RepGuardian

People have been talking about online reputation management for a few years now. Basically in a nutshell it involves looking out for information that appears on the web relating to your name or brand, making sure that it accurately reflects you and responding or taking action if it does not. If you do not do this it may affect the way that people perceive your reputation. Reputation issues can be visible within forums, blogs and other social sites where people network. They can also be visible within search engine results when people are searching for your brand.

The key to guarding your online reputation is to be proactive. Have some sort of monitoring mechanism in place so that you can observe the online conversation within social platforms involving your brand. Also regularly check what is appearing as results for searches.

Speed is of the essence if you see potentially damaging information appearing. You may need to respond and give your viewpoint, ask for the information to be removed if it is wrong, or as a last resort instigate legal action.

As in most areas of life there are two sides to every story. You cannot get away from this. Just as in real life you cannot have everyone like you - you cannot expect everything that appears online about your brand to be viewed through rose tinted glasses. But by being open, entering the debate and conversing honestly then people will gain a realistic understanding of your brand and the integrity that stands behind it. And the truth is that this will help to enhance your reputation rather than damage it.