How to Manage Your Online Reputation When STUFF Happens

When a personal or business crisis occurs it’s often sudden, quickly unfolding in real time and the fallout is unknown. (Think: the Coldplay kiss cam couple. IYKYK.) It really only takes one negative anything—a bad headline, single snapshot, viral video, angry review or unexpected issue—to upend the status quo and trigger a full-blown reputation crisis. And, worst of all, it doesn’t even have to be true or based on facts (e.g., Amanda Knox).

When people search someone’s name or a company, what they really want to know is whether or not their online reputation demonstrates credibility and trustworthiness. The results show up in blue links, images, news stories, videos, and social chatter, which, if negative, could produce long-term damage to one’s personal brand or cause a company to lose customers, stock to tank and a merger or acquisition to fall through. Whatever happened has created a negative perception, which can begin during the crisis and linger long after the alleged misstep occurred. 

While there are examples of people and companies bouncing back stronger after a crisis, not all brands can survive notoriety and turn their misfortune into fortune. Dealing with the aftermath in subsequent weeks, months, and years can bring to light the true damage caused by whatever happened, and that’s where online reputation management efforts can work to minimize exposure.

Options to Manage Online Reputation and Minimize Exposure

With modern technology, it’s hard to erase anything once it’s out there (unless you live in the European Union where the right to be forgotten exists and allows for the removal of personal information from search results.) However, there are steps to control the message and manage one’s online reputation in the U.S. By not trying to win everyone over and instead targeting people who share similar values, online reputation management is within reach. 

There are three broad solutions for individuals and companies to consider. First is creating content to displace or suppress negative content seen online in search results. This is often considered a numbers game, which, if created correctly, can push undesirable links, images and videos well into double-digit pages of search results. The second option includes public relations efforts to generate news and engage with editors and publishers to provide alternative perspectives for the public to read and make up their own minds. PR by definition lends itself to boosting credibility because it’s written by an objective third party. A third solution involves a legal approach in which the negative results are effectively removed. 

Whereas PR and legal avenues have historically been options to manage reputation for the wealthy and powerful, search is within reach for everyone. One route is to flood the web with content and wait for search results to update, and another is to strategically create content that traditional and AI search channels prefer in order to displace the undesirable content in search results very quickly. The strategic approach requires a profile or footprint on the internet, which increases the chances of it working since most people and companies have a digital trail. 

Gain Control of Your Message

Online reputation management can seem like an easy DIY project, but DIY efforts tend to be abandoned while experiencing emotional pain of having to relive traumatic experiences or while facing the consequential fear of public reaction or personal retaliation. While nowhere near the cost of engaging with a PR and/or law firm, there is a tipping point where the cost of doing something outweighs the cost of not doing anything. 

Altering public perception is key because negative content can creep up even in private situations. Colleges and employers may search online before accepting or hiring individuals. Increasingly couples are encouraged to do due diligence prior to getting married, and some people may even do a thorough search prior to a first date. Companies aren’t so different when considering acquiring or doing business with another firm; they consider how a negative reputation can impact valuation, conversion rates and growth potential. 

When the DIY approach doesn’t work, there are online reputation management companies that can help. Artios, which already has a proven track record in improving SEO and GEO results by getting brands recommended by traditional and AI search engines, has experience in helping people and companies gain control of their message. From the moment of engagement, Artios begins analyzing online sentiment and assessing the reputational damage, which informs its strategy that includes data mining an existing online footprint to develop content that traditional and AI search engines gobble up. And, because sometimes reinforcements are required depending on the situation, Artios has PR and law partners that can be pulled in to further assist clients reaching their goals. 

Whatever happened already happened, but it shouldn’t continue having a lasting impact on personal happiness or business growth. Once the storm passes, it’s the next steps taken that determine how successfully you recover from it. 
Looking for a case study? Sorry, Artios signs NDAs to help ensure client privacy. But you can talk with Artios today to learn more about how they help clients overcome crises and manage their online reputation.