Online Reputation Management Archives - Page 8 of 9

$i ask a lot of questions when repairing a damaged online reputation. here\'s why @recovreputation$

I Ask A lot of Questions When Repairing a Damaged Online Reputation. Here\’s Why

Blog, How to Repair Your Reputation, Online Reputation Management, Recover Reputation, Uncategorized / STEVENGIOVINCO

7 Key Topics to Know the Answer to for Online Reputation Management I ask a lot of questions when starting a new online reputation management repair project. Beyond \”What happened?” and “How can I help\”, I pose probing questions for a business or individual client, such as: It might seem somewhat odd and perhaps too personal to delve into someone’s background, future aspirations, and current personal interests–after all, this is about suppressing damaging content from appearing prominently in Google search results. But knowing as much as possible about a reputation client’s business and personal background is crucial to success. The goal is not to ‘game the system’ by stuffing the web with fluff or false achievements but to have a thorough and true understanding in order to build an authentic online reputation that real people find appealing. After an initial deep web search where all positive and negative links are carefully identified, I then follow up with in-depth discussions focused around several central categories such as where they worked, lived, went to school, etc. Here are key categories below to understand. 1. Business and Personal Goals Do they want to expand their business, sell it, retire, move to Australia? Knowing answers to these questions drives the whole reputation strategy since it informs nearly everything, including the bio statement, key search terms, blog topics, influencers to follow, platforms to be active on, site development, etc. 2. Previous Positions Knowing all previous jobs (through a CV/resume and follow-up discussion) importantly gives a detailed career summary. This becomes invaluable when crafting a biographical statement for websites or platform profiles. It also fills in gaps in their LinkedIn profile (remember: a complete account with a headshot photo ranks extremely highly by Google, as does being active there) and further fleshes out key search terms. 3. University, College, High School Education Identifying an online reputation client’s education, college major, interests, years attended, clubs, curriculum–even teachers or famous fellow classmates–is useful for developing a presence on high-ranking alumni sites. 4. Volunteering, Charity If they are active in a charity, be sure to know the details to be able to share about it. Being on a non-profit board, volunteering, or being active in helping others leads to positive links and is usually easy to promote. It can also result in inclusion in Wikipedia articles, another powerful tool. 5. Hobbies Seemingly innocuous or unimportant, I always ask what a client likes to do in their spare time. Besides showing they are a genuine, real person which helps foster trust, it can lead to a series of articles, reviews or personal engagement with other like-minded people. 6. Location Where they live and work engages with other locals in their town or neighborhood and can generate topics for content creation. Reviewing a favorite lunch spot or posting images about a new development in the area helps build a positive online reputation. Reddit, Yelp, Patch and other similar sites are good to be active on. 7. Sensitive Topics to Avoid Just as important is to know what shouldn’t be highlighted. I always ask many questions to thoroughly understand any sensitive information, bad business relationships, or other issues that can inflame reputation damage and make things worse. Having a list of “no-go” topics, people, positions, careers or old links is extremely important to identify. Answers Lead to Reputation Strategy After asking many questions, I carefully compile the resulting information into a spreadsheet for quick access. I then digest this material to develop a customized reputation repair strategy. Acting as the project’s blueprint, this drives actions for the next six to ten months. Missing key information, not realizing that a previous firm or person should NOT be mentioned, or presenting the wrong tone on social media posts could lead to failure. Example: Lawyer to Contemporary Art in Five Months For one client, I quickly discovered through initial discussions that they actually had no interest in their legal career and instead wanted to shift towards working with contemporary art. As a result, she gained a new web reputation, suppressed the negative link posted by an ex-partner and found a new position she was passionate about within five months. Example: Annuities Expert Gains Web Presence and Clients Or during a conversation with a financial advisor, I learned that he traveled hundreds of miles daily to personally meet with clients, where he would then spend hours learning their needs and discussing his specialty, annuities. This became a central tenet of his online reputation presence driving content and social media sharing. Not only was his reputation repaired, but he also gained new business clients. So, asking questions is key to developing a successful online reputation solution. I tend to ask a lot–nothing personal, it’s just good business.

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$i ask a lot of questions when repairing a damaged online reputation. here\'s why @recovreputation$

I Ask A lot of Questions When Repairing a Damaged Online Reputation. Here\’s Why

Blog, How to Repair Your Reputation, Online Reputation Management, Recover Reputation, Uncategorized / Steven W. Giovinco

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How to Use Online Reputation Management to Gain and Retain Clients

Blog, How to Repair Your Reputation, Improve My Online Reputation, Online Brand Building Services, Online Reputation Management, Recover Reputation, Reputation Management, Reputation Management Firm, Steven W. Giovinco / Steven W. Giovinco

Gathering new customers is one of the hardest parts of running a business (especially when starting out), but one way to gain clients is by having a strong online presence built on trust–not fake reviews or inflated followers. Appearing authoritative in Google search results attracts prospective buyers who see positive links and articles as a sign of credibility, making reputation management a priority. At its essence is trust. Personal Referrals and Reputation Management Initial business referrals could come from a variety of sources: a hearty personal endorsement from a friend or family member; through a strong business recommendation; via a convincing ad, email introduction, cold call, or networking event–or yes, even through a Google search. Often, the next step for prospective clients is verifying your talents through an online review of your reputation where they assess and confirm your talents through Google searches. Trust and Authenticity Prospects seek authenticity, trust, and believability, and if this is not found online, the best recommendation from a close friend could be negligible. Substantially worse, however, is if nothing appears or if there is a negative link, which turns the potential client swiftly to move on to someone else. Before hiring you, prospective clients usually ask a bunch of questions–either out loud or to themselves before hiring or engaging a new business partnership: Your web presence should focus on answering these questions. What Is Online Reputation Management Online reputation management is built around the premise that information found in searches is sometimes a primary- or certainly a secondary-consideration in deciding to hire someone. It is a place to confirm that you are the right person to work with, showing that you are professional, friendly, experienced, and truly helpful. Compelling online content is a central component to substantiate this. Articles, blogs, videos, presentations, social media platforms and your website need to drive this point home. The work here should always be focused on what the potential client wants, showing you as the definitive and dependable source that solves their problems. When clients see your positive web presence, they feel more comfortable in choosing you to work with over a competitor. Don’t be afraid to give away information; in fact, I strongly encourage it, because this signals to clients that you are helpful, and thus, the right person to work with. Poor or Negative Online Reputation On the other hand, if there is no online appearance or a minimal one in Google search results, potential customers ask themselves, “Are they still in business?”, “Are they unprofessional?”, “Do they even care?” or, “Is this the kind of firm I want to work with?” A poorly defined online reputation is seen as untrustworthy, so clients just move on. The most damaging case is if something negative appears in the few pages of Google searches. Competitors, “trolls”, ex-partners, disgruntled employees, and of course, unhappy buyers, can write negative posts, and even if it’s not truly condemning, new and existing clients will quickly move on to someone else without even investigating the problem. So, to gain new clients, establish an accomplished online reputation. Reputation Building Strategy Develop a carefully considered reputation strategy. Before building a reputation, draft an initial strategy built around knowing who do you want to work with, where will you reach them, and how will you connect. It’s usually a work in progress requiring continual tweaking, but always create original content, share meaningful information and be helpful. To formulate this, start by asking some basic but crucial questions: Who are you trying to connect with? How will you build trust? What kind of content will you create? How and when will you share it? Each reputation strategy needs to be customized for the customer’s industry, their geographic location, company size, challenges and specific goals. As a result, no two solutions are probably alike. The key is creativity, excellent content, constant updates and ceaseless adjustments. For example, building a reputation for a financial advisor differs substantially from that of a grad student; an entrepreneur who received initial funding investment needs a different service than an established CEO professional working at a large firm; a biomass firm in Brazil is different still from an international divorce lawyer in Paris. Not getting this right could mean failure. Define Clear Goals Now that there is a basic framework, lay out specifically what you want. Clearly define outcomes and milestones before building your reputation; by the way, the same goes for working with someone new or connecting with a prospect too. Although it might seem obvious, it is important to get very specific with your online goals, such as: Each intention has a slightly different approach. Once you have a straightforward vision mapped out, define exactly how you will achieve each step with measurable, time-bound and specific tasks. Why does this matter to your reputation? Identifying key objectives keeps the process on track, and, importantly, prevents disappointed clients, which avoids potential tarnishing your own online reputation later. Set Your Online Persona Set your voice and online persona. Do you want to appear to be neutral but very informed, sound like an academic, casually breezy, or snarky/sarcastic? Since your online reputation reflects your identity, the easiest approach is to just be who you are in real life. This too is an on-going process that should be reviewed and revised frequently. Part of the strategy includes systematically generating content on appropriate platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc.These sites are also a place to post informative articles, videos and links made by other experts. Being active and engaging builds your web profile. This in turn, draws in prospective clients who see you as the trusted professional that solves their problem. Understand Your Client’s Business Process Understand where your prospective clients are in their buying stage. Are they just starting out, still getting research? Are they comparison shopping to get more information after already receiving a proposal from a competitor? Or are they ready to sign-up now? Each phase has its own reputation process,

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Is Online Reputation Management the Next GameStop

Blog, Online Reputation Management, Online Reputation Management Talks/Presentations, Uncategorized / Steven W. Giovinco

Could online reputation management be next? Is there a connection between GameStop and online reputation management? I’m not sure, but there could be. First, let’s briefly review GameStop. Much has been made of the meteoric rise of its stock. This was led by individuals who collectively jumped on social media platforms such as Reddit and recommended buying at one time. This made a big difference, and the stock exploded. Some see this as a pure “dumb money” move that hurts everyone; others see it as a “stick it to the Man” comeuppance whose goal is to point out inequality. I’m not here to offer an opinion, except to say it could be the start of a different kind of populist movement if it continues. Beyond GameStock, other examples include AMC, BlackBerry–in other words, firms that are on a downward slide if left to the marketplace. But to come back to online reputation management. Could there be a similar online gathering to push–or destroy–the reputation of a person, business or institution en masse? A group could band together to write online reviews, post false articles or Tweet damaging comments. Unlike a stock which can reverse itself quickly, an online reputation might not ever recover. It seems to me that we’re not quite at that point, but if there is a pent up anger directed towards platforms deemed as unfair gatekeepers, online reputations could be an upcoming target.

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How to Calculate Severity of an Online Reputation Issue: Do Negative Links Fluctuate?

Blog, Free Resources, How to Repair Your Reputation, Improve My Online Reputation, Online Reputation Management, Uncategorized / Steven W. Giovinco

Negative Links Appear Prominently in Google Searches A potential online reputation management client reached out to me asking for help. They are an art dealer (although I’ve seen the same exact issue crop up for CEOs, high-level executives, law firms, mid-size businesses, financial advisors, doctors, etc.) who have several negative links appearing prominently on the first page of Google searches due to damaging posts created by a disgruntled previous work associate. Sadly, this is all too common. Issue Evaluation During the initial consultation, we evaluate the online reputation issue together. I do this right at the start before going any further because there are times when I have to turn down cases due to the scope, lying outside my expertise, or is just a bad match. If I don’t think I can solve their reputation management issue, I honestly say so. If it is something I can help with, I estimate what it takes to solve. For example, would it be a relatively quick case, lasting a month, or does it require a year of sustained work? And related, how much does it cost–a $1,000 flat fee to remove a false review or $5,000 per month? How to Calculate Severity of Reputation Issue There are several factors that go into calculating the severity of a reputation problem. These include: Each of these items have their own significance, but I want to focus on the last one–”movement”. Are Links Moving Over Time? Do the links gravitate upwards over a period of time or tend to shift down? Detecting trends is an important way to assess the reputation damage and the effort required to fix it. So with that in mind, let’s go back to a real-world example–my potential client. Their issue is four negative links written by a disgruntled ex-employee, which were stable. However, not moving at all might not be a good thing (but it could have been worse). During the last three months, I’m told the damaging posts did not shift at all in any direction; rather, they still showed up on the first, third, fourth and fifth positions in searches. My sense is that the reputation case would be a bit more complex and difficult. Links Tend to Rise–Not Fall In most cases, links tend to rise over time and unless online reputation repair tactics are applied, they rarely fall. The main reason is because as people see damaging links, they tend to click out of curiosity. This in turn makes them ever more prominent, causing a vicious cycle: the more they are clicked on, the more they move up. It also means that the link(s) stay where they are for a long period of time and rarely move down on their own. So, if you have reputation problems developing but are still buried on the third, fourth or more pages of Google searches, monitor the situation because they are probably on the rise. If you see any movement, be preemptive and start building a positive online reputation. This in itself is a long-term process, often taking six months or more for most cases, but it’s much easier to stop bad content from moving up rather than trying to push it down.

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Covid-19 Makes Online Reputation Even More Crucial. 4 Things to Do Now

Blog, Coronavirus Reputation Management, Online Reputation Management, Online Reputation Management Tips / Steven W. Giovinco

Office Comes Home Conveying trust, competence, friendliness and other “real-world” attributes through an online reputation are crucial now more than ever. Remember the “olde days” when you would go to a business office to work or meet a client for coffee? Now–and for the foreseeable future–things have changed: people work from home; businesses shifted to selling online; many school classes are remote; even birthday parties and weddings are on Zoom. We’ve quickly adapted (some more than others) to online-all-the-time, but some authentic questions remain: how do you engage with customers? What connections do you need to make to clients? How do you even get prospective clients if you can’t network or meet in person? Of course, in-person recommendations will not disappear, but they are on the wane at the moment for many since gone is “business casual” meetings or chatting in an office. Zoom, WebEx, or other forms of video conferencing are emerging alternatives. However, they are a poor stand-in for face-to-face meetings that often close the business deal. As people continue to make sense of this era, a new reality is forming around online-only connections. Most turn to Google. Hardly a replacement, but given the options, online searching is today’s reference check or way to get information about a business. As the importance of online reputations grows today, many businesses’ may suddenly realize their web presence might not be ready for prime-time. What if nothing shows up when a client searches your business? Or worse, what if there are negative links or articles? Given these times, a positive online reputation matters more than ever. Importance of Reputation Management Appearing authoritative in Google search results is a powerful way to attract prospective customers now (and anytime). They see positive links and articles as a sign of trustworthiness, making building a positive online reputation an essential business component. If Google search results reveal a minimal or poor online appearance, potential customers ask themselves, “are they really in business?”, “Can they be trusted?” or “are they unprofessional?” A poorly defined or unprofessional online reputation is deemed untrustworthy. However, when something negative appears on the first or second page of Google searches, this is a certain deal-breaker. Damaging posts made by competitors, “trolls,” or legitimate clients will immediately turn away new and existing clients who could move on to someone else. How to Quickly Build an Online Reputation Since people might not meet you in person, businesses need to convey trust, competence, friendliness, and other “real-world” attributes in their online presence. Essentially, match your web persona with your actual one. The best way to do this is by generating a constant flow of rich content in various forms with this in mind. Articles, blogs, videos, presentations, social media platforms, and your website should focus on personal trust-building. Generally, this is a long-term process. Building an online reputation often takes many months and should be an ongoing business tactic. But there are some things to do right now/today. Each task below takes some time to master, but it might take a few hours after a while. 1. Write Blog(s) Write and publish original blog posts. Start by addressing a current and compelling issue that your clients can relate to, such as how your business approach has changed or what new services you are offering to help. 2. Post on Social Media Post valuable information constantly to a range of key social media platforms. Be especially active daily on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other sites specific to your industry. Continue to directly engage with prospective clients across all relevant channels by sharing, commenting, retweeting, and posting their links. What to share? Things that resonate with what your clients are going through or experiencing. 3. Share In New Ways Seek out new ways to participate with others. For example, join networking organizations that have shifted to virtual meetings; schedule selective in-person meetings; pick up the phone more; and as always, be open and helpful to everyone you come across. 4. Update Platforms If necessary, update various platforms with new information. The smart idea is to add Zoom links or meeting numbers, phone numbers changed working hours, and new services to wherever clients normally connect with you, such as on your website and social media platforms. Also, be sure to refresh your email signature with virtual meeting links, etc. Conclusion While many business approaches have changed, keep the focus on your online reputation. Information found in Google searches is a major consideration to hire you, confirming that you are professional, experienced, and truly helpful. Deliver value and connect in meaningful ways by assembling content that illustrates your credibility. When clients see your positive web presence, they feel more comfortable choosing you to work with over a competitor, especially if it’s impossible to meet in person.

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7 Online Reputation Management Tips for Law Firms and Lawyers

Blog, Improve My Online Reputation, Online Reputation Management, Online Reputation Management for Lawyers / Steven W. Giovinco

For Professionals Such as Lawyers, What happens if Your Online Reputation is Damaged? Clients seek lawyers, solo practitioners, and firms based on their perceived reputation and experience. Still, if defamatory rumors appear online or if actual negative links show up in Google searches, the damage could be severe. The result? Lost work, and possibly, worse–shut down the business (I’ve worked with firms where their revenue fell over 80% due to a poor web presence–from one negative post). Websites, blogs and online forums, social media platforms, review sites, videos, and even images that contain negative information are sources that can lead to reputation collapse. This, in turn, could easily lead to a significant decrease in clients and billable hours. Why Fixing or Building an Online Reputation is Important Negative online information discourages potential customers from initially contacting you; it could result in termination for existing clients. Similarly, having no or a minimal web presence can be almost problematic since many would see the lack of online sites as illegitimacy. Some lawyers may think that since much of their work comes from personal referrals, an online presence is not necessary or immune from damaging links. This is not true, however. While there might not be an immediate impact, damage to the firm could be extensive and long-lasting, especially as more and more clients become accustomed to searching for online information before hiring a professional, including lawyers. Bad Online Reputation Affects Ability to Practice Law firms and solo practitioners engage with the public, clients, and others in the legal system, of course. Because of the nature of these interactions, the slightest hint of online malfeasance could impact relationships resulting in lost trust. In addition, other lawyers, judges, clerks, administrative personnel, witnesses, jurors, and potential clients, when seeing bad online reputations, might give the court, opposing counsel, or jury ammunition that could significantly affect the results of a case. Here are some tips to help you repair or fix your online reputation for lawyers: 1. Monitor Your Online Reputation Frequently review how you and your firm appear online by searching Google results. Check weekly and set up Google Alerts to be notified immediately of any posts–good or bad–where your name or firm is mentioned. 2. Repairing Your Online Reputation Takes Time If an online reputation problem shows up, it takes time to repair, so prepare for the long term (except if removal is possible–see below). Several months of active suppression work is undoubtedly necessary, and, in many cases, six months or more with hours of daily work is probable to resolve the issue correctly. The level of severity determines the reputation repair timeline. It depends on how many links appear, where they show up, and the source. For example, if the first page of Google search results includes damaging posts from the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the SEC, the process will take much longer than if one blog post appears at the bottom of the first page searches. 3. Try to Remove Negative Reports Once something is online, it is challenging and nearly impossible to get rid of. Removal is always preferred for obvious reasons but is rarely successful. Even though the posts can seem libelous, many sites often ignore deletion requests, such as RipoffReport.com and most, if not all, journalistic/news sites. However, a very narrow range of items are candidates for potential removal. These include copyright violations of images, videos, or other content, posts that conflict with a site\’s terms and conditions, publishing personal information such as home addresses or bank accounts, or selecting other posts. 4. Create Good Content The best way to fix a damaged online reputation or build one is to create excellent and targeted content. Flooding the internet with quality content eventually pushes harmful elements off the first page, making this a critical online reputation management tactic. Write high-quality blog posts, white papers, or presentations that solve real-world problems for clients and make a brief video walk-through of a process or case you resolved. Focus on common questions and law-related topics you specialize in. As this information is published and discovered through internet searches by potential clients, you’ll be seen as a knowledgeable and trusted expert, adding a further boost to your reputation. 5. Share on Social Networks Use social media to share and connect with others. Spread the word about content generated from above and share related news from other sources and sites. Engaging in this way shows you are an active “thought leader” in the legal community and naturally draws clients. Key platforms to use are LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Scribd, university alumni sites, Medium, Quora, YouTube, and even Instagram. Additionally, be sure your platforms’ profiles are up to date. Include links back to your site, have the correct verbiage blurb that appeals to your clients, contains a headshot photo of yourself, and completes any empty profile sections–all of which help you be found in searches. 6. Get a Presence on Law-Specific Websites Search engines prefer and prioritize sites related to your industry—i.e., law–and thus usually rank them higher than others sites with more traffic. Create, update and be active on Avvo, Nolo, ABA Journal, Justia, and more. Answering questions here helps showcase expertise, increasing the likelihood of being found online during searches. 7. Continue to Add Useful Information The last step is to repeat constantly. Setting up a Twitter account or having an intern write one blog will not work. Instead, continually add new content, post and share daily on social media platforms, and pivot to new solutions. Because the process can take months, prepare to spend hours weekly repairing your online reputation. So, it is quite possible to build, boost and repair an online legal reputation, but the key is excellent content and constant engagement to draw in clients.

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a brief online reputation management blueprint: content sources, potential clients, and tasks

A Brief Online Reputation Management Blueprint: Content Sources, Potential Clients, and Detailed Tasks

Blog, Online Reputation Management, Reputation Management, Uncategorized / Steven W. Giovinco

Reputation Pathway Here\’s a short online reputation management blueprint, including content sources, ways to connect with potential clients, and specific daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Content Sources Discover content sources. Build them around developing key search phrases your prospective clients or potential employers are interested in. Focus on authors, thought leaders, institutions, blogs, publications, but occasionally add fun-related topics. Take these and compile them into a list; review and tweak frequently. Find key search phrases and list: \”Search phrase 1.” “Search phrase 2.” “Search phrase 3.” “Search phase 4.” Identify and read authors: “Author 1” “Author 2” “Author 3” Follow key thought leaders: “Leader 1” “Leader 2” “Leader 3” Track institutions, organizations, and businesses: “Institution 1” “Organization 1” “Business 1” Read essential blogs and publications: “Blog 1” “Blog 2” “Publication 1” “Publication 2” Content Workflow Gather content sources. Take the researched list above and selectively add it to Google Alerts. Then, review relevant articles as they come out, and share in real-time on LinkedIn, YouTube, X (Twitter), and Facebook. LinkedIn is a great content source as well, so when reviewing your feed, find and share other articles to Twitter and Facebook. Google Alerts. Add to Google Alerts the list of search phrases from the above list. Open and review articles as they happen. Post to Facebook, if applicable. LinkedIn: Connect to authors and businesses from the above list. Find relevant articles. Post to Facebook, if applicable. Videos: Search for the phrases, authors, and businesses from the above list. Find appropriate videos. Post to Facebook, if applicable. Key Content Creation Tasks At least monthly, but more frequently is better, generate new excellent content focused around key search phrases already developed. This should be in the form of videos, blog posts, and presentations. Remember to share these on social media too. Make one or more videos; add to YouTube. Write at least one targeted blog; post on the website and Medium.com. Create one presentation; upload to SlideShare through LinkedIn. Summarized Daily Actions Do these tasks daily. Essentially, continue to find good content through Google Alerts and other sources such as LinkedIn and share on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Be sure to engage with other Followers and add new ones. Daily Facebook actions, all focused around the list created above: Follow several key influencers or Groups. Share a few posts. Like several articles and Posts. Post content you own, such as blogs, about one in ten times. Daily Twitter actions, focused around the list created above: Follow several vital influencers. Tweet on critical topics. Share one tweet from Followers. Post content you own, such as blogs, about one of ten tweets. Daily LinkedIn actions, focused around the list created above: Request a Connection to several vital influencers. Share and Like a few posts. Make a Comment. Post content you own, such as blogs, about one in ten times. Summarized Weekly Actions Be active weekly on these social media platforms weekly. Pinterest: Pin images; create one new Board; best if used on the weekend and evenings. YouTube: Follow related videos; create a new Playlist. Academia: Search for crucial articles; save and share. SlideShare: Follow an Author; Like critical presentations. School Alumni Site: update and find others. Medium: Follow and Comment on a related Article; Follow authors. Summarized Monthly Actions Some tasks are more critical than others, but try to be active on a few platforms per month: Instagram: Upload images; Like and Follow others. Soundcloud: Search for crucial posts; Like, Repost, Share; Follow People. Google Business Site: write one local review. Reddit: Upvote and Comment on related posts. Behance: Search People and Projects and Follow and Save; Upload one image. Flickr: Search People and Projects and Follow and Save; Upload one image. Vimeo: Follow others. Yelp: Write one review; Follow other Authors. Crunchbase: Follow Business; add a link to newly written articles. Quora: Search topics and Follow; Share. Google Books: Search topics and Follow; Share. MyHeritage: Add photo; find others.

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Coronavirus Can Impact Your Online Reputation. Here’s How

Blog, Coronavirus Reputation Management, Online Reputation Management, Recover Reputation, Uncategorized / Steven W. Giovinco

6 Ways Coronavirus Can Damage Your Online Reputation What happens–God forbid–if someone in your business comes down with coronavirus after a client meeting? Get help, of course. I live in New York, and yes, COVID-19 is a natural, scary thing happening right now (a colleague I know in New Rochelle could be sick). But, what next? Businesses need to survive and people need to live. Do you shut down the whole office? Should you warn everyone you met? What happens when word of this spreads–hide it or share it openly? Pondering the larger ramifications for a moment, COVID-19 coronavirus can damage your online reputation in ways you’ve probably never thought of. Here’re six ways how. 1. Someone Gets Sick in Your Office If you or someone in your office is sick, I hope they get well, since this is paramount. However, after health is taken care of, consider how this might impact your online reputation. Instead of LinkedIn profiles, Wikipedia articles, awards, white papers and other positive links, a client or prospect searching for you in Google now could instead see references to coronavirus. This could swiftly wipe out any positive web presence that’s taken years to build. Further long term harm might come in the form of an online stigma linked to your business or brand. Be transparent at all times. 2. You Do Nothing No one wants to contribute to expanding coronavirus but doing nothing can make things seemingly worse. What I mean is if everyone is telecommuting for example, but you are keeping the status quo, it could be perceived that you don’t care about your employees or your business. Ignoring COVID-19 could make things seem worse. Instead, be proactive and convey what you are doing–just like you should be doing at all times online. 3. Your Name Is Related It might be more of a long shot, but something to consider is if your name is related to “coronavirus”. A beer brand comes to mind, but other name variations could be directly or indirectly problematic. This includes brand phrases, online nicknames or other commonly-used terms that you might post online but could seem inadvertently insensitive or worse. Consider pausing them. 4. Tone Deaf Messaging or Worse Your social media posts could be indifferent, tone deaf or simply wrong in response to the virus itself and the news surrounding it. Don’t post dystopian views with cutesy/snarky captions; avoid the mention of “viral marketing”, for obvious reasons; be mindful over everything you put online. Even if you have no relation at all to coronavirus, your online reputation could be damaged by posting the wrong thing. You might have to change how you do business, unfortunately, for weeks or months. 5. Not Preparing Well For Coronavirus Purposely ignoring CDC COVID-19 recommendation by announcing team-building gatherings and sharing this online is not a good idea, since it could be seen as irresponsible (something you shouldn’t be doing in the first place). Of course, don’t mock or belittle someone else’s suffering. Use common sense when sharing on social media: if not you risk the wrath from others, which might be justified. Now is the time to review your online reputation strategy. 6. Your Online Reputation Building is Paused Your reputation building strategy might be paused during the coronavirus crisis. Don’t let this happen, if possible, at least during the long-term. Continue carefully posting across social media platforms, writing blogs and uploading images as you’ve always done, just be a bit more careful not to say the wrong thing.

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Reputation Consulting: A Reputation Management Option for 10% of the Normal Repair Price

Blog, Online Reputation Management, Online Reputation Repair and Management, Recover Reputation, Reputation Management, Reputation Management Firm / Steven W. Giovinco

Lower Priced Reputation Option Some may find a complete online reputation management repair solution out of reach. Either the price is too high, or for those already devastated by the effects of a damaged web presence, it now is unaffordable. (I know an insurance broker whose income dropped to $70,000 from $500,000; a CEO executive lost his mid-six-figure salary just after signing a contract; a law firm saw their practice income drop 70%–all due to negative reputation issues.) But for those who have the time and need a solution, online reputation consulting might be an attractive alternative. What is Reputation Consulting? Basically, we provide step-by-step solutions; the client implements much of the work. As a result, this approach is much more cost effective. A typical fee is only 10% or 20% of the full reputation repair solution. For most, the price is $500 or $1,000 instead of $5,000 or $6,000 per month. However, because the client is implementing most tasks, much of the success depends upon their actions. If they aren\’t able to contribute one blog a week (or the equivalent), this approach is not for them. For example, Recover Reputation would research and create a strategy; make important SEO-related tweaks to existing sites and platforms; provide ongoing weekly support and updates; and create a clear task list for the client to do. The client would write weekly blogs and presentations; engage and discover key followers; and share the right content on the right platform daily based on our direction. Who Is Reputation Consulting For? Reputation consulting is perfect for someone who can’t afford the standard reputation repair process but has some spare time and a strong desire to resolve their issue. Ideally, they have some experience writing blogs or with social media, but it’s not necessary. The main requirement is the ambition to solve their reputation problem. What Works This approach works best for simple negative reputation problems. These could be ones that appear at the bottom of Google search results or are from less powerful sites. For example, a personal blog post where someone has written a negative comment is much easier to suppress than an article from the New York Times, Huffington Post or AboveTheLaw. What probably won’t work is when the first page of search results has multiple damaging links, especially from high-ranking publications. What We Do Basically, we conduct research, create a strategy, and implement some key reputation repair tasks: What You Do Generally, the client writes blogs, creates content, and implements many tasks based on our direction: Reputation Consulting Pricing Most reputation consulting prices are about 10% of regular fees. They usually range from about $500 a month for a minor issue to $1,000 monthly for a more involved solution. So far, it\’s been very effective with several of our clients. Duration As with most online repair cases, reputation consulting takes about six months or longer. Because success is directly dependent on the client\’s engagement and since Google may update their search algorithms, this process may vary and could take longer. Typical Milestones Month 1: Analysis, research, strategy creation; update and optimize websites; create some new platforms. Month 2: Add new platforms; publish content. Month 3: Post very frequently; use social media actively; gain visibility. Month 4-6: Continue content creation; expect more suppression. Approach The approach is completely customized. Given that Google stresses quality content, the focus is on excellent, hand-crafted solutions. And since Google is always changing their algorithm, and it is crucial to be flexible, pivoting to find the best solution and constantly review, adjust and tweak the strategy.

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