One of the biggest issues with online reputations is that people don’t think it affects them. This is true for businesses and individuals alike. They believe the internet doesn’t harm them, because they don’t post anything on it. They only use it to their advantage, in other words. However, any online reputation management company will tell you that if you use the internet, the internet uses you back and you will have an online reputation.
Individuals and Their Online Reputation
It is pretty obvious that if someone were to go out of their way to leave negative reviews about businesses, which happens a lot by the way, there can be a devastating impact. However, we seem to forget to discuss the impact this has on individual people. Thanks to the internet, anybody with a grudge can engage in an effective smear campaign against another individual and be pretty much unstoppable. Perhaps your ex-husband is angry and wants to destroy your social life, or maybe an ex-employee wants to take revenge for losing their job.
It doesn’t matter whether you are an individual or a business. The internet makes life transactions, and those start with a search. People will look you up online, and what they find when they do can either make or break you. Interestingly, not having an online presence doesn’t make you safe. If anything, it makes you look highly suspicious.
You also have to consider the fact that we currently live in what is known as a “pull economy”. What this means is that the internet is now a tool for people to find you. Let’s say, for instance, that you create baby clothing. You may be discussing clothes on a forum and through social media, and this means you have a resume, even if you don’t know it. Now let’s say that someone were to search for you, but your name is pretty generic, like John Smith, and the searcher finds a John Smith who is actually into bear hunting. That won’t help you in any way at all, in other words. What this means is that having a positive online reputation isn’t just about there not being any bad things about you out there. It is just as much about having recognition on the internet.
Can You Get Rid of Something Negative?
Online reputation management is not about erasing negative things. In fact, it is virtually impossible to do this, even if you were to take it to a court of law. The solution would be to use google image removal, but do you really want to go through an entire lawsuit, presuming you can identify a defendant? And that won’t do your image any good either. Rather, negative reviews should be pushed back, so that they are no longer on the first page of Google. In today’s world, that is pretty much the same as not existing at all.
What Is an Online Makeover?
Online reputation management companies will ensure you story dominates the internet. This story will be a true and accurate one, but also a positive one. And it needs to be found on the first page of Google. Essentially, an online reputation management consultant can help you regain ownership of your own resume.