Stacy Pessoney – Search Engine Marketing Tips

Monday, September 15, 2008

Online Reputation Management

Your online identity can be very important. So what do you do if your reputation in the search engines gets tainted? Many people have run into this problem. Whether it is the result of slander or a lawsuit, someone’s opinion or a professional mistake, a bad reputation following you around online can be a battle that you end up fighting for years.
If you have found yourself in this situation, then you should probably hire an SEO firm that specializes in Reputation Management. An SEO company is in a unique position to analyze your problem. They can offer sensible solutions to build your reputation back to where you think it should be. They have all of the resources to help fight the problem. They will analyze and track the progress of the project along the way. Then you may choose to keep the project going on a maintenance level.
Some reputations can be easier to fix than others. If you simply have some bad customer reviews or something of the sort, then it may not take too long to repair the damage. However, if there is a lawsuit or other problem that is dictated on a government or education web site, then it can take a more significant amount of analysis and work to help you. This is because government and education web sites generally have such a good reputation with the search engines. Any site that ranks highly can be more costly and time consuming to combat.
Reputation Management can be used for companies or other entities, not just individuals. Companies that start out with a bad reputation can take a lot longer to repair. If you started out in good standing, then the time and money that it takes to bring your reputation back up to a reputable level can be a lot less.
If there is bad press about you or your company online, then it can take a while to push it down far enough in the SERP’s that it is no longer noticed. Reputation Management is something that you may have to continue even after your bad press rankings are down. This is because the damaging information about you could work its way back to the top over time. This is especially true if the information hurting you is widespread or included on a highly ranked site.
Be sure that the company you hire handles your situation with tact and diligence. Be patient, as these things can take time. Get on board with a solid plan and don’t be afraid to ask questions along the way. The investment you make in your future could really pay off.

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