29 Mar Tips on repairing your online reputation

Regardless of how brilliantly your online brand started off as, one negative feedback and a single act of misconduct can damage all your hard work. If something wrong has already happened- do not panic. The first thing to do is carefully analyze the situation so that your further moves can minimize the damage.

The digital climate today makes it important to have an effective online reputation management process which helps you have a stronger footprint online. Online reputation repair is a situation in which you cover up for a failed ORM.

If some nasty comments have damaged your online reputation, the following steps can help you repair the damage. It is however, important to know that nothing would change overnight. Online reputation repair is a long and slow process that finds its way back to your original brand value online.

1. Research

Research and analyze the cause of this negative discussion concerning your brand online. What is the reason of this controversy? Is it because of a mistake you made or a competitor who tried to shake your reputation? Before you start the repairing process, untie the knots that lead you here.

2. Keywords

Collect all the keywords concerning comments about your brand. Let the focus be on one or two keywords that define the entire situation. Such keywords include the name of your brand, company, event and even your own name. This list will be then used to reform your marketing strategies that would help erase the negative comments and replace it with positive ones.

3. Identify

Identify the key blogs, websites and social media platforms that can help you apply this keyword list while displacing the damaging comments, articles and stories.

4. Website

Re-develop your SEO strategies. Publish new content and completely optimize your website for your brand and services. Your website is completely in your control. It allows you to represent yourself in any way possible. Online reputation repair process needs a well optimized website.

5. Link building

Develop and introduce a link building campaign on different sites, social media channels and blogs. It is recommended to work on the small platforms that you have initially used to build your identification online. Use the keyword phrases and keywords you have selected for the anchor text.

6. Blogging

Start a blog on which you have an absolute control of the publication of content. Use the same keywords on your blogs. Also benefit from the third party networks for blogging to promote your keywords and content. Advertise on social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more. Release different press releases through popular media channels.

7. Content marketing

Google always appreciates interesting and new content. Begin with a strong content campaign which aims at promoting the positive side of your services and products. This content should be new and different than the previous one. If you found anything in your previous content that disturbed your audience in a negative way, improvise it now in a positive manner. Your marketing now should be magnetic and should encourage people to believe in you.

8. Videos

Make interesting promotional videos. Share them on Vimeo and YouTube. These videos should have keywords. Tag people and social sites in this video.

9. Monitoring the damage control

Start a listening process in which you can monitor the negative remarks or any possible future comments. If anything like that happens again, be prepared to tackle it smartly. First of all, start Google Alerts that would immediately notify you when something related to your brand is going on online.

Keep a record of the number of pages online that features your keywords. Keep a notice of the article positions that you want to eliminate. Online reputation repair should not be seen as an “add on” to your marketing services. Take it in the same flow as your other marketing strategies. Do not come as if you are trying too hard.

10. Apologize if required

You are a brand- true. But you still need an audience. If by any chance whatever risked your reputation is a fault of your team- apologize to make it look better. Criticism is not all bad. If there is anything wrong with your product or service that your audience is discussing, do not push them further away but defending yourself. Apologize for any possible misinformation or exaggeration. It would help your audience believe as if it was a genuine mistake that you did not intend. The dumb behavior always works perfectly in the media world.

Online reputation repair is not easy and definitely not a defined process. From understanding the problem to finding a solution for it- it would take a long time before you have your reputation back with you again.

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Author: Susan MillerSusan is an accomplished graphics designer, published author, and writer with 2 different publishing companies, & over 5yrs of experience. She is Elevatie's online content manager and graphics designer.