How to Find a Reputation Business You Can Trust

How can you find the right firm to help repair or build your online reputation? More importantly, who is trustworthy and can deliver a legitimate solution at a realistic price? 

The choice and selection can be daunting. Unfortunately, unscrupulous online reputation management firms have proliferated, so finding the right firm is paramount and can mean the difference between success or failure. 

Some unethical companies buy reviews, overcharge, engage in hacking or follow “black hat” techniques. It seems the industry could use a reputation management overhaul itself. Working with the wrong firm can actually lead to additional reputation damage. 

Here are some key questions to ask when searching for a reputable online reputation management firm.

1. What Is the First Contact Like?

What is the first contact like with the reputation firm? If via email, does it seem formulaic or a hard sell with an urgent time to respond? If on the phone, do they seem distracted, disinterested or unable to answer technical or procedural questions? 

Get a sense of the reputation management firm through your introductory contact. 

A good web reputation analyst should listen intently to your specific issue, offer a detailed solution, and be well versed in web reputation and repair issues. Since some large firms use quota or commission-based salespeople, try talking with someone who will actually be doing the work.

2. Is the Pricing Realistic or Change Quickly?

Do they offer a set price and then drastically reduce it? Some reputation firms quote an initial fee but quickly lower it. Beware: this could indicate that the firm is overcharging,  is providing substandard work or is basing their fee on what they think you can afford. 

Also, is the proposed amount realistic? Some companies might offer a woefully inadequate fee that should be ten times larger to be successful.

A price quote should be based on how many hours it takes to solve the issue.

3. Quick Solution Within Weeks?

Are they promising a fast solution in weeks? Although total removal or suppression in less than a month might be possible depending on the severity, an average online reputation repair case takes six months or more. People that promise a nearly immediate result are over-promising or are purposely deceptive.

4. Are They Using Bad or Blackhat Techniques?

Does the reputation firm use shady or “black-hat” techniques? Disreputable firms engage in bad practices ranging from buying followers, falsifying reviews, and even hacking. Most egregiously, I’ve heard of reputation businesses purposely damaging a random person and then contacting them to offer a solution! 

Also, be aware of the term “proprietary solutions”. This often refers to things such as  “link-farms” or a series of fake websites made which that link back to each other. Options such as these have no or minimal reputation value, and can actually incur additional reputation damage. 

Reputable firms focus on analysis, research, excellent content creation and constant reviews.

5. Do they Guarantee Removal?

Do they guarantee outright removal? While images or videos which violate copyright rules are possible to delete, most items are not. If a firm says they can remove any type of content, they are probably engaging lawyers who submit dubious take-down requests, which is often not effective with Google search results. In reality, suppression is often the only option. (Recover Reputation never takes on a case unless I think it can be solved). 

6. Do They Have Relevant–and Real–Case Studies?

Do they have real case studies? If the company has no or minimal examples of their solutions, move on to someone else. Also, since testimonials or case studies could be fabricated, review them carefully for veracity.  

7. Do They Have a Real Location?

Where is the business located—and are they really there? Believe it or not, this is an issue. I’ve seen companies claiming to be in the US but are actually in Russia. Since nearly all reputable firms post their location, phone number, email and other pertinent information, not having a street address could mean the company is not legitimate or is located overseas. (Some sole proprietorships prefer to use P.O. box offices.)  

A simple way to check the validity of an address is to search using Google Maps. Results that show a mail drop-off center, a house (when it should be an office building), vacant land, a shed, factory or run-down building indicate a false place of business and should be avoided.

8. Is Their Proposal Simplistic?

What do their proposals look like? Poorly worded, simplistic, and unprofessional assessments of your issue are problematic. So too are ones that are filled with too many deliverables. For example, offering one-hundred blog posts may sound impressive, but if they are badly crafted or on the wrong topic, they will have little impact. A customized hands-on approach is most effective, and the proposal should reflect this.

9. Do They Have a Poor Online Reputation?

What does their own reputation look like? Search for negative reviews, bad comments, poorly made content, sloppy work, typos, etc., across various platforms and websites. If you see any red flags, immediately move on and work with someone else.

A good firm should provide excellent information that is easily accessible through a simple online search.

10. Are They a Large Corporation?

How large and accessible is the organization? Giant firms can not only feel impersonal but often follow a set of route solutions that can be quickly outdated and ineffective. A good reputation firm should be nimble, and be able to quickly adjust to Google’s constantly shifting algorithm updates. 

11. Can You Trust Your Gut Instinct?

How does it feel? After reviewing all these criteria, check your gut instinct. Does it seem like a good fit, or is there something opaque about their process? Can they understand your issues or does it feel like a sales pitch? Always, call around and compare online reputation solutions.

Bottom Line

Picking the right online reputation firm can be complex and is full of challenges. It’s important to find one that has testimonials, delivers results, and an is ethical. Since it can represent a sizable investment, pick wisely.