AI can process vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently. Law provides essential guardrails for how that data is collected, stored, and used ethically. Human insight adds the necessary context, cultural understanding, and ethical reasoning that machines cannot replicate. Without the integration of all three elements, reputation research risks being incomplete, misleading, or even harmful to a brand’s standing.

What Is Reputation Research?

Reputation research is the systematic study of how various audiences view a company, its leaders, products, and actions. It draws on multiple sources such as surveys, online reviews, social listening platforms, media coverage, and competitor analysis to capture a comprehensive view of public opinion.

Modern corporate reputation research goes beyond simply measuring brand image. It examines key aspects like customer experience, employee satisfaction, investor confidence, and stakeholder perceptions. The goal is to provide organizations with actionable insights that help protect trust, reduce risks, and identify new growth opportunities in a highly competitive industry.

Why Reputation Research Matters

Reputation influences nearly every aspect of business performance and relevance in today’s economy:

• Customers choose brands they trust and are more likely to remain loyal.
• Employees prefer working for companies with strong values and positive reputations.
• Investors reward organizations that demonstrate credibility, transparency, and ethical behavior.
• Regulators and partners are more likely to collaborate with companies that maintain a good reputation and comply with regulations.

Companies with a positive reputation often enjoy higher sales, stronger employee retention, and better resilience during crises. Conversely, those with poor reputations face lost business, diminished market value, and increased scrutiny. Reputation research enables organizations to identify these critical dynamics and bridge the gaps between desired and perceived brand performance.

The Role of AI in Reputation Research

AI has revolutionized how organizations measure and track reputation by enabling:

• Processing large datasets from diverse sources in real time.
• Monitoring reviews, news, social media, and marketing channels for emerging risks and opportunities.
• Detecting patterns and sentiment trends across multiple audiences and platforms.
• Supporting predictive analytics to anticipate potential reputation threats before they escalate.

For example, AI-powered social listening tools can flag sudden surges in negative reviews or unfavorable news coverage early, allowing companies to respond promptly and protect their brand reputation.

The Limits of AI

Despite its power, AI has limitations. Algorithms may misinterpret sarcasm, cultural nuances, or emotional subtleties, leading to inaccurate sentiment analysis. AI models also reflect biases present in their training data, which can skew results and obscure important insights.

AI-driven reports can measure reputation quantitatively but often miss the deeper “why” behind the data. Without human review and interpretation, organizations risk making decisions based solely on numbers, ignoring the context and meaning critical to effective reputation management.

How Law Shapes Reputation Research

Legal frameworks play a vital role in reputation research by setting boundaries on data collection, storage, and usage:

• Privacy regulations such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California empower individuals with control over their personal information.
• Transparency requirements govern how companies disclose the use of data in reputation assessments.
• Laws protect free speech while limiting defamatory or harmful content, guiding how organizations respond to negative feedback.

Failing to comply with these legal requirements can expose companies to regulatory penalties and further damage their reputation. Therefore, compliance is an essential aspect of any reputation research strategy.

Why Human Insight Is Essential

While AI provides speed and law sets boundaries, human insight brings judgment, empathy, and ethical reasoning to the process. Humans can:

• Interpret subtle linguistic cues, cultural context, and emotional undertones.
• Balance competing interests, such as customer goodwill versus legal exposure.
• Decide how best to act on findings to maintain trust and positive relationships with stakeholders.

This blend of quantitative analysis and human judgment creates a fuller, more accurate picture of reputation and informs more effective strategies.

Challenges of Combining AI, Law, and Human Insight

Integrating these three elements presents challenges:

• Managing data privacy concerns while gathering sufficient information.
• Avoiding over-reliance on algorithms that may overlook nuanced insights.
• Navigating conflicting priorities between business objectives, legal compliance, and ethical standards.
• Facilitating collaboration among legal, technical, marketing, and communications teams.

Despite these hurdles, organizations that successfully combine AI, law, and human insight gain a significant competitive advantage. They can respond faster, make informed decisions, and maintain stakeholder trust in a complex, dynamic marketplace.

How Organizations Can Benefit

When used together, reputation research methods can:

• Provide early warnings of reputational risks, enabling proactive mitigation.
• Improve transparency and credibility with customers, employees, investors, and other key audiences.
• Identify gaps in customer experience, communication, or service delivery.
• Support reputation management strategies that build brand loyalty and long-term value.
• Align legal compliance with ethical behavior to protect corporate reputation and market standing.

Real-world examples demonstrate these benefits:

• Companies like Patagonia have leveraged reputation research to align their brand strategy with customer values and social responsibility.
• Global firms employ AI-driven monitoring to detect negative media trends early, preventing crises.
• Legal and communications teams collaborate to ensure responses protect both compliance and goodwill.

Conclusion

Reputation is no longer managed by intuition alone. It requires a structured, award-winning approach to research that balances the speed and scale of AI, the safeguards of legal frameworks, and the nuance of human judgment.

Organizations that adopt this integrated approach to reputation research can better protect their image, build stronger relationships, and sustain trust in an environment where visibility, transparency, and accountability matter more than ever. By continuously learning and adapting based on comprehensive insights, businesses can stand out in their industry, discover new opportunities, and maintain relevance in an evolving economy.

The post Why Reputation Research Must Combine AI, Law, and Human Insight appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

What Is a Digital Footprint?

A digital footprint refers to the trail of data created by online activities. It includes both:

• Active digital footprints: Social media posts, online forms, or anything a business or user intentionally shares online.
• Passive digital footprints: Data collected in the background, such as browsing history, IP addresses, or location data from internet-connected devices like fitness trackers and smartphones.

For businesses, this footprint covers everything from social media activity to reviews on platforms and mentions in search engine results. These traces persist unless businesses actively manage them and can expose vulnerabilities that threat actors may exploit.

How Is a Digital Footprint Created?

Businesses generate digital footprints in many ways, reflecting different aspects of their online presence:

• Posting on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others.
• Receiving online reviews from customers, even after operations close.
• Maintaining company websites that stay live or are archived.
• Holding old accounts on directories, apps, or other websites.
• Experiencing data breaches that expose financial data or sensitive personal information on the dark web.

Even simple digital activities—such as using the same password across multiple sites or leaving outdated personal details online—contribute to an ongoing digital shadow. Cybercriminals actively look for vulnerabilities in online accounts and systems to exploit these data trails.

Why Digital Footprints Matter for Closed Businesses

Managing a digital footprint isn’t just important for active companies. Closed businesses also face risks if they neglect their online identity:

• Reputation risks: Negative reviews, outdated information, or old news articles continue to appear in search results, negatively shaping public perception.
• Data exposure: Unmonitored accounts provide opportunities for threat actors to steal or misuse sensitive financial data or personal information.
• Missed opportunities: Poorly managed footprints can harm future ventures by making former owners appear careless with their online identity and digital reputation, potentially affecting job prospects or investor confidence.

Digital footprints matter because the internet never forgets. A company’s online content may remain long after the last physical store closes, potentially reaching a broader circle of people than ever intended.

How Business Closures Leave a Lasting Digital Footprint

When a business closes, traces of its online presence continue across different platforms. Key areas include:

1. Social Media Profiles

Inactive social media accounts often remain visible. Old posts, comments, and reviews still influence perceptions. Without updates, these profiles may give the impression that the brand acted unprofessionally or disappeared without explanation. Additionally, others may access personal data shared on these platforms, increasing privacy risks.

2. Online Reviews

Reviews on sites like Google, Yelp, or industry-specific platforms don’t vanish when a business closes. Customers may continue posting long after closure, and negative reviews may dominate search engine results if businesses do not manage them, further damaging their online reputation.

3. Search Engine Results

Search results often display outdated listings, cached pages, or directories that never get updated. These results confuse customers by showing incorrect hours, phone numbers, or addresses, which frustrate potential clients or partners.

4. Company Websites

Even if a website goes offline, tools like the Wayback Machine or cached search results keep versions accessible. If businesses leave old domains unsecured, domain investors may buy them or they may become exploited for spam, phishing, or misleading content, increasing security risks.

5. Online Listings and Directories

Unmanaged listings on social networking sites or business directories frustrate users trying to connect. Outdated contact details also expose private data, which cybercriminals may exploit or use for commercial purposes without consent.

Why Managing Your Digital Footprint During Closure Is Important

Ignoring your digital footprint during closure can cause long-term consequences:

• Negative light: Old content makes the brand look careless or unreliable, affecting perceptions among a broader circle of internet users.
• Security risks: Unused accounts become targets for phishing, fake pages, or commercial exploitation, putting sensitive data at risk.
• Future challenges: Starting a new venture or seeking new job prospects becomes harder if old digital trails still appear in search engine results.

In short, closing a business does not end your digital presence. Actively managing your digital footprint protects both your online reputation and your personal details from exploitation.

How Businesses Can Manage Their Digital Footprint During Closure

Managing your digital footprint requires both removing outdated content and monitoring what remains. Here are key steps:

1. Communicate with Customers

Post clear updates on your social media platforms and company website. Let users know the business has closed and where they can go for assistance. Transparency builds trust and avoids confusion, helping maintain a positive digital reputation.

2. Update Online Information

Update or remove listings across online platforms, directories, and social media sites. Reach out to site administrators to prevent websites from showing incorrect hours or contact details. This helps reduce passive footprints that mislead users.

3. Monitor and Respond to Reviews

Even after closure, monitor reviews and respond when possible. This shows accountability and helps control how the brand is remembered, influencing the broader circle of online opinions.

4. Set Up Google Alerts

Use Google Alerts to track mentions of the business name online. This allows you to react quickly if negative content or outdated details appear and helps protect your online identity.

5. Secure Old Accounts

Close unused accounts, disable old logins, and refrain from using the same strong passwords across multiple sites. These actions reduce the risk of data breaches or exploitation by threat actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities.

6. Protect Sensitive Data

Audit stored financial data or customer personal data. Ensure you do not leave it accessible on servers, cloud accounts, or old systems that could end up on the dark web. Use strong passwords and encryption where possible to safeguard this information.

Conclusion

A digital footprint does not vanish when a business closes. Social media posts, online reviews, search results, and archived accounts collectively create a lasting digital footprint. Without proper management, these traces can damage a reputation, expose sensitive data, and impact future opportunities.

Proactively managing your digital footprint—from updating accounts to monitoring search engines—helps ensure a business is remembered for its strengths rather than its loose ends. In today’s digital world, protecting your legacy means controlling what stays behind.

The post Why Business Closures Still Leave a Digital Footprint 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.

The Latin writer Publilius Syrus said, “A good reputation is more valuable than money.” And while Syrus was alive from 85 to 43 BC, somehow, this quote is most relevant today.

You’ve worked hard to establish a solid and trusted company reputation and brand with loyal customers. Yet maintaining a stellar business reputation takes vigilance and a concerted business reputation management strategy. 

Negative reviews or missteps can tarnish a business’s reputation. All that goodwill you’ve created over time can be ruined instantly in the age of social media. You may lose customers, revenue, and, most importantly, trust.

In this article, we’ll explain how to keep the great reputation you’ve already achieved. You can also call us at (844) 458-6735 for an in-depth audit and valuable insights from expert reputation managers.

What Is a Positive Reputation?

One’s reputation is often based on external perceptions — how people (including the public, stakeholders, and competitors) perceive you, your personal brand, and your company brand. 

It begins with how you define your business, including your brand’s…

• Core values
• Corporate culture
• Mission statement
• Value proposition

All of these elements should also be shared with and embraced by everyone throughout the company. According to business expert and professor Dr. Gary Davies, a large part of a company’s reputation comes from what its employees think of the brand.

Your core values may include integrity, transparency, empowerment, or trust. These values are conveyed throughout the company in a number of ways, including:

• Branding: Name, logo, tagline, design, company voice, tone
• Marketing: Emails, press releases, social media
• Online Presence: Blog, website, Google reviews and other online reviews

Your corporate communications and customer service play a role, too. Overall, a positive reputation is perceived as trustworthy, credible, reliable, and desirable.

The Importance of a Good Business Reputation

A good business reputation provides you with key advantages:

It helps you build trust and customer loyalty. Customers will continue to buy your products and services even during difficult economic times. Oftentimes, people are loyal to those they can rely on repeatedly and whose company’s reputation is impeccable (or at least close to it).

Customers will become your advocates. Those with a great customer experience will tell friends and family about your products and services. They’re also more likely to write positive reviews and give your company five-star ratings. 

Depending on the type of business you own, customers may even become influencers for you, especially if your target demographic is younger and scrolls through Instagram and other social media platforms day in and day out.

Your company is better able to help your human resources department in attracting prospective employees and retaining top talent. People want to work for companies with an excellent business reputation. Candidates will research your business reputation online before applying for a position to see whether you have a good reputation in the industry.

Here are a few more benefits of having your business held in high regard:

• You’ll gain a competitive edge and strong market value. This will enable you to distinguish your brand from others in your niche industry.
• You’ll see increased revenue and profits. Companies with a positive business reputation and higher ratings online get more business.
• A solid company reputation will help you withstand negative reviews and a potential PR crisis. It will also help you face reputational risk as a result of an incident or mishap.

Take the first step toward fortifying your brand’s reputation. Give us a call at (844) 458-6735 to learn more.

The Internet’s Impact on a Positive Digital Reputation

In the past, businesses communicated and maintained their company’s reputation with television ads, print ads, and, of course, excellent customer service and word of mouth (referrals). But the internet and social media have changed much of this. 

People, of course, still expect and demand excellent service, but they can now access all kinds of information online before deciding to do business with your company.

Businesses are under a microscope, and every action and inaction is scrutinized. Consumers read online reviews, conversations, and negative feedback (about a product, service, or an individual at the company) and visit review sites to gain insight into what customers love about a company and what they don’t like.

A company’s reputation can be damaged easily with one viral social media post or an influx of negative reviews. Therefore, it’s critical to have a solid online business reputation management strategy in place.

Gen Z and Millennials: How Much They Depend On a Company’s Reputation

While everyone wants to do business with a company with a good reputation, this is particularly important for Gen Z and millennials, who rank reputation importance at the top of the list.

Every decision they make involves looking online first, including social media posts and comments. They will check out your company’s online reputation to get an idea of the brand’s authenticity and transparency, along with the business’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives.

If there have been any missteps throughout the company’s history, these generations want to see how the brand managed them. 

• Was the business forthright? 
• Did the business immediately issue a statement that said it was directly responsible for the misstep? 
• Did the business apologize and seek to improve where it may have gone wrong? 

The same goes for personal reputations: Are individuals taking responsibility and explaining the facts around an incident that reflects poorly on them? 

No doubt, in the age of social media and gotcha journalism, a company’s online reputation is critical to its continued success.

How To Maintain a Positive Reputation Online Personally or Professionally

A strong reputation management program can maintain your business reputation. A business reputation management strategy is designed to boost and protect your online reputation. 

An experienced online reputation management (ORM) company can manage your online reputation along with your internal reputation management department, if one exists. Smaller companies that don’t have internal resources should turn to a business reputation management company for managing their corporate reputation online.

The Basics: Online Reputation Management Strategies To Start With

Reputation management in today’s digital era involves the following initial strategies:

Begin by Googling your company name to see what comes up. Note positive and negative results. Are most of the search results positive? Or is there negative information coming up that will damage your reputation?

Monitor search results for your brand keywords, paying particular attention to new reviews, conversations, and comments. 

Visit review sites to see what customers are writing. Thank those who are saying positive things, and address any negativity.

Regarding negative reviews or comments, address any issues that are causing problems and resulting in dissatisfied customers. Respond politely to negative comments promptly. Don’t get frustrated even if you know what is being said is not valid.

Creating and Marketing Positive Content for Reputation Protection and Management

To protect your business online, a reputational management company will develop a strategy that incorporates developing and marketing positive content. This strategy is employed by many in the business world for the following purposes:

• Impact brand reputation in creative ways
• Avert potential threats you may be concerned about
• Deal with a PR disaster to minimize reputational risk
• Rebuild trust with your target audience

For the purpose of content marketing, write articles — or have articles ghostwritten for you — on topics that are relevant to your business and your expertise. Strive to have these articles published in popular outlets like Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Forbes, and others to establish yourself as a thought leader. 

The more articles you have published, the more positive content will appear in searches. Any negative results in search will eventually rank lower on the page and “disappear” with the right strategy.

More Content Marketing Strategies

Write articles sourcing you as the expert and have them posted on authoritative sites and multiple channels with links to your LinkedIn profile, X account, Facebook, and other platforms.

• Optimize your website, including your About Us page and bio, for SEO keyword phrases.
• Include imagery related to your brand’s mission and optimize the photos with keyword phrases as well.
• Post to your website weekly. This will help boost your search rankings with positive content related to your business. 
• Update your business page everywhere — on Google, LinkedIn, and all social media platforms.
• Post positive things regularly on social media about your company, along with promotional messages that engage your customers
• Ask your happy customers to leave honest reviews on sites that are pertinent to your business, like Tripadvisor, Angi, Google, Amazon, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

By regularly creating and marketing content, your customers will learn more about what you are doing and have to offer. You will also drive more traffic to your site. Plus, this is a great way for your own employees to better understand your business and values.

Regular Monitoring and Maintenance: A Good Reputation Strategy Is Ongoing

Keeping your reputation positive is essential to your success, and it should always be a priority. Remember, building a reputation is not a one-and-done deal. Any bad news can ruin a company and its reputation. That’s why you want to consistently be on top of creating positive news and content about your business and engaging with your customers and stakeholders. 

Being engaged means looking at the important facets of your company and determining what you should feature when developing content that resonates. Some tactics come with lower costs than others, like asking your customers for reviews. This doesn’t cost a thing but will go a long way in building and maintaining your company’s reputation.

If you’ve had some bad press, you may consider getting a couple of focus groups together to determine how best to address any negativity via press releases, advertising, social media, and other methods. You may also decide to hold a video conference to speak directly to your customers and stakeholders. Also, since actions speak louder than words, be sure your body language is in sync with what you are saying. Honesty is key.

Reputational risk is a critical issue that all companies need to manage. Without a positive reputation and the right digital tools to create and manage an ORM strategy, your brand could suffer. 

It’s common for consumers and stakeholders to question everything about a business — its products and services, market values, and operations. It’s in your best interest to be prepared with an expert-designed ORM strategy.

Contact ReputationSciences Today

Keeping a good reputation is complex and challenging, whether you are a business owner or an individual. The process has to be comprehensive — you can’t do the bare minimum, hope for the best, and expect your reputation to rise to new heights. 

Your digital reputation strategy must include not just your website but also a variety of outlets (such as review sites) that tend to rank highly across industry searches. 

A reliable partner may be just what you need to get started. 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 Reputation Sciences today at (844) 458-6735 for more information.

The post How To Keep a Good Reputation: Your Guide for 2025 appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

Google reviews are a large part of success for modern businesses. 

Potential customers judge you according to your online reviews before doing business with you. And, unfortunately, customers sometimes leave negative and harmful reviews, often for arbitrary reasons. 

Do you need help with your digital presence? Call us at (844) 458-6735 for an in-depth audit and valuable insights from an expert.

Why Should I Know About Review Removal for Negative and Fake Reviews?

The significant impact of reviews on your brand’s success is largely due to the fact that Google is the most frequented website worldwide, as well as a consumer go-to for quick online reviews. 

Negative Google reviews are visible on your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing and the Maps app. They negatively impact your reputation and can drive potential customers away for fear they’ll be wasting their money. 

As the top website for reviews, Google has a significant influence on your customers. 

But if you manage your Google reviews carefully, you can better control that impact and boost your business in a number of ways:

• Increasing trust in your brand
• Optimizing local SEO 
• Improving online visibility
• Converting new customers 
• Raising click-through rates 
• Providing valuable positive feedback

As we noted, today’s consumer typically checks reviews on Google before visiting a business. And many people report that Google reviews are the most crucial factor when searching for a new business. 

How Do I Remove or Appeal Negative Reviews? 

If you’ve received negative reviews on your GBP, you’re right to want to remove them. Understanding how to remove negative reviews from Google can help you maintain your reputation, attract new customers and improve your bottom line. 

But it’s not as easy as a single click of a button (unless you wrote the review yourself, that is). And unfortunately, there’s no fail-safe method for removing 100% of negative reviews. 

The good news? You have options.

Also, remember that it’s usually worth the effort to remove harmful and fake Google reviews that are damaging your brand’s reputation. 

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

Removing a Google Review That You Wrote

If you wrote a review and no longer want it public — or if you want to update it to reflect a new outcome — it’s easy to remove or change it.

Just as anyone with an account can write a Google review, anyone who has left a review can edit or delete it. This makes it easy for those who’ve changed their mind about a review they posted to update their feedback. 

Step 1: Sign in to your Google account

First, you need to be signed into your Google account to access your reviews. Sign in to your Google account here.

Step 2: Go to Maps 

Next, you’ll need to go to Google Maps. This is where your reviews are stored. 

Step 3: Navigate to your reviews

Click the Menu on the top left of the page. It’s the icon that looks like three horizontal stripes on top of each other. 

Then, in the sidebar that opens, click Your Contributions.

Click the Reviews link.

Step 4: Delete or edit the review

Find the review you want to remove or edit. Click the Actions button to the right of the review. The icon looks like three dots on top of each other.

Select either Edit Review or Delete Review from the menu that pops up. Then, proceed to make the changes you want to make.

How To Handle Bad Reviews and Fake Reviews That Others Left

Now that you know how to update a review that you left, which can go toward improving your digital reputation, let’s get into how to handle poor reviews that others left about your business.

The bad news is that you won’t find a delete button beside the feedback you’ve received. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have options. 

The first thing you should do when you receive a negative review is respond to the customer. (It’s also the first action you should take with legitimate reviews and positive Google reviews because customers value active businesses.) 

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.

Why Should I Respond to a Bad Review?

According to the Google Business Profile Help Page, you should interact with customers by replying to their reviews. Responding communicates to customers that you value them and consider their feedback important. 

By taking their feedback seriously, even the angriest of customers might decide to remove their negative review on their own. Or, in some cases, they might change it to a positive review for the effort you put into reaching out to them. 

If nothing else, responding to the customer can mitigate the damage their review is causing. And you’ll improve your communication skills in the process.

Consider the following tips to help you respond to reviews the right way: 

• Reply using your brand’s voice in a kind and polite manner. Anything you type online can be screenshotted and used to define your brand, whether you like it or not. You don’t want to be associated with mean or aggressive speech, no matter how justified you are.
• Keep your emotions out of it. Take time to cool down so that you don’t get emotional while responding to the customer. Don’t take things personally. If you can’t keep a level head for your reply, outsource it to a trusted party. 
• Be brief and helpful. Make it clear that you want to make the situation right, but keep it concise. Ask the customer to contact your company so that you can resolve the issue one-on-one. If they do reach out to you, do everything in your power to win a positive review.

If you can master the art of responding to reviews, your Google profile will lend your business more credibility. Any time spent communicating with your customers to change a negative into a positive is time well spent. One complimentary review on Google can drive multiple sales. 

How To Respond to Google Reviews

For those who need help responding to reviews on the Google platform, you’re in luck! Google keeps the process smooth.  

Step 1: Claim your Google Business Profile listing

Make sure you’ve claimed your Google business listing. This requires you to register yourself as the owner of the business with Google. Once you’ve completed this step, you’ll be able to edit business information and respond to reviews. 

Step 2: Sign in to your GBP listing

Sign in to the Google Business Profile manager for the GBP that you set up or claimed. If you have multiple locations, pick the location that includes the review you’re dealing with. 

Step 3: Navigate to the review 

Select Read Reviews, and then find the review you need to respond to. 

Step 4: Reply to the review

Next to the review, click the Reply link. Enter your response in the dedicated space. When you’re done, click Reply.

Important: Use caution when sharing customer information in your review response. In many fields (for example, healthcare), it’s illegal to post identifying or personal details online. Failing to protect your customers’ privacy could result in further negative feedback or even legal issues.

How to Flag Fake Google Reviews

Learning how to remove fake Google business reviews is equally as important as responding to real reviews. If you suspect or know that you have received a phony Google review, you can flag it for removal by Google. You can also flag reviews for inappropriate or offensive content.

Google will only remove reviews that violate Google policies. Read the policy thoroughly to determine if you have a case.

Step 1: Log in to your Google business account

If you haven’t created one yet, you will be required to register yourself as the owner of the business with Google. 

Step 2: Select the correct business location

Select the location where the review was received. This step only applies to businesses with more than one location. 

Step 3: Find the review

Select Read Reviews from the menu. 

Step 4: Flag the review

Click the Menu icon (the three dots), then select the Flag option. Follow the prompts to tell Google while you’re flagging the review.

You might have to wait for several days for Google to review your request and update you with their decision. To improve your chances of having the review removed, ask others to flag it as well. 

Reporting a Review to Google 

Actions like flagging reviews and responding to comments only go so far in some cases. If you’ve tried and failed with these tactics, your next option is to report the review to Google. 

This method gets a response within 24 hours in most cases. You may also get to talk to a live person about the review in question to make your case. 

Step 1: Go to the support page

Visit the Google Business Profile Help page on your device.

Step 2: Request to contact Google

At the bottom of the support page, click the Contact Us link.

Step 3: Fill out the contact form

Fill in the contact form as thoroughly as possible. Explain how the review may violate Google policies.

When speaking with a member of Google’s support team, you will need to do the following:

• Explain why they should remove the review according to their policy.
• Make a convincing case for why you think the review is fake or in violation of the policy.
• Defend your request to get the review removed when questioned. 
• Be patient while you wait for email or phone call responses. 

If a support team member cannot help you, ask them if they can escalate the case to have it looked at again.

How To Remove Google Reviews When You Run Out of Options

Trying to remove Google reviews, but keep hitting a wall?

Reporting reviews that don’t ever get taken down can feel like a waste of time. Besides, you need to devote your energy to pleasing your customers, not chasing after Google to get rid of harmful reviews.

When nothing you’ve done regarding review removal seems to work, content suppression may be your best option. This tactic promotes fresh positive and neutral content to move those negative results further down the search engine results page (SERP). Once negative results are removed from the top spots, it’s much less likely that users will see them.

This can work for review removal, and it can also help with other types of content. For example, maybe you need a negative forum thread removed. Suppression can help in those cases, too.

If you’re out of options (or patience) but need a solution now, consider a professional reputation management service. ORM professionals can help with everything from review monitoring and management to content suppression when harmful or fake reviews threaten your business success.

Outsourcing business issues like these only improves the quality of your customer service. Our team of trusted reputation specialists can handle complicated problems fast, including those dealing with fake Google reviews. You’ll be freed up to focus on what matters most.

Learn more about our negative review removal services by contacting us at (844) 458-6735 today.

The post How To Remove Bad Google Reviews and Repair Your Brand Reputation appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

What Is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free business profile tool that helps small businesses appear prominently in Google Search and Maps, showing up when customers find services like yours. Your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, photos, and customer reviews are all essential components of this listing.

For service providers like restaurants, law firms, plumbers, and real estate agents, an optimized profile can be the difference between a customer choosing you or scrolling past. But it only works if the information is accurate, complete, and regularly updated. Only you can control and manage your profile to ensure it accurately reflects your business.

How Google Business Profile Errors Lead to Lost Revenue

1. Incorrect Contact Info = Missed Sales

Wrong phone numbers, broken links, or outdated addresses confuse customers. If someone tries to call and the number doesn’t work — or arrives at your store when it’s closed — they’re unlikely to return. These are basic errors that result in direct lost sales and negative impressions.

Fix it: Sign in to your Google account and double-check your business details. Update your contact information and ensure your hours accurately reflect holidays, special events, or seasonal changes. This process ensures customers can always reach you when they need to.

2. Inaccurate Hours Damage Trust

If your profile says “Open” but the doors are locked, your reputation takes a hit. Especially for high-intent local searches, such as “restaurant near me” or “emergency plumber,” timing matters significantly to customers.

Fix it: Schedule time each quarter (or monthly) to review and adjust your hours. Use posts to alert users about changes during holidays or special occasions. Accurate hours build trust and encourage more visits.

3. Wrong Business Category Hurts Visibility

Google uses your business category to match your listing to relevant search and Maps queries. If you’re a florist but choose “gift shop,” you won’t show up in search results for people looking for flowers.

Fix it: Choose the most accurate primary category, then add secondary ones if needed. For example: “Italian Restaurant” as primary, “Pizza Delivery” as secondary. Including relevant attributes helps Google better understand your business and improves your chances of appearing in local search results.

4. Duplicate Listings Confuse Google (and Customers)

Multiple listings for the same business can hurt your SEO, fragment reviews, and confuse both search engines and users. Duplicate profiles can also cause customers to question your legitimacy.

Fix it: Search for duplicates using your business name, address, and phone number. Use Google’s “Suggest an edit” feature or claim and merge the listings under a single profile. This process consolidates your online presence and enhances your visibility.

5. Missing or Low-Quality Photos Reduce Engagement

High-quality photos of your storefront, products, and team help build trust. They also influence whether users choose to visit, call, or engage with your business.

Fix it: Add professional, up-to-date images of your location, team, menu, or services. Include a storefront shot to verify location and create authenticity. Photos are an important attribute that helps customers connect with your business visually.

The Revenue Impact Is Real

Each of these issues contributes to reduced visibility, fewer clicks, and ultimately, lost customers. Inaccuracies tell Google that your business may not be reliable, and Google won’t show unreliable results in its top organic spots.

A recent survey found that 68% of customers said they would stop considering a business with outdated or incorrect information online.

Another report showed that missing or wrong hours caused a 17% drop in foot traffic for local brick-and-mortar businesses. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining an accurate and engaging Google Business Profile.

How to Audit and Fix Your Profile

Use this checklist monthly to keep your profile in top shape:

1. Log in to your Google Business dashboard to access your profile management tools.
2. Verify your business name, phone number, and address for accuracy.
3. Update hours of operation and holiday schedules to reflect real availability.
4. Choose the correct business categories and add relevant attributes to describe your offerings.
5. Upload fresh photos and remove outdated ones to keep your profile visually appealing.
6. Respond to all customer reviews to engage with your community and build trust.
7. Use the Insights tab to track engagement and search visibility, helping you understand how customers find you.
8. Check for duplicate listings and request removal or a merge to avoid confusion.
9. Post updates, special offers, or events regularly to keep your profile active and relevant.

Best Practices for Long-Term Accuracy

• Assign a dedicated team member or person to manage your Google listing regularly.
• Connect your website and social profiles to reinforce accuracy and provide multiple access points for customers.
• Enable messaging so customers can reach you in real time, improving customer service and engagement.
• Use GBP’s Q&A and “From the business” section to share answers and other details that highlight what makes your business unique.
• Monitor your performance insights monthly to understand how customers find and interact with your profile.
• Avoid relying solely on ads; a well-maintained free business profile can drive organic traffic and new customers effectively.

Final Thought

Your Google Business Profile isn’t just a box to check — it’s a powerful lead generator and marketing asset. A single outdated phone number or incorrect category can result in dozens of lost opportunities every month. By investing just a little time into accuracy and optimization, business owners can build trust, attract more customers, and maximize revenue — all from a free tool built to help you grow your business and connect with your community.

The post How Google Business Profile Errors Are Costing Real Revenue appeared first on Reputation Sciences.