In the digital age, searching your name on Google, Bing, and other internet search engines is an essential defensive practice. The purpose goes well beyond propping up an individual’s ego. Why? Because the public places a lot of importance on the search results for what they look up.

Plus, vanity searching (another term for egosurfing) may be humbling rather than encouraging. When an unwanted blast from the past pops up online, the repercussions can be harmful to your digital presence.

In this article, we’ll explain the role of vanity searching when working on your digital reputation.

Call us at (844) 458-6735 for an in-depth digital presence audit and valuable insights from an expert.

Name Associations Matter

Search engine algorithms are great for locating names in their massive databases. But when it comes to distinguishing between similar personas online, they can often lead to confusion. That’s potentially damaging to your personal online reputation.

Ensure that the results that pop up for your own name or pseudonym are actually associated with you. This requires you to search beyond surface-level mentions of your name, especially if you have a common name.

You may need to add modifiers, like your location, middle name, or profession. Also, check search results under the news and image categories in addition to the main search results page.

This type of advanced egosurfing can uncover misassociations with others online who have the same name, which need immediate correction.

You can’t rely on the due diligence of others to distinguish errors in the initial Google search. It’s true that interested parties — such as employers and lending institutions — will usually perform a more intensive background check later. But a negative search result can screen you out of that process long before that happens.

Get started today with ORM. Give us a call at (844) 458-6735 to learn more.

No Web Presence Is Worst of All

There’s also the possible scenario that vanity searching produces no results at all for your own name. While most people have some type of web presence, there are those who cherish their online privacy and have intentionally avoided establishing an online presence.

However, having no online personal reputation at all can be just as damaging as having a negative reputation. Maintaining a positive online presence is now paramount in our hyper-communicating world.

Take the world of online dating as an example. Half of all online daters use search engines to learn more about the people they meet online. However, 30% of them opt not to meet up with a person if they find negative information or no information at all about them.

As bad as negative search results are, no online footprint at all might be even worse in the professional world, too. For example, online communication skills are frequently an indicator that a job candidate is knowledgeable and able to thrive in the digital age.

If your name produces no results at all in the initial search, searchers will raise doubts about your ability to use today’s most basic business tool: the internet. Or, the screener may suspect that you’re hiding your digital dirt by using an alias.

Egosurfing is Defensive Googling

In order to address a problem, you’ll first need to be aware that a problem exists. Egosurfing is your ORM radar.

Searching for your own name is the best first step toward personal reputation management. The practice lets you monitor those critical top listings on the first search engine result page (SERP), which are all about you — or at least about someone with the same name, as we discussed earlier.

When someone mentions your name online, tags you in a photo, or retaliates because you’ve unknowingly stepped on their toes in some way, you need to know about it.

The practice of egosurfing is even more essential when we find ourselves at those turning points in life. Buying a new house, leasing an apartment, or making a career move all elicit an online search. All of these turning points bring an increased level of online scrutiny, and burying your head in the sand while hoping for the best is not an option.

Anyone seeking employment, building a professional career, or even beginning new social relationships will benefit from egosurfing. Defensive googling is a must before entering any scenario in which your digital reputation will be the subject of scrutiny. That includes making a career move, buying a house, applying for loans, or launching a startup.

People Are Already Searching For You Online

For many, ORM is even more important than your resume. Recruiters, employers, prospective clients, college admissions administrators, and even that potential match with your significant other all hop online to learn about you first. Add to that list realtors, landlords, investors, and loan officers, and it becomes obvious that maintaining an accurate digital reputation is important for anyone who isn’t living off the grid.

Your Online Footprint Matters

Your online footprint can be the first step toward a rewarding new job. Or, it can be the muddy impression that rules you out as a good fit.

An offhand comment or bawdy image of you on social networking sites might have been funny to your Facebook friends, but it may be totally inappropriate for your future boss to view when it pops up in their initial Google search.

Social networking sites are common sources for negative search results. The wisest candidates are those who ego surf and use defensive Googling to clean up those old muddy footprints before they make a career move. They know any major life change is sure to place them under intensive scrutiny.

Old arrest records, mugshots, and court cases can all appear in search engine databases and affect your personal brand, too. When the source of negativity associated with your name is a third-party person or organization beyond your control, Reputation Sciences has the proprietary digital tools you need to be prepared for that scrutiny by placing the reins of search engine rankings in your hands.

Contact us today at (844) 458-6735 to speak with an ORM expert.

Claim Your Name Online

If you haven’t established a positive web presence yet, there are tried-and-true ways to establish and enhance your personal online reputation.

There are many sites that let you set up detailed profiles and begin to create the narrative. For professionals, LinkedIn is an excellent tool for telling the story of you to the public.

Many sites, like LinkedIn and other popular social platforms, frequently rank highly in Google SERPs. To differentiate yourself from others with the same name, add modifiers like your middle name or initial, your location, or your profession.

On other sites beyond social platforms, consider publishing knowledgeable articles. This will highlight your communication skills, show your authority in your niche, and control the online conversation about you.

Don’t Ignore Your Online Reputation

Reliance on search engine results is a double-edged sword.

An established presence enables you to show up first online. It opens the doors to a new career, as well as financial and social opportunities. However, ignoring the effects of a negative online reputation can be disastrous.

Today, most people need to be proactive in the management of their personal reputations online. As reliance on the almighty search engines increases, this is one problem that certainly won’t go away by ignoring it.

If you’ve been repeatedly passed over for jobs, struggled to get past the application process with leasing agreements, or were continuously rejected by lending institutions, it’s time to do some serious egosurfing.

This is your chance to survey the landscape of your online footprint. If your name has been associated with a mugshot of someone who shares your name, for example, you need to know about it immediately.

Egosurfing Is Time Well-Spent

For most people, once they’re aware of a digital reputation problem, they can take action to fix it.

You can clean up your social media posts and delete blog posts and images that are no longer appropriate or helpful. You can increase your web presence if it’s been lacking and use egosurfing to monitor your progress.

These are great first steps to take in your personal reputation management. Just bear in mind that you don’t always have access to the delete button when government databases or other third parties allow access to your personal information.

If a particular comment or inappropriate image associated with your name has gone viral, it will be quite a chore to contact each website administrator to have it removed. And even then, their compliance with your wishes may not happen.

The good news? You can go beyond the basic fundamentals of personal reputation management and call in the experts.

Contact Our ORM Experts Today

At Reputation Sciences, we have the proven proprietary digital tools that let you take control of the online conversation about you, your business, or your corporation.

When you’re ready to take charge of your online reputation, don’t hesitate to call (844) 458-6735 to speak with an expert.

The post Ego Surfing: Your First Defense in Online Reputation Management appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

Everything Posted Online Is Here To Stay

In today’s digital age, it’s easy to forget that every comment, like, emoji, blog, and forum post we attach our names to is written on an unerasable whiteboard with indelible ink. Everything online is permanent. Despite assurances from the popular social sites that we can delete our content at any time, the internet never forgets.

That frat party picture that everyone found so hilarious 15 years ago can disappear from specific sites. But the digital trail it blazed lingers on the internet permanently. Though you may not be able to see it, it’s out there and ready to be dug up, and what was funny for the carefree frat boy of yesteryear could be disastrous to the high-profile executive he is today.

From 24-hour monitoring to upscale content creation and promotion, our team of ORM experts can help you create the online presence you deserve. Contact us at (844) 458-6735 for more information.

Your Online Activity Never Goes Away

There is no handy undo button to call back digital bits of free-floating speech should we find ourselves in the regrettable state of posting remorse.

In the book Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age by Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, which looks at the unprecedented phenomenon of “perfect remembering,” the author analyzes the unforeseen consequences in the digital age. One of the observations made is, “Potentially humiliating content on Facebook is enshrined in cyberspace for future employers to see.”

Add to the indelible whiteboard a dearth of outdated information, statements that have been taken out of context, compromising photos and videos, and the ultimate free-speech nature of the internet, which allows anyone in the world to chime in at any time with any comment, screenshot, or file they choose.

Now consider that the indelibly inked whiteboard (with your name inscribed in bold title font at the top) is supported by technology that makes all of this data available with the click of a mouse. Today’s internet is more user-friendly than ever. And it doesn’t take an IT expert to take advantage of inexpensive cloud storage, increasingly powerful software as a service (SaaS), and easy global access. As the internet goes mobile, the worldwide whiteboard is wide open for posts from anyone with a smartphone.

In Delete, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger proposes that all information should have an expiration date. A brilliant solution, but not one which is likely to function retroactively, if it ever does happen. The book has been out for 15 years, and the internet is still the Wild West of unregulated, undeletable information with no expiration date.

Find out how to create the online reputation you deserve by calling (844) 458-6735 today.

What Happens When Professional Athletes Post Before They Think?

Below, we’ll take a look at the consequences of some prominent blunders committed by well-known athletes when they chose to venture out into the unpredictable social media world beyond the white lines. Then, we’ll look at some of the solutions you can use to take charge of your web presence and control the conversation concerning your online reputation in the digital age that never forgets.

It’s a case of fighting science with science. And at Reputation Sciences, we have the proprietary digital solutions to offer control of the un-deletable whiteboard of the internet. 

But for now, consider these cases of prominent individuals who should have thought twice before hitting the “send” button.

NFL Draft Dollars Up in Smoke

In 2016, Ole Miss football player Laremy Tunsil had high hopes for himself in the NFL draft. The top-ranked tackle was expected to begin an illustrious NFL career from the number 1, 2, or 3 spots.

Unfortunately, a picture of the talented prospect taking a bong hit with a gas mask surfaced on his Instagram account on draft day. Even though the bong picture had been shot two years prior at a fraternity house, it surfaced at just the wrong time for Tunsil.

The notorious bong picture led to text messages being pirated from the young hopeful’s iCloud account. The messages discussed questionable money requests between Tunsil and the athletic director at the University of Mississippi.

The disastrous timing of the two hacks is now an infamous case of malicious social media sabotage. It likely came from an embittered former “business advisor.” But that didn’t stop Tunsil from plummeting from the top 3 draft prospects at the time.

The Miami Dolphins eventually picked up the left tackle at the #13 spot. That’s an estimated loss of $10 to $12 million for Tunsil.

Your Past Can Always Come Back to Haunt You

Laremy Tunsil’s online catastrophe demonstrates not only the potential for severe financial loss, but it’s also an excellent example of the lingering effect of social media in the digital age.

ESPN picked up screenshots of the incriminating text messages, and they went viral. To this day, in 2018, Tunsil’s tarnished reputation remains because of that single bong picture. The incident is locked in for posterity and mentioned in his bio on Wikipedia, with the “draft day” fiasco appearing prominently in internet searches.

How was Laremy Tunsil hacked? The media circus continues to this day, involving NCAA investigators and the FBI. However, those involved are remaining tight-lipped about the incident.

Apparently, the shadowy “business advisor” provided Tunsil with a new Apple device. And the naive youngster accepted an offer to have his account information transferred by that unscrupulous individual during the setup process. That’s when he broke the cardinal rule of the internet: He gave away his iCloud account password.

That opened the gate to the barrage of online attacks and the media circus that still haunts him today.

Olympic Swimmer’s Tweet Sinks Jaguar Endorsement

For Stephanie Rice, three Olympic gold medals for swimming and the Medal of the Order of Australia were no insurance against online activity going awry.

A blunt 17-character tweet cost her an endorsement and the late-model $100,000-plus Jaguar that was one of the luxurious perks of her sponsorship by Jaguar Australia.

In a burst of patriotic enthusiasm, then 22-year-old Rice posted a short but homophobic comment supporting her nation’s rugby victory when Australia’s Wallabies defeated South Africa’s Springboks. Later, Rice admitted that her tweet was sent without discretion in “the excitement of the moment,” according to this report at Reuters.

The 3-time gold medal winner had over 100,000 followers on Twitter alone, so the retweets went viral and caught the attention of the ever-vigilant sports media. As they say, the rest is history.

The chagrined swimmer quickly apologized and removed the comment, but as we’ve already learned, that couldn’t prevent an exponential storm of retweets heard around the world. This is one of the hazards for athletes and other prominent personalities with huge numbers of followers.

The damage was beyond repair, despite the apologetic blog post from Rice. Jaguar Australia general manager Kevin Goult made a public statement in a press release, saying:

“Jaguar Australia today terminated its relationship with Stephanie Rice, who has been an ambassador for the Jaguar brand in Australia since the start of 2010.”

Stephanie Rice’s case underlines the fact that there is no such thing as yesterday’s news. 

Online Reputation Management: What Stephanie Rice Got Right

As an Olympic competitor, Stephanie Rice spent her career overcoming obstacles. She didn’t allow the fallout from the indiscreet tweet to rule the online conversation for long.

While the internet never forgets, there are effective countermeasures you can take to prioritize what appears online. You can work to place the positive boldly at the top and suppress the negative to the bottom fine print.

When assessing Stephanie Rice’s web presence today, it’s obvious that the former Olympian invested in her online reputation management strategy. A search for “Stephanie Rice swimmer” (to distinguish her from the country singer of the same name) brings up an impressive list highlighting the positive aspects of her web presence. 

The top search results include her Instagram photos and videos and positive YouTube video links. The infamous 8-year-old tweet has a new home at the back of the Google search engine results page (SERP). However, it is still there for anyone who wants to dredge it to the surface again.

How to End Your NCAA Career in 280 Characters or Less

Social platforms can be a double-edged sword. And unfortunately, too many young athletes underestimate the lasting impact of their social media posts.

On the one hand, college admissions officers often Google applicants as part of the acceptance process. Having a positive digital footprint on social platforms and beyond can provide a competitive advantage.

On the other hand, indiscriminate posts by carefree, innocently short-sighted high school student-athletes can nip NCAA careers in the bud and the scholarships that come with them.

With social media fails becoming so prevalent among athletes at all levels, colleges are reacting with increased vigilance to reduce their chances of press liability. Administrators are now so sensitive to the issue that the high-school prospect who merely posts to TikTok 16 times a day may be seen as a loose cannon to be avoided because the frequency of posts is considered excessive without even considering the content of them.

That’s similar to what happened to a young quarterback up for a Division 1 scholarship in North Carolina, according to the article Don’t Let One Bad Tweet Ruin an Athlete’s Future.

Be Diligent About What’s Posted Online

High school athletes with a muddy social media trail of cyberbullying and commenting on hot-button topics can post themselves out of consideration. 

For young athletes and students, and their concerned parents, the message is clear: You’re never too young to take personal online reputation management seriously.

Concentrate your efforts on building a positive personal brand. Then, you can gain an advantage in the college admissions process and the competitive world of sports scholarships.

Make ORM the Norm

At Reputation Sciences, we provide the essential online reputation management (ORM) tools you need to control the conversation that’s visible to the ever-expanding online world.

The internet and social media are here to stay. They compile everything you’ve ever done online into the ultimately transparent permanent public record. Smartphones abound, with high-resolution audio- and video-recording capabilities that put George Orwell’s Big Brother to shame. In the web-based world, we’re always on stage, but we don’t always control the spotlight. ORM is the solution to take back that control.

All of us in the digital age are vulnerable to attacks on our online reputations. Whether attacks originate from a self-inflicted lack of experience or those reacting to a perceived injustice, they’re present. As we move up in society, we’re likely to step on a few toes. And we may not be aware of it until the offended party takes their revenge online.

Ex-spouses, disgruntled customers, professional rivals, rogue employees, and truly any individual can scribble all over our public profiles and digital reputation. That tarnishes our indelible worldwide whiteboard, which records every aspect of our online reputations for public consumption. Whether we work in the spotlight or on the local stage, we’re all on the worldwide stage of the digital age.

Contact Us Today

While everything online is permanent, hiding from the digital spotlight is not a viable solution in today’s world. If you don’t control the conversation surrounding your online reputation, someone else will.

Set social media aside for a minute. Even old public records have made the digital transformation from the basement file cabinet to the public internet. Mugshots, court cases, FCC violations, and arrest records are all there waiting for fresh eyes. Anyone can evaluate your public profile for career opportunities or exploitation.

At Reputation Sciences, we have the proprietary technology to protect your personal, professional, and corporate brands with a digital strategy you can count on. Are you ready to take the reins of your online reputation and build a brand that shows you in the best possible light to the world? Don’t hesitate to contact us at (844) 458-6735 for a free consultation.

The post Is Everything on the Internet Permanent? How Your Online History Is a Public Record appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

You can use these bots to detect and respond automatically when your business name receives reviews on Google Maps or other platforms. The bots are designed to detect and respond to any Google reviews online automatically, and you can also export Google reviews if you want more control over the data.

The great thing about a review bot is that they are easy to set up. Once activated, the bot will continuously monitor the internet for reviews, including Google Maps, within a matter of minutes. With the help of these review bots, you can engage with customers right away whenever you get positive reviews or negative reviews.

Bots will also alert you whenever new Google reviews come up or your business profile receives customer feedback. On top of this, bots will also detect any negative reviews that use offensive or inappropriate language and flag them to ensure that all of your business reviews are appropriate for the public.

By tracking negative or positive reviews, your bot can respond accordingly, allowing you to stay on top of customer feedback whenever you receive it.

What Are Google Review Bots?

There are two types of Google review bots for your website. The first kind helps you respond to reviews. The other type generates fake reviews to make it look like your business has more feedback than it does.

1. Bots That Respond to Reviews

When a review is posted online, this type of review bot will gain valuable insight from the content and reply immediately. In the meantime, you can go over the information to form a more thorough, personalized answer if one is necessary.

An automated response to a review encourages dialogue with your customers and clients. Automation lets you respond immediately, and when a customer receives that sort of swift attention, a negative review can turn into a positive one.

Additionally, other customers who see the review will gain insight into your business and may be encouraged to purchase a product or service from you.

These bots scan Google Search to look for any Google reviews on Google Maps, Facebook, and other business listing websites. You can then aggregate the data and export Google reviews to maintain a database on what others have said about your business.

The biggest benefit of this type of review bot is that you won’t have to open Google Maps, Facebook, or other review platforms to know when someone leaves a review.

2. Bots That Generate More Google Reviews

Bots that generate fake reviews on Google basically pump up your website or business by automatically creating feedback. While this lets you control what’s being said about your business, there are many more drawbacks than benefits to this type of review bot.

Fake reviews can hurt your SEO, prevent your web pages from being ranked in Google, and destroy trust with your customers. It’s always better to focus on getting more organic reviews than to try to cheat the process.

Instead of trying to rank with more reviews, particularly those that are generated by a bot, you can engage with customers to get those reviews to rank organically. Review sites welcome feedback, and communicating with reviewers is the best way to have that feedback seen by others.

These Bots Make Good Targets for Manipulation

Competitors or malicious actors can use these types of review bots to create negative reviews for a business, which can damage its reputation and reduce its sales. 

If you’ve noticed that you’ve been bombarded with negative reviews, it makes sense that a competitor on the internet could be targeting your business.

To repair the damage to your reputation, start by pointing out that a bot is being used to attack your company. Create a blog post, website announcement, or social media posts to spread the word.

Then, try to track down the individual or website that’s posting these negative reviews. If you’re able to find out who’s doing it, you can report them to Google.

You can also contact our experts by calling (844) 458-6735 to discuss review removal services and online reputation repair.

5 Advantages of Using Google Review Bots

For the sake of this article, we’ll be talking mostly about bots that aggregate and auto-reply to reviews, not the ones that generate fake reviews.

Review bots have become beneficial to companies, as they offer a range of features and benefits that increase customer satisfaction and drive more sales. Here are the five main advantages of using a review bot. 

1. Automated Review Collection

One of the biggest benefits of using a bot is that it can automate the Google review collection process. This saves you time and money, eliminating the need to manually review every new review posted on different websites. You can also customize these bots to only collect Google reviews from customers who have used your product or service.

2. Increased Visibility

These bots can help increase your business’s brand visibility. They can quickly collect feedback from various sources, including Google Maps, local directories, social media, and many other websites, and can then be programmed to provide automated replies.

This increases the chances of potential customers finding your business because of the engagement on those reviews. You’ll also have the option to add reviewers to your email list.

3. Improved Customer Satisfaction

Another advantage of using a bot is that it can help improve buyer satisfaction. Collecting and responding to Google reviews ensures that your customers get the help and support they need, leading to a better customer experience overall. The more reviews you can see in real time, the faster you’ll be able to give a useful reply.

4. Increased Customer Engagement

Bots can also help to increase customer engagement by allowing you to quickly and easily respond to a new review and interact with customers. This can lead to increased loyalty and trust, which can, in turn, increase your conversion rate. 

For custom guidance on improving your business’ review process and building trust with customers, call us today at (844) 458-6735 .

5. Increased Insights

Finally, these bots can provide valuable insights about your target audience and customer base. Collecting and analyzing feedback allows you to learn about buying preferences and buyer behavior, which can inform marketing strategies and product development. 

4 Disadvantages of Google Review Bots

While they are often used to help you promote your products and services on Google through engagement, review bots still have some potential disadvantages. Here are four of the most common disadvantages of using review bots.

1. Fake Dialogues

One of the most concerning disadvantages of using bots is their potential to generate fake dialogues, which can misrepresent your business. When not set up correctly, fake dialogues can damage a company’s reputation and give potential customers a false impression of their product or service. Fake dialogues happen when these bots reply to Google reviews with the wrong answer to a question or an unsuitable response to a complaint.

To repair reputational damage to your business, call us today at (844) 458-6735 .

2. Expensive

While bots for reviews offer you a quick and easy way to reply to feedback, they can be costly. Many companies may not have the budget to invest in review bots, making them inaccessible to some companies. Though there are free and low-cost review bots available, they won’t have the features or reliability you need to protect your business’ online reputation.

3. Difficult To Manage

Since these bots are automated and require no direct monitoring from you to use them, they can be difficult to manage. Because of their autonomy, you risk damaging your company name if a bot’s reply to reviews doesn’t make sense or is inaccurate. Being proactive about review management, even as you have bots running, can help you catch any errors.

4. Poor Reliability

Even if a company can find a reliable review bot, there is always the risk that the bot may malfunction or generate inaccurate dialogue. This can spread incorrect information about an offering, damaging the company’s reputation.

A business using a bot must train it to provide accurate replies. Use information gathered from other reviews to create reply templates for the bot.

Are Review Bots Right for Your Business?

Your company relies heavily on customer reviews, and bots are an excellent way to cultivate them. But before you jump in and start using these bots to manage your Google reviews, there are a few questions you should ask yourself to make sure it’s the right tool for you. 

1. What type of feedback am I looking to get? 

Review bots can help you get more credible feedback by providing good dialogue with customers, but you must ask yourself what type of feedback you want to generate.

Are you looking to get more unbiased, general reviews? Or are you seeking specific, detailed feedback on your products and services? Different bots and features will cater to specific business needs, so you want one that matches your goals.

To see if the bot is right for your purposes, take advantage of a free trial before signing up for a more extensive, costly plan.

2. Does it integrate with my existing review system? 

Bots can handle much of the work for you when it comes to collecting reviews from Google. But you must also consider how it integrates with your existing review system.

Check the bot’s compatibility and integrations to ensure they match up with what you’re currently using. You don’t want to overhaul all of your business tech just to start using one new tool.

3. How easy is it to set up and use? 

Bots are designed to be relatively easy to set up and use, but they can still be confusing if you’re not tech-savvy, especially when getting started.

Before you leap, take some time to familiarize yourself with the platform and make sure you understand how it works.

You should also consider if you need additional help or support getting the bot up and running. The software company may have an option for extra customer support if you need one-on-one guidance.

4. How much does it cost? 

Bots offer a variety of pricing plans, so you should know your budget before you start. Be sure to factor in any additional features or support you might need, as well as any upfront costs or hidden fees you might need to be aware of before you make a purchase. 

5. What type of customer service and support do they offer? 

Bots are powerful on their own, but even the best tools can have glitches and other issues. When considering using review bots, understand their customer service and support offerings.

Self-service options like in-depth FAQs and explainer videos can help you learn at your own pace. Additionally, make sure that there’s a way to contact customer support directly, whether through online chat, a ticket-submission system, or a phone number.

Alternatively, you can hire a developer to create a custom Google bot if you need special features. Even then, though, find out what type of ongoing support the developer offers so you don’t get stuck with a tool you don’t know how to use.

More About Organic Reviews vs. Google Review Bots

In the age of digital marketing, reviews are an important part of gaining customer trust and building a good online reputation. Consumers rely heavily on reviews to make informed shopping decisions.

Because of this, it can be tempting for businesses to use Google review bots to try and boost their ratings. However, this practice has several drawbacks and isn’t nearly as effective as getting organic reviews from real buyers.

Organic reviews have the following benefits:

• They accurately assess a business’ level of service and customer satisfaction
• They’re based on real customer experiences
• You’ll be provided with valuable feedback

Also, by reading organic reviews, potential buyers can better understand what to expect from your business. They can then make informed decisions about whether or not to make a next purchase.

On the other hand, reviews generated by Google review bots can provide a false sense of customer satisfaction and harm your business. Fake feedback created using bots is generally not based on real customer experiences and can contain inaccurate information.

Not only are Google review bots unreliable, but they can also potentially damage a business’ reputation, in terms of both SEO and customer perception.

By using bots to generate feedback, businesses engage in unethical practices and could be subject to legal action. Google may also take action against businesses that use review bots and revoke their listings in Search and Google Maps.

How To Get More Reviews the Organic Way

Organic reviews can be a great way to boost your online business and encourage that next purchase from a customer. Feedback can help build trust and credibility, translating into more sales and success. Here are five tips to help you get more organic reviews. 

1. Reach Out to Your Customers 

The best way to get feedback is to ask your customers to leave it. You don’t have to be pushy about it. Instead, simply ask them for their feedback or if they would be willing to leave a review on Google Maps. You can even offer incentives or discounts for customers who leave feedback. 

2. Utilize Social Media 

Social media is a great platform for promoting your business and getting customer feedback. Reach out to your followers and ask for their feedback. You can even use social media ads to target potential customers and ask for feedback in return. 

3. Create a Review Funnel 

A review funnel is a great way to ensure that you’re getting reviews from your buyers. You can set up automated emails after a customer has made a purchase, asking them to leave a review. This also helps get engagement from your email list, which can give you more consumer insight.

4. Respond to Reviews 

It’s important to respond to customer reviews, both positive and negative. Responding to reviews on Google Maps and your Google business listing shows that you’re engaged with your customers and willing to take their feedback seriously. This can encourage more customers to leave reviews on Google Maps and other platforms.

5. Leverage Influencers 

You can work with influencers to help promote your business and get more organic reviews. Reach out to influencers in your niche and offer them incentives to promote your offerings. This can be a great way to get more organic reviews on Google Maps and elsewhere.

Ready to boost your business with authentic customer reviews? Get in touch with us and let’s create a strategy that amplifies your positive business reputation.

Contact ReputationSciences Today

If you’ve been swarmed with negative feedback and have no idea how to diffuse the situation, we’ve got you covered. The review management process can be complicated and confusing, requiring PR skills, technical savvy, and lots of time and attention.

By using review bots the right way, you can automate how you handle feedback so that it positively impacts your business.

You need a reliable partner that knows exactly how to handle online review, automation bots, and your business reputation. Contact us or call ReputationSciences at (844) 458-6735 today to learn about review management and business reputation repair.

The post Google Review Bots: Is Google Review Automation Worth It? appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

Reputation theory and online reputation management will most definitely help you build a solid foundation for your business. By building a positive brand image, you’ll stand out from the competition. Overall, understanding the nuances of reputation theory can be pivotal for your business.

By following the guidelines we’ll discuss in this article, you’ll be able to maintain your good reputation. After all, creating a good image for your brand is vitally important.

If you’re seeking personalized guidance, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (844) 458-6735 for a consultation tailored to your company’s needs.

What Are Reputation Management and Reputation Theory?

Reputation management theory is a collection of concepts. These concepts help you build and establish the image of your business.

This group of theories about your business will help you gradually build your reputation. Moreover, it will serve as a trust meter between you and your competitors.

There are various techniques to manage brand reputation that you and your employees can use.

Whether it’s for your own business or for a client, this strategy never fails. Follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to a bulletproof process for boosting brand identity. You’ll establish a positive image in search engine results, too.

What Are the Key Elements of Reputation Theory and Reputation Management?

Whether you work with an ORM team or you handle reputation management in-house, the key elements of a corporate reputation strategy include the following:

• Improve your social media presence and increase engagement with your potential clients and customers.
• Prioritize search engine optimization to rank your website and products or services on the SERP.
• Try to push down negative results for your branded keywords by creating fresh, positive content.
• Be transparent about your brand to organically boost your online reputation.
• Solve customer problems by utilizing your expertise and offering constructive, actionable solutions.

From 24-hour monitoring to upscale content creation and promotion, our team of ORM experts can help you create the online presence you deserve. Contact us at (844) 458-6735 for more information.

What Are the Types of Reputation Management Theories?

There are certain guidelines that you can follow to boost impressions and get more online reviews. This all leads to raising your corporate reputation to a better standing.

To build up a company’s reputation and achieve success, you’ll need to know the different aspects of reputation. Knowing various reputation management strategies and building around those points from every aspect will get you the best results.

Increase Online Engagement

To increase recognition and be more present on the internet, you need to increase engagement with your audience. This is where your social media profiles will come in and help you spread the word about your work.

Make sure you reach out to the people leaving bad reviews, too. By doing this, you’ll have the chance to change their mind. Start with an apology, and then offer them a token of your appreciation, like an upgraded product or a discount code.

This will help you get closer to your audience, and they will feel important and respected by your brand. These are two values that every customer appreciates, and if you correct whatever went wrong, they’re more likely to become recurring clients.

Improve Your Brand Value

Sometimes, engagement alone will not help you clean up your name or increase your popularity among your customers. The next thing that you can do is try to increase your brand value.

Show your audience your principles and why you are worthy of their time and money.

For example, to increase your brand value, you can show what it’s like behind the scenes at the workplace. Being transparent is an excellent way to increase trust with your audience and show them your value.

You can also ask satisfied customers to leave honest reviews or testimonials. This is an excellent way to improve public perception of your brand.

Once you have glowing feedback from a customer, share it on your website and social media. This will show hesitant potential clients that you are legit and that you provide high-quality services and products.

Applying these reputation management strategies can be demanding. For expert assistance in navigating this landscape, reach out to our team for dedicated support.

Handle Negative Content

Ignoring reviews and not managing engagement with your audience creates an environment that’s prone to reputation attacks.

In terms of search results, a lack of engagement leaves you open to better-ranked websites attacking you. This could be in their articles or elsewhere on their site or social media. They may try to ruin your reputation and eliminate competition.

These malignant websites take up the space where you need to rank for positive news about your business. When clients search for your name, bad results might appear. When this happens, you have a couple of options.

The first option is to overrank the content. This will push it down in search results so far that most users won’t ever see it.

Better yet, though, is if the website owners agree to deindex or remove the harmful content.

When it comes to social media, if you avoid engaging with unhappy audience members, you could come off as apathetic. Do you want to seem as though you don’t care? By ignoring certain customers, it’ll look like you have nothing to say about your brand in defense and that you don’t have a response to their unkind words.

This is why engagement is so important — you’ll show that you care about your business, and you may even change people’s minds.

By removing negative content or pushing it down in search results, and by working with unhappy customers one-on-one, you take back control of your reputation. From there, you’ll have a clean slate to build on and improve your business reputation.

Consider a Result-Flipping Strategy

To flip the results on search engines means to turn bad articles about your brand into good ones. 

First, you’ll want to reach out to website owners. Provide proof that you are doing legitimate work so they have a compelling reason to remove or update the content.

Sometimes, this will be successful in turning a bad article into one with positive coverage. Unfortunately, at other times, it could result in the website owner working even harder to take your brand down by ranking harmful content about your business.

This can initiate an SEO competition between you and the website. If they are an authentic competitor, this is a tough spot to be in. They may be able to outrank your content and flood the first results page with their destructive content again.

In response, try and do your best to show that you are not what they make you out to be. Promote your name as a legitimate business.

The goal is to outrank them with your own content. Create content for the same keywords that are ranking against you. With a dedicated search engine optimization strategy, you’ll have the best chance of organically climbing in search results.

Final Thoughts: How Effective Is Online Reputation Management?

Depending on the state of your digital reputation and your ORM goals, online reputation management can be extremely effective. It has the ability to:

• Improve brand perception with your target audience
• Suppress negative search results
• Respond to and resolve customer complaints
• Prevent future issues and PR crises from happening in the future

At ReputationSciences.com, we work with clients who are ready to create, grow or repair their digital reputation. Whether you’re prioritizing your personal or professional online reputation, our team of experts and tailored services can help.

Don’t wait — get started today with online reputation management or repair. Give us a call at (844) 458-6735 to learn more.

The post What Is Reputation Theory? Our Guide for 2025 appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

Learn how to remove negative information from the internet with our complete guide.

It is never a great situation when you are a business owner and you discover there are bad search results (bad information) on search engines that are associated with your brand’s name.

It is a normal thing for you to make efforts in order to keep your customers happy and satisfied with your services or products, however, there are always people that will not be satisfied and they will use the internet possibilities so they can write bad comments or reviews about your brand.

To be honest, negative search results have the potential to hurt your business and brand’s reputation online. This may happen mostly because people are using the internet in order to make research for your company or brand and to decide if they should buy your items or use your services. After Google’s search results give them more information, they will make decisions based on what they find online.

It is very important to know that people who are going to find negative information posted online about you or your company will make negative assumptions, and there is a low possibility they are going to use your services.

With all this being said, you can understand that your online reputation is one of the key factors that plays part in your company or brand growth. It is necessary to have a positive online reputation and to do that, you will need to learn how to remove negative information from the internet about your brand.

Reasons To Remove Negative Search Results

It will be very easy for you to understand that people put a lot of trust in search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, Coc Coc, or Yandex. In case those people who are searching for your brand or company online see negative reviews, comments, scandals, or scams it is very possible they will avoid using your services or buying your items.

From other research and statistics, we can also see that people are only willing to buy products who are having at least a 4-star rating.

What will happen if some badly intentioned people decide to keep putting negative information or keep uploading 1-star reviews? The result will be that all your potential business partners or customers may avoid contacting or using your brand because of that reason.

You need to be informed that negative information about your company on the internet can cost you a lot of money, especially if they come from websites that have high authority. For example, a few articles published by New York Times that appeared high in google search results in past made some impact on certain brands which cost them millions of U.S. dollars.

The negative content which is shared on the internet does not standstill. This kind of content may spread fast (even faster than positive information) and in a short, time can appear in many different places. In most cases, other websites will copy the same content and share it additionally which will make it appear on the internet even more frequently.

Because of this reason, the process of removing bad content from the internet is not only done in one place but additionally, it will continue to other locations as well. Always be sure that you remove the negative information from every source on the internet because a partially done job will not bring any positive results.

For those who want to use online reputation management services in order to remove negative or defamatory content from search engine results, we have some suggestions later in this article.

Content Removal and Affecting Factors

In order to have full control of their digital footprint, many companies are in need of online reputation management. The reputation management companies’ tasks are not simple because the removing techniques are changing with time. Some of those reputation management companies offer a free consultation.

Overall the content removal depends on 2 factors.

• What kind of information is published online.
• The location where that information is published.

Those criteria already mentioned are very important because they decide how easy or hard the removal project will be and how much it will cost if you are using an online reputation management company.

Most of the companies that are working with this kind of issue will not be able to remove your bad content or negative links from the internet if that content is still newsworthy or if it’s based on facts.

The negative content and information they are providing can be removed from Google search results if they match specific conditions. For example, it will be possible to delete or remove defamatory content online, sexually explicit content, or fake statement that causes damage to a company’s reputation or an individual.

For this situation we have some dedicated rules from Google reviews that concern the following types of content:

• Offensive content.
• Fake content.
• Off-topic content.
• Spam content.
• Dangerous content.

In case some of the reviews left for your business match one of those mentioned before, you will be able to ‘flag it’ in order to alert Google. It takes usually a couple of days for Google to respond. For ‘Google My Business’ reviews, they answer within three days.

Completely Removing Negative Information From The Internet

Whenever you see a defamatory remark, negative article, or a bad review that is associated with your business on a Google web search, the first thing you want to do is to remove it completely from the internet so it never appears again on search engines.

When you remove a web page that is containing negative content about you or your business, it is certainly something that will break the link and dissociate your name with it.

After this step, people will not be able to see anything bad or fake about you on the web search engines, and that is also the best way to remove the content but also the most difficult way as well.

They are hard to remove mostly because these defamatory remarks, negative content, or negative reviews are on different websites that you don’t control. In case this bad content is posted on websites, pages, or social media sites that you control, the removal process will be a lot easier.

Removing Negative Online Content From Third-Party Websites

Identifying the original source where this harmful content is posted will be your first step in process of removing bad info from the internet. From that point, you will need to start tracking all other sources of negative content related to your business and brand name.

There is a possibility for you to use Google Alerts in order to monitor the negative content about you that is getting published on the internet.

You will need to input a keyword (ex: “your brand name” scam) and like that you will be able to get alerts or notifications of websites mentioning them and they will come directly to your email inbox on a daily or weekly basis.

This will help you to suppress negative search results faster and in a more efficient way.

Once this is sorted out we have some additional guidelines and steps that you will need to follow so you can properly finish this job.

Get In Contact With Publishers

Once you find the main publishing source that is the place where the removal of bad and fake data will actually start. That should always be your starting point and you should never try to contact Google directly about issues like this.

Google’s primary job as a search engine is to crawl and index web pages. Google does not create content on its own and they are not responsible for bad or good content that third parties are posting about you or your company.

You will need to discover the original source and contact the webmaster. You should politely ask them to remove the negative content (ex. blog post) from their website that is associated with you or your company. If the information posted is based on facts the webmaster is not obligated to remove them and being polite will ease your communication and can bring a positive outcome.

While you are doing communication with the webmasters, be sure to always keep tracking proof. In case something happens and things get more serious later, you will need to have those records. For example, while you work with an attorney having these screenshots and submitting them will significantly help you to win and close that case.

In case you are having a hard time finding and contacting the webmaster, you should look at the contact form first (which is usually at the bottom of websites) and collect the phone number or their email address. Another option is to perform a domain lookup with Whois and also you can check LinkedIn to see if some of their managers have an account there.

You additionally have the option to contact the website hosting company (Whois can provide this kind of information). You need to be aware that hosting companies do not always reply, but when they do, they will be able to share the right contact information.

If the webmaster is unable to remove the negative content or they are unwilling to do that, you can always ask them to add a no-index tag to that content. This process is not going to remove the content from the internet but will tell the search engine not to index it. You need to be informed that these steps in real life are not always working as you would like.

Another option is to request a content edit from the webmaster, which will remove the brand name associated with bad or fake information and the publisher will be able to replace it with some more generic description instead of directly using your company name.

Before you request removal, you need to be sure that you understand the content removal policies of the specific platform or website. For example, on Facebook, there are community standards that are clear and strict.

In case contacting the fake content publisher doesn’t make a positive outcome, you should know there are other options to consider.

Reporting a page/site that violates Google Policies

Third-party websites that publish content that is defamatory, vindictive, or provide personal information about sensitive topics can be reported to Google and then get removed from Google search. Such information is getting de-indexed by Google from their search results because it goes against Google’s user privacy policy guidelines.

All information like Email addresses, Social Security numbers, Credit Card numbers, account numbers, and others that can be used for fraudulent activity can be reported and Google will remove them. Additionally, offensive images or videos with explicit content are also against Google Privacy Guidelines and can be reported.

Notice

It is important for you to know that de-indexed pages are not going to appear in search results; however, they will still be available on their website owned by a third-party person. This means if you have the exact URL address of that page, you will be able to see that information that is de-indexed from search results.

Reverse SEO Method

Deleting negative content and information is not always going to be possible and because of that reason, you will need to search for other methods to fight against negative information on the internet. In case you cannot delete the information from the internet, a great option for you will be to apply the reverse SEO method.

Reverse SEO is a reputation management tactic that involves forcing positive content at the top of Google search engine results, so it can push away the negative content of the first page, on the pages that none is looking at or reading. This action will push down and bury negative content on the second page or lower in search results.

If you check some statistics you will notice that 95% of search traffic is happening on the first search page of Google and a very low number of people are going to search further on the next pages. Knowing this you will better understand the whole strategy with reverse SEO and you will probably be better when applying it.

To be honest, pushing down negative content cannot be a better option than deleting it simply because some traces will always appear somewhere. Additionally, Google makes a number of updates regularly which means SEO factors are constantly changing and you will need to invest your precious time in updating your content.

Besides these negative aspects, we can say that this method is working and it is a great option for businesses and individuals that want to get rid of negative information on the internet.

You need to know that just like SEO itself, Reverse SEO is also very technical. In case you are considering this method it is recommended to contact SEO professionals.

Taking a Legal Action

You can go to court and file a suit in case you are a victim of online discrimination, defamation, or copyright infringement and in situations where you can make use of the digital millennium copyright act.

If you win in court you have an option to submit a copy of the court order to any specific website to remove the negative content related to you or your business. You need to know this kind of action can remain active for a very long time and you will need to be patient with this process.

Before you decide to begin with this process, you should be aware that it can be really costly, especially if it’s lasting for a long time. Taking this kind of action may cost you thousands of dollars and have the potential to draw a lot of public attention which can negatively affect your business.

Be sure to carefully think about the risks and cost of taking legal action before you decide to go for it.

Removing Negative Content From Social Media and Web Pages

There are a lot of people who are going to write bad about you or your brand on social media channels you own. You will also notice some other places like YouTube channels, Facebook, and Google My Business Page which people use to leave bad comments or reviews about someone’s business.

If you experience something similar on your social media platforms, you shouldn’t worry because there are a number of options for you to deal with such situations. You should always look to respond to bad comments or reviews in a professional and helpful way.

You can try and update your business profile from time to time so it can be more interesting and more positive. In case you experience some bigger problem you can always change your address on your Google My Business page and it will give you a new address but the old reviews from your previous address will be gone.

If you experience a more complex situation you can use even more radical options like deleting your profile permanently from those channels which will get rid of negative content as well.

It is important to know that some websites may keep the customer reviews public and they will remain there even if you delete your profile. Because of that reason as we previously said, it will be great if you respond positively and professionally to negative comments or reviews related to your business. With that approach, you will encourage more potential customers to seriously consider you.

Negative Content on your Website

In recent times more and more businesses offer their customers a page on their website dedicated to testimonials and feedback. Many e-Commerce businesses recently offer their customers an option to leave a review about the experience they have with their ordered products.

This comes as a great help for other potential customers to understand the product better from others’ experiences and then make their purchase decision. In case you own one of those E-Commerce businesses and there are people who are writing negative comments you should know there is an option for you to remove them from your page.

However, as we already mentioned the best way is to respond in a helpful and professional way. Helping your customers and resolving the situation in a positive way will bring a lot of benefits to your business. You should encourage your customers to send their complaints to the customer care team and to resolve the situation through phone or email communication.

Do not let your customers go unhappy because they can write bad comments about you in public forums as an act of revenge. Always remember that more than 70% of people make their purchase decisions after reading others’ reviews. Bad reviews will make potential customers avoid your business and go to your competitors. You cannot afford to lose customers because of unresolved issues or negative comments written by other people on the internet.

Does it Take long For Negative Content to be removed from the Internet?

The time that is needed for certain negative content to be removed from the internet depends on circumstances and all factors that we mentioned above in this article. This process of removing your negative content from the internet can take from 2 weeks up to 6 months. This suggests that the average time between sending the removal request and content removal action should be 3 months.

Always keep in mind there is no guarantee that online content removal will be successful because this is a scrupulous process that depends on many different factors. One great news is that if you manage to delete that negative content in most cases it is forever. Also, reverse SEO seems like a very reliable strategy that is most effective when handled by SEO professionals.

Last Words on How to Remove Negative Information from the Internet

We can freely say that search engines and the internet have become the main reference point for many different things. Many people make their purchase, dating, hiring, and employment decisions based on the information they manage to find on the internet. This means that negative content and negative reviews written about your company will surely make a bad impact on you as a person or on your business.

It is a sure thing that nobody wants negative information about him floating on the internet and a high number of people will try to remove it or will hire someone to remove that content for them.

Many people hire experts or companies that offer these services to remove negative information from people’s searches and public database sites.

Looking for professional help? Contact us today!

The post How to Remove Negative Information From the Internet appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

Online reputation is how people will see you when they search for you online.

What Do You See When You Google Yourself, and How Are You Being Represented?

Everyone has a reputation online, including the companies you deal with every day.  In fact, we’ve seen companies that have amazing reputations and some with the worst presence online.

The question is, do you have a say in it? Online reputation management (ORM) refers to taking control of the conversation. Its strategies and techniques ensure that people will find the right materials when searching for you on the internet. The main purpose of online reputation management is to create a balance and counter misleading trends.

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Why Should You Care About Your Online Reputation?

Online reputation has become so prevalent in today’s world. The internet is our first stop for anything we need. Not only do people view the internet as their primary source of information, but they also trust it at face value. More importantly, they make decisions on what they find:

97% of people read online reviews when searching for a business (BIA Kelsey)
Two out of three people see the internet as the most reliable source of information about a person or business (Edelman Insights)
More than 70% of hiring employers have rejected a potential candidate because of something they found online (Cross-Tab)

Others Are Creating Your Reputation

While it’s reassuring to assume you have significant leverage on what others think of you, you actually have very little of your online reputation. Your reputation is mainly determined by what strangers say and think about you online.

There are things that you can do to influence how people view you or your business. These efforts can take time or money, but being able to control your name makes the process worth it. The worst decision you can make is leaving the internet in control of your reputation.

Your Online and Offline Lives Are Combining

With each passing day, the online world is becoming more integrated with our daily lives. From smartphones and TVs to the self-driving cars that seemed like science fiction, you are living each day more connected to the digital world. That means there are more ways for you to leave a mark online, both positive and negative. You might not think people are searching for you online, but the chances are that someone is.

Some common reasons include:

Employers doing research before an interview
Landlords looking into potential renters
College admissions evaluating students
Former colleagues
Risk assessments from insurance companies

No matter your lifestyle, there is a large amount of information about you online, and people have access to see it.

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Your Online Reputation Lasts Forever

If a person writes something negative about you online, it can put you at a severe disadvantage over the long term, especially if you’re not aware of it. It’s essential to keep tabs on what people are saying about you online and then take steps to counteract them. You also need to monitor the things that you post about yourself. Thanks to social media, posts from decades ago can come back to harm you.

Why Do You Need Online Reputation Management?

Given how advanced technology has become, why can’t reputation online handle problems on its own? Despite the advancements, that’s not likely to happen. Google’s algorithms only give us what we search for. If we ask for gossip, conspiracy stories, or negative reviews, that’s what gets associated with our search terms.

Search Algorithms Will Prioritize Popularity

No algorithm can tell if information accurately reflects you or not, so popularity becomes the primary measuring method of what makes a good search result. That’s why petty lawsuits dismissed years ago, embarrassing photos, and other kinds of irrelevant-clickbait results often dominate online reputations.

Online Reputation Management Prioritizes a Balance

Online reputation management counteracts human bias, ensuring the materials that matter aren’t overwhelmed by false information. If you don’t trust an algorithm to represent you online, you need to develop an online reputation management strategy to protect your interests.This need will always exist.

As time goes on, it will become more and more essential to manage our online reputations as search engines and other online algorithms take on a more significant role in our everyday lives.

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Are ORM and SEO The Same?

While there are similarities between online reputation management and search engine optimization (SEO), there are also significant differences. SEO focuses on promoting a specific website or page to the top of the search results. While online reputation management is about controlling the assortment of websites that appear in your results. This means the tactics and measures of success are different for both.

The post What Is Online Reputation Management? appeared first on Reputation Sciences.