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NEWSLETTERS | OCTOBER, 2008 Managing Your Online Reputation![]() By Chris ButlerWhen 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. What is Reputation Management?
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:
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Great newsletter, Chris.
I just setup a Twitter search feed and a comprehensive Google reputation feed, it took about 10 seconds!
As you allude to on the third page here, I don't really see what more one would need from a paid service. I'd love to hear other opinions on this one.
Thanks for the Trackur praise and links!
Andy,
Of course! Thanks for reading,
Chris
Chris, I loved this newsletter. It was very readable and helpful. Nice job.
Becca
Becca,
Thanks for reading! I'm guessing your comment means you're back home? Hope so!
Chris
Good read, Chris. Like good health, proactive preventative medicine is always better than curing the pain after one's reputation has been smeared. Lots of tips and tricks at http://reputationdr.wordpress.com.
ReputationDR,
Thanks for reading and your comment. I'll keep my eye on your blog.
Chris
A friend pointed me to this Social Path article, which says that businesses need to prepare for a sharp increase in online critics.
Check it out!
Chris - Thanks for your article. In the middle of SEO work on our new website for our new product and sometimes it's overwhelming the amount of work that needs to be done to manage an online reputation. Checking out Trackur right now.
Thanks!
Kellie,
Great to hear from you! Yes, there is a lot of work to do, but nothing you can't handle, I'm sure ;-)
Chris