Managing Your Online Reputation

When I was a college resident adviser, my boss would frequently challenge me with the same irksome rhetorical question-- likely because he knew it vexed me, but also because it was an effective way to get me to really think about how I did my job. He'd tilt his head ever so slightly, raise one eyebrow, and say, "Chris, is perception reality?" I always wanted to answer "no," valuing the absolute truth over what might be someone else's incorrect perception of me. Yet I also sensed that the answer was "yes," because someone's perception could often be their only real experience of me.

So is perception reality? For many companies, the answer is certainly yes. Customers and potential customers will define a company's reputation through their collective influence. Whether by word of mouth, written reviews, news stories, or public complaints, the customer's perception is what shapes the reality of a company's reputation.

This month, I'd like to review what it means for a company to manage its online reputation, why it's so important, and some options for how to do it.

Reputation management is simply the practice of being aware of how you, your company, your products or services, or your industry are being discussed online. This can involve monitoring blogs, social networks, forums, reviews, and news sites for mentions of your company or any other keywords that are important to who you are or what you do.

The information you collect should help you answer questions in three areas:

1. Awareness. Do people know about your company?
2. Attitude. What are people saying about your company? Does it represent a positive or negative attitude toward you?
3. Agility (ok, a bit of a stretch, but I needed an "A" word). How effective are you in increasing awareness and improving attitude over time?