5 Online Reputation Management Mistakes People Make

Myth: My online reputation doesn't really matter… unless I'm in a PR crisis.

Fact: Your online reputation is single-handedly the most important thing for personal branding, businesses, and professionals in every industry!

It's 2023… People go online before they make most decisions!

Whether it's a hungry customer looking for the best pizza in town, a hiring manager searching for an applicant’s history, or a business searching for prospective partners. They will all likely go online and search before making any decision!

Don’t forget first impressions are important; even more than that, in some cases, they are everything. So when something bad appears online besides your name, it hurts you and your reputation.

That is why your online reputation matters! It’s not just for handling PR crises. In fact, proactive online reputation management oftentimes prevent a crisis from even happening.

A positive reputation can open doors to new opportunities, while a negative reputation can have long-lasting effects that can be avoided.

So now that you know that your online reputation matters, let's talk about the top 5 management reputation mistakes people always make.

And if you stick around the end, we will show you how to avoid it all.

Before we begin, the BIGGEST mistake people make is not thinking it matters, but we already talked about why it matters, so without further ado, let's dive right into it!

Failing to monitor online mentions is another massive mistake people and businesses seem always to make.

Your online reputation extends beyond your website and social media pages.

People discuss and mention your brand or name on various platforms, including forums, review sites, and blogs!

When you don’t keep track of these mentions, you ignore online feedback, which is mistake #1.

You can use online monitoring tools or hire a reputation management service (like ours) to stay informed and control your online narrative. It will boost your online reputation and give a great first impression!

Now, while mistake #1 is don't ignore feedback. It is important not to argue when responding, and so many times, we have seen brands do this, escalating the situation and making you look bad.

The online world can be a breeding ground for disagreements and heated discussions.

It's easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment, but responding with anger or defensiveness can damage your reputation further.

Instead, take a minute to get your thoughts together and plan a response that will escalate or end the situation. Be sure to maintain a professional and diplomatic tone. The best practice is to focus on resolving issues privately or redirecting the conversation offline.

Remember, your responses are visible to the public and potential customers, so choose your words wisely.

Search engine optimization, or SEO, plays a massive role in managing your online reputation.

Neglecting SEOand failing to optimize your online content can make your search results rank low and negative content rank higher.

It gives off a terrible first impression and makes the negative overshadow the positive!

It's best practice to invest in creating high-quality, optimized content across various platforms, including your website, blog, and social media profiles. By consistently publishing relevant and positive content, you can push down negative search results and make your positive results stand out amongst the crowd!

Being honest, transparent, and authentic are the keys to building trust and maintaining a positive reputation.

Absolutely do not conceal information, exaggerate claims, flat-out lie, or use fake reviews. These can backfire easily and quickly and can be hard to fix.

Instead, encourage your actual customers to leave reviews and testimonials; if any are negative, don’t make mistake #1. Respond and work to resolve and fix the issue.

When you do this, you build trust, look credible, and establish a much better reputation than you otherwise wouldn't have had!

We have seen plenty of individuals not get the job they wanted, plenty of businesses crumble, and reputations destroyed overnight by making these mistakes!

Luckily, now you know them, so you can be proactively taking measures to avoid them!

Remember, when you get feedback, respond truthfully and do not escalate the situation. Never neglect SEO and always be proactively improving it, and be sure to monitor your mentions EVERYWHERE, not just on your website and main social media channels!

By doing all this, your online reputation will soar, and you will accomplish your goals, whether they are ranking higher online, scaling your business, winning over clients, getting that dream job, or pretty much anything else.

Remember, people go online before making a decision making your online reputation is so important!

If you want to avoid these mistakes without wasting time, consider Reputation Rhino!

Whether you’re an individual, a small business, or a larger enterprise, we use award-winning strategies to help you overcome negative search results and less-than-perfect reviews. When you work with Reputation Rhino, we ensure your online presence leads the charge.

We will be sure your first impression is the best it can possibly be, and most importantly, you will be proud to search for your business or your name online!