used to push negative online content off of the first page of search engine results. It is hard to completely remove something from the internet, so managing your online appearances and presence can help to reduce the number of people who interact with negative content.

Who is it for?

Online reputation management is typically used by big brands, businesses, celebrities, or entities whose success can depend on what is online. One of the most common types is celebrity reputation management, which helps to put positive content onto the internet in order to make sure these are what comes up in search engine results when the name is searched.

Technically, anyone can use online reputation management to monitor and manage their online presence, and there are different levels and specialisms depending on how influential you or your brand is.

You can work towards managing your reputation yourself or enlist the services of a professional company. Typically, the average person will manage their online reputation much more simply than a large brand or celebrity by responding to reviews and comments, both positive and negative, and managing feedback. Many people trust reviews that are left online and will make decisions about individuals, companies, or services based on the reviews and ratings they see when they search the name in a search engine. Knowing when and how to respond to comments and reviews is just one of the many skills and methods involved in online reputation management. It becomes harder to manage your online reputation when you are more well-known or influential, or the challenges you are facing are increasing. You may then require assistance. There will be different factors to consider for this and various questions to ask yourself. These include:

  • Do you have time to generate and publish the content that is needed to push negative articles or search results to the bottom of result lists? Positive content that is high in keywords and other SEO techniques need to be created and published frequently. One great way to do this is by writing a blog, but you yourself may not have the time or skills to do this.
  • Can you write to a high level to create effective and engaging content that does the job it is meant to do? Including important keywords in your content will help it pop up higher on search engine results, and it is obviously important to make sure it is grammatically correct and well-written, as is it associated with you.
  • Are you technologically savvy, with a good understanding of techniques such as SEO? As well as SEO, you will need to manage a multitude of sites and social media platforms. Understanding how to build a good website is vital, and you may need some assistance with this task.
  • How large is the reputational problem you are dealing with? It is some small comments, reviews, or a few unwanted images, or is it something much bigger?

When considering managing your online reputation, find out what your current online presence looks like to an outsider. Searching various spellings of your name, or the name of your company or brand will bring up the currently most popular search results. Look through them and see if they present you in the way you wish. It is also a good idea to set up Google Alerts with various phrases so that you are constantly aware of any new material that is being created. This can help you save time, as you need to monitor the internet and be aware of what is appearing. Furthermore, you will need to learn when it is best to respond to comments or reviews, and when it should be left alone, as sometimes replying can push the comment further up search results, which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.

How does it work?

There are several methods and techniques involved in online reputation management. Generally, the aim is to push down negative content and get it off the first page of search engine results so that fewer people see it. Research has shown that around 95% of people only look at the first page of results when they Google something. The techniques used will vary depending on the client. For example, managing the online reputation of a celebrity is a big challenge because there is so much content being generated about them from different sources. These include news organizations and publications, social media, websites, and fan forums. If a publication is well known, then any information they publish will appear high up on SERPs, resulting in more people clicking on them.

There are different ORM methods that are utilized depending on the client and the situation, but some general methods include:

  • Generating new content frequently. The more positive content you create, the more likely it is to be engaged with and land higher up in search results. The whole idea is to flood results with content that is positive in order to push negative articles further down. This is where using an agency to manage your online reputation can be helpful, as you may not have the time, means or ability to create the volume and frequency of online content that is required.
  • Maintaining a positive online presence. Having a good website is one way of doing this and is especially useful if you, your brand, or business relies on a website over other platforms such as social media. A high-quality website will help it to appear higher up in search results, will be informative, grammatically, and technologically correct, with links and an easy to navigate layout. Writing a blog that you regularly update, interacting with reviews and comments, and encouraging people to leave reviews will help build your site. Furthermore, having your or your brand or business’s name in the website URL is important as it can help the site rank high for keyword content.
  • Claiming online properties. This involves making accounts and profiles on the various forms of social media, as well as a Wikipedia page and domain name for your website. These are popular and established platforms and websites to have accounts on, and are therefore more likely to appear on the first page of a search engine result. Furthermore, by having accounts on these platforms and sites, it is harder for people to create fake accounts and pretend to be the individual or brand.
  • Creating links. Links on your website or other accounts need to be functioning and up to date. Linking to other webpages that you want readers to see can help the flow of internet traffic between the two sites, as well as giving credibility to the receiving website. Links to your socials should be on your website and vice versa.

Jobs

If you would like to work in online reputation management, it is generally seen as a type of digital marketing. There are plenty of digital marketing agencies all over the world, and many offer online reputation management services. Other services they may offer include content creation, SEO, and website design. You need to have a good level of understanding of digital techniques such as SEO and have a great eye for detail. There are many skills you need to succeed in digital marketing, and online reputation management is a great way to combine many of them, such as SEO and content creation.

Managing your own reputation is a good way to save money, but it can be time-consuming, and you may not have the skills required to complete the job effectively. As previously mentioned, there are many factors to take into consideration that will affect whether you choose to do it yourself or work with an agency that can manage it for you. If you or your brand or business have been negatively impacted when you have genuinely done nothing wrong, ORM can help to rebuild your reputation online.

As An Entrepreneur, It’s Important To Keep Yourself In Check

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |entrepreneurialism |As An Entrepreneur, It's Important To Keep Yourself In CheckMany people think of entrepreneurialism as a form of freedom, and a surefire pathway to courageous success. That’s because it’s more than possible for these two things to be true, and it could be that you’re all too ready to experience them.

That said, often people forget that entrepreneurialism is a big risk, especially compared to simply being an employee and working your way up the corporate ladder. Not only do you have to discipline yourself, but to offer value that others either cannot match, or cannot cater to that part of the market.

In this way, entrepreneurialism is a big challenge, and it takes plenty of self-belief. Will Smith, famous actor, once said that there is a necessary delusional quality about believing in yourself, even when others find it hard to. This is the fundamental mindset of an entrepreneur, and so it’s not hard to see how success can sometimes be hard to find, or that in all probability, it’s unlikely.

Does that mean you have to feel tired or demoralised before you begin? Absolutely not. It just means balancing realism with your willingness to believe in yourself and move forward. This way, you gain the best of both outlooks, and will have a much higher chance of success. People will find your story appealing, and may even support you. We all love to see someone working hard for themselves and building something from nothing.

A great way of measuring yourself in this role, then, is to care for keeping yourself in check. In this guide, we’ll explain what that means, and how it could apply to you as an entrepreneur.

Fully Research Your Idea & Its Ramifications

Many entrepreneurs become entrepreneurs because they feel they have an idea worth dropping out of the default career path for. It does happen, but it’s much less likely that someone simply ‘becomes’ an entrepreneur with no ideas to chase, as this becomes something of an untenable risk.

However, no matter what your ideas are right now, it’s important to know they’re currently just that – ideas. Bringing them to fruition requires deep research, and not only regarding its construction or your development of a service. For instance, on paper, a service can look absolutely necessary, interesting and worthwhile. However, you might find that in this current area, the competition is too stiff, or consumers find it hard to understand your idea in broad strokes, or that a gap in the market exists elsewhere.

For this reason, deep research helps you understand the parameters you may be operating in. ‘Dragon’s Den’, the original UK version of ‘Shark Tank,’ once showcased an entrepreneur who had invested in creating a paddle for plaster and other materials that builders could use without bending over all day. He argued that this would help prevent long term back issues.

In order to present his idea to the Dragons, he had to showcase how many times, on average, a builder may bend over. He had to know just how his product would fit in, and what price point was acceptable, and if purchasing or renting was superior for this product in question. That was great research. However, he had forgotten to look deeply into patent law, and thus thought he had a patent when he didn’t. He secured investment thanks to his prototype, but on the condition that his patent was applied for straight away. In this respect, we see how research or a lack of it can either help or hinder our approach – and so we must commit to it thoroughly.

Your Personal Brand Is You This Time

It can be hard to make the transition from being a somewhat anonymous entity working for a larger corporation to someone who has taken the time to form a corporation, but in the latter respect, you will no doubt be front and centre as a personal figurehead.

This means that understanding exactly how you come across to clients, investors and partners is essential. It means keeping yourself to higher standards, such as making sure you dress well every day, that you work on your handshake, that in your free time you train your presentation skills and ensure your pitch is near note-perfect, confidence exuding from you.

In this way, entrepreneurs develop many interpersonal skills that an actor might hope to train, not to be deceptive, but to come across and highlight their character in the best sense. Put simply – invest in yourself as you do your business. This speaks to your values, virtues, and ultimately, how you and your brand mirror one another’s reputation.

Timekeeping & Discipline

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is that you can select your own hours and are free to work at your own pace. The worst thing about being an entrepreneur is that you can select your own hours and are free to work at your own pace.

As you can see, there’s something of a paradox here. But it’s important to make sure that you keep yourself disciplined in everything you do. This is easier when it’s your own success and income on the line, but even then, it can be important to learn timekeeping, to ensure you’re getting a decent balance of home and work life, and that you’re willing to sacrifice some weekends and after-hours in order to build your business.

Timekeeping, in this respect, helps you itemize your day and be as productive as possible. Google Calendar, note taking tools, planning organizers and digital assistants can help you keep up with your tasks each day. Never start a day unsure of what you’re about to work on. Spend ten minutes each night planning your following day. Review your days, and make sure you understand exactly what you did right and what you could improve on. If you can focus in this respect you can keep yourself measured, and totally honest about your forward action. Not only does this inspire and give a great example to those you manage, but it helps you understand that an entrepreneurs main responsibility is to themselves.

With this advice, we hope you can keep yourself measured as an entrepreneur in the best possible sense.

6 Personal Branding Lessons Every Working Professional Can Learn from Trump and Clinton

Despite having the two highest unfavorable ratings of any major presidential candidates in history, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have outlasted their competitors—and one of them is going to become the leader of the free world.

What does success in the face of such highly unfavorable ratings teach us about personal branding? And what can working professionals at every level learn from it?

6 Personal Branding Lessons Every Working Professional Can Learn from Trump and ClintonBelow is an examination of both candidates’ personal branding successes, challenges and resulting lessons for us all in six specific areas. The success of any brand — in business, politics or otherwise — boils down to how the brand performs across these six key dimensions. Each dimension, including exactly how each candidate fared therein as well as the correlated Personal Brand Takeaways, can help other enterprising professionals achieve in kind.

1. Develop Your Brand by Design, Not Default. Know precisely where you are so you can discern where you need to go.

Trump: The Donald has clearly defined himself as the billionaire Maverick, owing no one anything. Trump has carefully crafted his image as the anti-establishment candidate proudly going against the grain. As a general strategy, it has allowed him to get away with more than the typical business leader or politician normally would.

Clinton: Despite her best efforts to promote herself as “the qualified candidate,” many Americans have by default stamped Clinton with the brand of Matron—part of the old guard of Washington politics. Recently she has begun to pivot and is trying to find her way to a brand by design based on straight-talking thoughtfulness.

Personal Brand Takeaway: Every business person, from secretary to CEO, needs to start by assessing the personal brand they currently have and be truthful about the degree to which it exists by design—or default. Then they need to take stock of the impact that current brand is having. Is your brand producing the reputation you desire? Is it creating the environment and responses you are looking for? If not, a pivot to a more powerful personal brand may be needed.

The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build, and Accelerate Your Brand2. Anchor Statement. What is the go-to description of who you are and what you do? This is sometimes referred to as an elevator pitch.

Clinton: To date, Mrs. Clinton has made her marketing bottom line “I’m the woman candidate,” but that has not played well with Sanders supporters and younger voters in general. While Clinton’s status as the first woman Presidential nominee is certainly history-making and a proud moment, as an elevator pitch, it’s flawed. She would be better served by focusing on another message (consider Obama’s focus on messages of hope and change, as opposed to his race) that resonates with a wider slice of democrats and the population at large.

Trump: Four words—“Make America Great Again.” This single sentence has become Trump’s signature call to arms, his reason why voters should check the box next to his name come November. The issue Trump will face as the election gets closer is how he will translate this general idea into specific policies.

Personal Brand Takeaway: All business people need to be able to present their brand in less than a minute. For example: When at a cocktail party you are asked the standard, “What do you do?” can you answer in a few short sentences that pique the listener’s interest? If not, your anchor statement needs some work. In addition, it’s important to pay attention to how your anchor statement is resonating and landing with your desired audience.

3. Unique Branding Proposition. What is it about what you do, or how you do it, that makes you unique, distinct and special? What sets you apart?

Trump: The presumed Republican nominee, Trump has taken a two-pronged approach to differentiating himself. First off, he is keen to point out (at every possible opportunity) that he is a businessman, as opposed to a career politician. Secondly, his message of “I’m willing to go it alone,” whether it relates to raising money to fund his campaign or being supported by the Republican party, is at the heart of his “why I’m unique” message.

Clinton: Hillary’s strongest point of differentiation to date has been “I’m the woman candidate.” The problem is that too much of her messaging has focused on this, and the voters don’t really seem to care.

Personal Brand Takeaway: Positioning yourself by specifically articulating how your brand speaks to the needs of your audience, and the unique way you address those needs, is critical to creating an effective personal brand. And the more specific you can be, the better.

4. Brand Tone and Temperament. What is the consistent mood, tenor, quality, character and manner you bring to all your interactions?

Clinton: Clinton’s tone has consistently been one of a serious Implementer. The tonal subtexts to her speeches ring with “I’m experienced, I know what I’m doing and I can get the job done.” Her demeanor, while dignified, is missing an accessibility (and even friendliness) that voters need to see in order to wholeheartedly embrace her as their Presidential candidate. However, given the alternative, it may be enough to win her the highest office in the land.

Trump: Trump is always Trump. To some, his brash pronouncements play with a tone of rugged individualism. For others, (even some members of his own party) his demeanor shows up as angry, and even childish in cases. So much so that the question of his temperamental suitability to be President has become a Democratic rallying cry. Likewise, Trump’s tone has some Republicans begrudgingly supporting him for the sole “anyone but Hillary” reason. Not exactly the inspiring message you would want your personal brand to create.

Personal Brand Takeaway: What you say has power, but the way you say it — your tone — has just as much impact. Every businessperson needs to be aware of how their brand tone is coming across (online and off) and adjust where necessary. In addition, taking any tone to an extreme will always backfire: Too serious or too snarky both harm a brand in the long run.

5. Signature Story. Why do you do what you do? What’s the essential story that brought you to this place?

Trump: Rather than focus on a narrative based on how his past has informed his bid for the Presidency, Trump is pointing to the present problems America faces as his reason for seeking office. But by doing so, he is missing the opportunity to tie his brand to a bigger, more historical reason for running.

Clinton: After her win in California on Super Tuesday, Hillary Clinton spoke about her mother, the influence she had on her life and how the way she grew up set her on a path to public service. Clinton has skillfully integrated her history into her narrative and connected the dots from how what she learned there has brought her to here.

Personal Brand Takeaway: Never underestimate the power of a good story. A strong (and truthful) narrative about where you came from and what has influenced you to do the work you now do can connect you with your customers, employees and colleagues at a deeper level. Your brand needs to be more than a single sound bite or pithy elevator pitch. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your brand when things don’t go exactly as you planned. The best brands feature multiple, complementary messages that weave together to form an accessibly complex and in-depth communication.

6. Signature Services. What are your core competencies?

Clinton: At the heart of Hillary Clinton’s brand is her varied and deep experience in government — and her proven ability to get things done in a political system that makes this challenging at best. Her particular expertise in foreign relations — especially at this time in American’s history—gives her a powerful place to stand as the candidate of choice. She is able and willing to talk about the “how” of the why.

Trump: In almost direct opposition to Clinton, Donald Trump’s brand is rooted in being “not” a government insider — but a business one. Continually providing tough talk about his corporate success, negotiation expertise and business acumen, Trump is presenting voters with the idea of a president who would function more like the CEO of a company than the head of state. While this “non-establishment” message is resonating with many people, the downside is Trump’s lack of specifics and seemingly naïve understanding of how things actually work in Washington and the protocols that keep the wheels turning—thus causing a questioning of his suitability for the job.

Personal Brand Takeaway: Know exactly what your brand brings to the table and how it stacks up against your competitors, and craft a powerful way to talk about it that inspires confidence in others. The fulcrum of your brand needs to rest on the material ingredients of your values and commitments.

A standout style (be it a brash Trump or competent Clinton) is a plus, but it will only take you so far. At some point going beyond taking a stand for what you believe in and specifically letting people know how you plan to get there will become a central issue. Think about one area where your personal brand is being expressed more in talk than displayed in action and focus on aligning the two.


About the Author

Karen LelandKaren Leland is CEO of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding and marketing strategy and implementation firm helping CEO’s, businesses and teams develop stronger personal and business brands. Clients include AT&T, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer, LinkedIn and Twitter. She is the best-selling author of 9 books, including her most recent title, The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build, and Accelerate Your Brand, which details proven strategies, best practices and anecdotes from real life brand-building successes to help readers design, build and accelerate a successful brand. Learn more online at www.KarenLeland.com.

Your Look. Your Personality. Your Brand Voice.

The best brands connect with consumers and build long-term relationships through carefully crafted and controlled messaging. A logo, alone, is not enough. You see – once a small business has a strong logo, it’s important to bring the brand to life by developing a brand voice. No matter how small the business, putting a face behind the brand and building a brand voice is key to driving the conversation, building relationships, and standing out from the crowd.

Even more, a clear brand voice transforms a brand from just a product or service into a personality that’s consistent with the business’s values, target audiences and advertising goals. A brand voice can be used to inform all messaging choices a small business brand must make, from brochures and print advertisements to website content and social media interactions.

Why Is a Brand Voice Important for Small Business?


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About the Author

Dan AntonelliDan Antonelli has over 20 years’ experience in small business logo design and marketing strategy. As CEO and Creative Director of Graphic DSigns, Inc., The Small Business Advertising Agency®, he’s helped nearly a thousand individual brands recognize the better side of business. The definitive industry expert on logo design for small business, Dan has authored three books on the subject, including his latest ‘Building a Big Small Business Brand’, and established his agency as the premier brand-building agency for small businesses nationwide.

Are you the dominant brand, or is your brand bland?

What’s the difference between you and all of your competition?

Are you different from your competition, or do you just THINK you are? Are you different from your competition, or do you just tell customers and prospects you are?

Or are you different from your competition, and others CLEARLY perceive you as both different and better?

REALITY: It’s not what you think or believe, it’s what your customers do and say.

REALITY: If I ask you what the difference between you and your prime competition is, and your answer is ‘our people’ or ‘me,’ you’re in serious trouble.

REALITY: If you asked your customer what the difference is, what would they say?

  • “Cheaper?”
  • “Closer to my home?”
  • “I dunno, been using them for years.”
  • “Six of one – half a dozen of the other.”

You’re in trouble.

Your reputation is a reality check of where you actually are versus where you think you are:

  • What’s your customer reputation? NOT A SATISFACTION SURVEY. A face-to-face talk. NOT A PHONEINTERVIEW. A face-to-face talk where you ask 100 of your customers what they really think of you, and why they buy.
  • What’s your social reputation? As posted on your business Facebook page by your customer, or as recommended by customers on their social media accounts?
  • What’s your industry reputation? How do both leaders and vendors perceive you in your industry?
  • What’s your community reputation? If you had a town hall meeting of the community, what wouldthey say about you?

Here are more painful ‘reputation’ questions about your company and your products:

  • What are you doing to build it?
  • What are you doing to innovate it?
  • What are you doing to change or enhance your customer’s experience?

Apple is the classic example of a brand, with products that back it up. Their competition is ‘me too,’ and often mentions Apple in their ads. If you brag that you’re ‘just like Apple,’ personally I want Apple. The experience I have in Apple stores is in perfect harmony with the brand they’re portraying.

In the computer industry, the smart phone industry, the tablet industry, and the music player industry, everyone has to start with some sort of comparison to Apple – just like, better than, cheaper than – whatever they say, they mention Apple. Only Apple stands alone not comparing themselves to other products unless it’s a joke. They don’t have to talk about their competition – Apple is the innovator. And they do it at their price.

What’s up in your world? Are you the dominant brand? Are you Amazon? eBay? Jello? Kleenex? Kellogg’s Corn Flakes? Jacuzzi?

HARD QUESTION: Are you comparing your products to the competition, or differentiating yourself from the competition?

HARD QUESTION: Are you trying to justify price, or does your quality reputation precede you?

OUCH QUESTION: Is your brand, product, or service market superior, and you haven’t elevated yourself to that position?

NOTE WELL: Then there are the brands that USED to be #1 and have fallen to #2 or lower. Either by inferior products, inferior service, or disgraced reputation. Blackberry, American Airlines, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft, and Tiger Woods to name a few.

Here are 5.5 interviews you need to do to get the TRUTH from people who are willing to give it to you. In order to get better tomorrow, you gotta know where you are today.

1. Interview customers who love you. They’ll tell you the good stuff.
2. Interview customers who left you. They’ll tell you why, and how to improve.
3. Interview customers who said no to you. They’ll tell you why they chose someone else.
4. Interview loyal employees. They’ll tell you why they love you.
5. Interview departed employees. They’ll tell you why they left you.
5.5 Interview industry leaders. They’ll give you the big picture you may not be able to see.

CAUTION: Leave PR, marketing, and advertising out of the equation, or you may NEVER get to the truth. My recommendation is hire an outside branding company, and at least get a new perspective on the outsideworld (your customers and the marketplace) and the inside world (your people).

After your interviews, here’s what to do:

  • Be realistic as to outside opinions, and how you can create improvement.
  • Create internal excitement about innovation and new ideas.
  • Train and teach attitude, self-belief, and creativity.
  • Give people paid days off just to think and create.
  • Create a sense of self-pride in your people by listening to their thoughts and ideas.
  • Praise and implement new ideas.

RESULT: A new, market dominant, more profitable you.

If you want to learn my secret for long-term brand, name recognition, and loyal customers, go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the word NAME in the GitBit box.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.


About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].