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Add to the indelible whiteboard a dearth of outdated information, statements that have been taken out of context, compromising photos and videos, and the ultimate free-speech nature of the internet, which allows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.

Trust is one of the most crucial characteristics a brand can attain. A company can function for a long time if investors, customers, and employees feel they can rely on it to be fair and honest with them.

In recent times, especially post-pandemic, trust is even more important than ever. Modern brands need customer trust in order to avoid scandals and experience growth.

There are different factors to consider when ranking the most trustworthy companies in the world. Key factors include:

• Brand reputation
• Customer service 
• Employee trust
• Ethical business practices
• Investor trust
• Quality level of products and services

This article includes 15 of the most trustworthy companies in the world. Each of these brands is a global leader that’s worked to earn customer trust by focusing on quality and leveraging its digital strategies.

The way you’re perceived online matters. Find out how to create the online reputation you deserve by calling (844) 458-6735 today.

15 of the World’s Most Trustworthy Companies

Most of these trustworthy companies have been around for a long time now, but some are younger than others. Each brand shapes consumer decisions, acts as a global leader in its industry, brings in impressive annual revenue, and maintains trust for the long term.

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.

1. Amazon

This famous online retail giant is well-known for selling practically anything you can think of for the lowest price possible and shipping it to your home in record time. Moreover, Amazon regularly makes changes to how the company runs, including raising the base wage, which has helped it gain employee trust.

2. The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is one of the most famous, trusted, and well-known companies in the world. This global entertainment and media conglomerate has its headquarters in Burbank, California, and the brand has an incredible and inspiring history.

It is no surprise that Disney is one of the most trustworthy companies in the world. They regularly produce high-quality media and park experiences, appealing to every age group. Focusing on family-friendly entertainment has also helped to gain immense levels of brand trust.

3. Microsoft

Microsoft is a leading developer of digital applications, systems, software, and related technologies. Additionally, the company publishes books and multimedia titles, and it’s considered one of Apple’s top competitors.

It’s no surprise that this software giant is among the most trusted and respected companies in the world. Microsoft has had especially great success with its Surface laptop, Xbox console, and online gaming network, along with its computer software.

4. Sony

Sony is a leading provider of audio and video electronics, along with IT products, which has elevated it to be one of the most trustworthy companies on the planet. Between the company’s history of innovation and solid brand reputation, it’s been an example of maintaining trust with the public over the long term.

Moreover, Sony has become a leading player in the entertainment industry thanks to Sony Music and Sony Pictures. Having such a diverse portfolio, high-quality products, and a commitment to ethical business practices has raised brand trust in a way that other companies can only dream of.

5. Google

Google specializes in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, search engine technology, computer software, online advertising, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and quantum computing.

Considered by many to be not just one of the world’s most trustworthy companies but also the most powerful company in the world, Google has become a household name (and even a verb, in some cases).

The company’s status as a global leader comes from its dominance in the market, its technological advantages, and its leaps forward when it comes to artificial intelligence. 

Get started today with online reputation management or repair. Give us a call at (844) 458-6735 to learn more.

6. Netflix

Netflix is a production company and subscription streaming service with an enormous library of movies and TV series, including many from its own “Netflix Originals.” The brand has played an integral role in independent film distribution, and the company pioneered streaming after creating a DVD mail service.

Netflix is one of the world’s most trustworthy companies in part thanks to its user experience strategy. Offering subscribers an ad-free, convenient and flexible experience speaks to its product quality. Moreover, personalized recommendations show customers that the company is willing to dive deeper to discover what they want.

7. YouTube

YouTube is a social media and online video sharing platform that’s owned by Google. The social media platform also doubles as a powerful search engine, which helps users discover content in a way that other social platforms don’t match.

YouTube is beloved by consumers because of its high functionality, breadth of content, and ability to easily find whatever it is you’re looking for. With subscription options and interactive elements, YouTube is not just among the leading trustworthy companies, but it’s also a standout social platform unlike any other.

8. Target

Target has stores in all 50 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia, and it’s one of the biggest merchandise retailers today. This general merchandise and food discount store has a solid code of ethics, along with a strong brand identity — the red and white bullseye logo is recognizable around the country.

Target is one of the biggest providers of affordable retail, and convenient shopping options make it even easier to buy what you need. Notably, the layout of Target stores is easy to navigate, no matter which brick-and-mortar location you enter.

9. Patagonia

Patagonia specializes in making outdoor gear, clothing, and footwear for a large number of outdoor sports, including climbing, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, trail running, yoga, surfing, and others.

Their high-quality products and excellent relationships with customers have built immense trust over time. Patagonia also makes efforts to reduce the impact that people have on our planet, including enabling people to trade used Patagonia clothes.

10. Wegmans

Wegmans is one of the most famous supermarket chains in the United States, and the company has high-quality products and reasonable prices. Along with excellent customer service and helpful in-store amenities, Wegmans has built a strong and trustworthy reputation in its niche.

Additionally, Wegmans has created an employee-first culture that prioritizes the well-being and satisfaction of its team members. Workers appreciate the company’s investment in employee development and training, as well as its inclusive and empowering company culture.

11. L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean manufactures high-quality outdoor accessories and clothing, and many of its styles have become classics. One reason why L.L. Bean is among the top trustworthy companies is that it’s always been dedicated to offering expert-level advice and problem-solving for customers. 

Another reason why customers trust L.L. Bean is due to its product quality. Many customers are able to keep and use their L.L. Bean products for several years, which is becoming more and more difficult to find with modern retail companies.

12. Samsung

Samsung is one of the largest companies in the world that specializes in the manufacturing of electronic devices and related equipment. It produces a wide range of consumer and industry electronics such as appliances, digital media devices, semiconductors, memory chips, and integrated systems.

Samsung is also well-known for its wide range of smartphones and TVs, as well as leading design and innovation. They’ve managed to remain among the globe’s trustworthy companies thanks to a track record of selling high-quality products.

13. Publix

Publix is one of the fastest-growing supermarket chains in the U.S. and holds an excellent reputation among its customers. They are one of the most respected companies in their industry, too, and they’re well-known for having affordable prices and high-quality products.

Publix stores are known for being well-maintained and having helpful, friendly employees. The company also gets involved in local community efforts through donations, sponsorships and volunteering.

14. The Home Depot

As one of the world’s largest home improvement retailers, The Home Depot has maintained excellent relationships with shareholders, communities, customers, and associates. In addition to in-store products, The Home Depot is also known for offering in-store classes and getting involved in community projects. 

The Home Depot’s wide product assortment has helped it build customer trust. Both DIY enthusiasts and professional contractors head to The Home Depot when they need to purchase products. The large selection offered in-store has created one-stop shops for anything you could possibly need in the home renovation space.

15. UPS

UPS is a package transportation and supply chain company, and its sister company, The UPS Store, handles shipping, printing, packing and similar in-store services. Customers consider UPS a leader in its field thanks to a broad range of flexible shipping options and a reliable tracking system. 

Deliveries are known for being timely, whether they’re being shipped domestically or internationally, and the company has also made strides to be more environmentally conscious. UPS also has a highly recognizable brand, and its customer-centric approach includes helpful online tools and convenient shipping options.

Build a Trustworthy Company of Your Own With Professional ORM Services

Are you ready to count yourself among the public and private companies in America with the most brand trust? Whether you want to showcase your ethical business practices, increase your annual revenue or influence media sentiment about your brand, it’s possible with ORM services.

At ReputationSciences.com, we work with clients who need to create, grow or fix their digital reputation. Through our parent company, NetReputation, we offer ad management, local SEO, review monitoring, content removal and more. Our strategy includes auditing, repair, monitoring and management, and our services will be customized to your needs.

Contact us at (844) 458-6735 for more information about becoming the most trusted company in your niche.

The post What’s the Most Trusted Company in the World? These Brands Compete for the Top appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

In this guide, we will explore the components of online reputation management theory. We’ll give you a better understanding of what it takes to shape public perceptions of you and your brand in today’s digital environment.

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

What Is Reputation Management Theory?

Reputation management theory focuses on how people and brands manage their public perception, specifically when it comes to the actions and communications that influence how others perceive the person or company.

Key components of reputation theory include:

• Authenticity: Honesty and transparency are required to build credibility with your audience and avoid PR crises.
• Perception Control: Various elements affect the perception of your brand, including online reviews, PR, social media posts, and word-of-mouth.
• Crisis Management: Controversies and negative events should be addressed swiftly and professionally for the sake of damage control.

Never forget that your brand image is a source of power. Your reputation can affect how people feel about you and your business, as well as your coworkers, family, friends and even competitors.

Your Reputation and Competitors: Game Theory

Reputation is an important part of game theory, especially when it comes to the elements that make your reputation stand out.

When you’re known for something specific — your best characteristic, and the one thing you do better than the rest — your competitors will have no choice but to back off when it comes to that trait.

Smart brands want to fill in the gaps that their competitors are missing. They don’t want to compete in an arena where another business has already won.

By maintaining a strong reputation for a specific attribute, your brand claims that territory and corners the market for it. If a competitor were to pop up who wanted to beat you at your own game, they’d need to spend a considerable amount of money and effort to attempt it. And they still may not succeed.

By having a savvy corporate reputation management strategy and dominating in a niche, you can keep a large slice of the market pie for yourself.

What Are the Core Elements of an Online Reputation?

There are 3 core elements of an online reputation: image, identity and personality. Though these may sound the same at first, they have distinct differences. Let’s discuss each one.

Image

Your brand image is the external view that others have of your personal or professional brand. You can influence your image by your behavior, but ultimately, others make the decision.

A positive image means that your audience will trust your brand and be loyal to it. A negative image means that the public (and even your personal connections) will likely avoid your brand.

Identity

Your brand identity is how you define your brand, and it includes elements like your mission, values and vision. Think of brand identity as the narrative you create and that you want others to associate with your brand.

A solid brand identity makes it easier for the public to understand your purpose and differentiate you from competitors. Without a strong brand identity, though, you’ll weaken your brand’s recognition and authority in the industry.

Personality

The easiest way to think of a brand personality is to compare it to a person’s personality. How you approach your interactions with others, your tone, and your style all go into brand personality. On a deeper level, your brand’s personality is what will connect emotionally with your audience.

If you fail to develop a brand personality that accurately reflects your brand identity, it’ll be difficult to connect with potential customers. Without that emotional connection, there’s no reason for them to choose your brand over another.

Pro Tip: Pay Attention To What’s Coming From the Inside

It’s important to mention that everyone involved in a company plays a significant role in the company’s reputation. Anyone who is speaking or sharing information about your brand shapes public perception. That includes your employees and stakeholders.

When paying attention to public sentiment, make sure to also listen to the messages that are coming from within your brand, not just outside of it.

How Is a Business Reputation Made?

Most of the time, when someone searches for your business — or the types of products or services you offer — they don’t know much, if anything, about your business.

In this scenario, when someone finds your brand online and wants to learn more about your company, they’ll base their opinion on whatever they find out about you. This can happen in a matter of seconds, which is why it’s so important to know the first impression you’re making on your audience.

The perception that someone gets about your business through blog posts, online reviews, social media channels, word-of-mouth and more matters. 

If you have a poor online reputation, potential customers are not necessarily going to take the time to find out if the negative content is true or not. They’ll likely believe what they see and move on to one of your competitors.

Which Strategies Build a Positive Reputation?

Online reputation management involves a number of strategies to shape the public’s perception of your brand. In general, ORM is the practice of influencing the public perception of an individual or company by leveraging online information about that entity.

Included in the process is the strategy of monitoring online mentions of a person or organization and addressing any damaging information. In order to determine reputation management needs, it’s also important to monitor social media and search engine results for the person’s or brand’s name.

After gathering online reputation insights from monitoring, an assessment can be made as to how to best resolve issues like negative content or poor reviews.

This is the foundation of reputation management theory — determining how to manage public perception and align the brand image with the company’s identity and values.

Once you’ve found out where a brand’s online reputation currently stands, you can make decisions about how to improve a poor reputation or capitalize on a good reputation. A public relations (PR) campaign may be implemented to increase positive visibility or decrease negative visibility, for example. 

Content suppression tactics may also be used to “hide” negative content in Google search results and have positive content prominently display instead. A good reputation manager will publish enough neutral and positive posts in order to push down negative content that’s ranking highly in Google results or on social media platforms.

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.

Taking Control of Your Online Presence

While you can choose the information you share with the public and your target audience, you can’t control the conversations they have about your brand. And they are definitely having those conversations and listening to what others say:

• For more than 45% of internet users, one of their main reasons for going online is to research products and brands

• Over 76% of internet users go on social media to learn about brands and products

• Upwards of 93% of online shoppers read reviews before making an online purchase

• 91% of consumers say their perception of big brands is impacted by reviews of local branches

• Customers pay more for the same item from a company they’re unfamiliar with versus one that’s had a recent scandal

Given the number of people who are willing to discuss real customer experiences — and especially negative ones — the only truly effective way to create a positive online reputation is through your behavior.

First and foremost, be purposeful about the images, videos and other content you share. Remember that everything you put online is findable through online searches or background checks.

It’s also important to appropriately and professionally respond to online reviews, especially negative ones. Publicly handling negative feedback in a way that reflects well on your brand shows others that you prioritize your audience and care about how others feel about you.

Other helpful strategies for creating a positive reputation include focusing on the customer experience, representing your brand in an honest way, and actively engaging with your audience online.

How To Manage Your Online Reputation

Reputable companies that manage brand reputation will improve your rankings and showcase your positive characteristics while pushing down negative results associated with your brand.

Additionally, media monitoring tools are used to learn about new brand mentions the moment they appear online. This way, you can react to any feedback you receive, both positive and negative, allowing you to stay active with the community and continue to shape your online reputation.

Here are common reputation management tactics that the pros rely on:

Online Reviews and Ratings

Always keep an eye on what other people are saying about your brand on the internet. 

Look for both positive and negative reviews. Find ways to build on the positive reactions, and also address the problems people have with your product or service. 

It’s always best to respond politely and professionally, offering concrete solutions to problems.

Social Media Management

To use social media effectively, you need to communicate your brand value to your audience. Show them what sets you apart from the competition.

Harness the power of eye-catching content for your profiles to get people noticing your brand. Different social platforms have a variety of ways to create and promote content, so take advantage of what’s offered.

If possible, work with influencers who reach your target audience to improve your authority and spread awareness for your products or services.

Search Engine Optimization

Most internet users don’t go past the first search engine results page (SERP), with less than 1% clicking on a result on the 2nd page. Moreover, the top 3 Google search results get more than 54% of all clicks.

That’s why it’s crucial to rank positive content at the top of the first SERP.

Additionally, if you have negative brand content that’s ranking highly on the first page of search results, you’ll want to push it to the second page or further.

Search engine optimization (SEO) can lead to a better perception of your brand, along with more organic traffic to your website and increased conversions.

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

Ethical Online Reputation Management

There are a number of ORM and SEO techniques that work, but Google strongly recommends against using them.

For example, Google doesn’t want websites to post auto-generated content (as in, AI content) as-is, because this creates too much low-quality, similar content online.

Other forbidden SEO strategies include:

• Using automated programs to create links to your site
• Hiding keywords to mislead users and Google
• Keyword stuffing to cheaply rank that content on the SERP

By violating Google policies, Google can push down your web pages in search results or even remove your content from its directory altogether.

While you may have the chance to fix the problems and resubmit your content to Google, there’s no guarantee that it’ll be listed in the database again. And even if it is, you may have to start from scratch to get those high rankings you once achieved.

The way you’re perceived online matters, and a poor online reputation can damage your personal life and your professional opportunities. Find out how to create the online reputation you deserve by calling (844) 458-6735 today.

Professional ORM Services Can Help

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.

Through our parent company, NetReputation, we offer a range of ORM services, including ad management, local SEO, review monitoring, content removal and more. Our tried-and-true strategy includes auditing, repair, monitoring and management, and our services will be customized to your unique needs.

Call us today at (844) 458-6735 to learn more.

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

Go on Instagram or any social media page and read posts by high-profile celebrities, business owners and entrepreneurs, influencers, and others whose followers hang on their every word. Any content published that rubs people the wrong way will ignite a flurry of comments and negative feedback.

For example, let’s look at Kylie Jenner’s most recent social media post where she’s about to board a private jet, and ponders in writing whether she and her boyfriend should take “mine or yours” (meaning which of the two jets they should choose). The caption, whether or not she meant it as tongue and cheek, went viral and generated a slew of negative feedback, with followers calling out the makeup mogul for a number of issues.

For one, she faced backlash over the environmental harm caused by the short trips she’s been known to take on her jet. One Reddit user said:

“It’s so frustrating to see them post stuff like this while living really wasteful lives even though they have all the means to try and be as sustainable as possible.”

Another commenter said it was “annoying when celebrities implore their fans to take action that they themselves seem unwilling to follow through on.”

A Positive Social Media Reputation Takes Ongoing TLC

While most CEOs and business people are not showcasing their jets, the above example is indicative of how statements (even flippant ones) on social media pages can have negative ramifications.

Jenner, as so many others in the public and private sector, should heed the lessons learned when customer sentiment turns against you, and you find yourself scrambling to undo the many negative comments from social media followers (and in customer feedback) as a result of actions taken or not taken, or statements made.

You can choose to either ignore the negativity (which is never a good idea) when customer issues arise, or employ thoughtful and strategic online reputation management so controversies like this are averted.

What’s the First Step in Social Media Reputation Management for a Company Brand?

You must have a social media plan. First, decide which social media channels you want to participate in. Look at your target audience and determine which social media sites make sense for you to post on, share customer stories, invite online reviews, and generate quality content on an ongoing basis.

If your target audience skews on the younger side, Instagram and TikTok may be your social media platforms of choice. If your customers are older, Facebook and Instagram may be two of the social media accounts where you want a presence and you want the customer experience to be featured on.

Think of social media as a form of business discovery apps. These platforms can help you connect with new audiences, expand your digital footprint, and build engagement with followers.

Once you know which social media channels you want to utilize to build and maintain a positive online reputation, decide who in your company (or firm, if you are using a third party) is responsible for posting and commenting along with which topics will be on point for your company brand reputation.

While you want to be current and spontaneous, perhaps there are certain topics you want to avoid to mitigate any potential pitfalls. These topics may be politics or social issues, for example.

Encourage Reviews and User Generated Content for a Positive Brand Image

In addition to your own content, again, invite your customers to share positive reviews about their experiences with your products and services. User-generated content is a great way to showcase your brand and customer experience on social media. Plus, search engines love fresh content, which helps with search engine optimization (SEO) and page ranking. When individuals do a Google search, for example, your social media content will also appear.

In addition, social media reviews are seen by a broad audience and will go further in getting you new customers than simply relying on word of mouth. Consumers trust online reviews as long as they are authentic.

Employ Social Listening Tools Across Your Social Media Networks

It’s important to interact with your customers and potential customers. So you need to know what they are saying about your business. Be sure you have a strategy in place to listen to what they have to say.

Many businesses, unfortunately, don’t check their reviews, missing a real opportunity to further your company’s good reputation. Remember, purchasing decisions are often made based on what other customers are saying about your products and their quality.

There are myriad tools available to monitor your social media feeds. One of the most popular is Sprout Social, which offers an “all-in-one” solution. You may also consider using the services of a social media reputation management team.

So you need to check reviews and customer feedback and respond to both positive and negative reviews and comments.

Deal with Negative Reviews, Respond Professionally

You need to deal with a negative review head-on once it’s online. This is critical to managing your online reputation. If negative reviews or controversial or disparaging social media comments go unchecked, they have a way of taking over and damaging your brand image and online reputation.

As part of your company’s reputation management, deal with a customer complaint or bad customer experiences by trying to turn things around. Find out what the issues are and work to rectify them. Your existing customers will appreciate this and you will get new customers along the way if they believe in your authenticity and transparency.

Remember, you won’t always get positive reviews or comments related to your social media posts and stories. Dissatisfied customers will exist. Highlight and promote comments and glowing reviews by satisfied customers and deal with the negative reviews and feedback as part of your social media management strategy.

Monitor Online Review Websites

Your customers are not only commenting on social media platforms. They are also providing feedback on online review websites. Critical to your social media reputation management is monitoring these sites, including Angi and others, depending on the type of business you have.

Go Beyond Social Media for a Positive Online Reputation

In addition to leveraging social media to enhance your brand’s reputation and image, you can employ other strategies as well to gain new business and increase sales and your customer base.

For example, look at what digital marketing strategies you can employ, such as email marketing that enables you to target specific audiences and drive them to your website and social media platforms. You’ll be engaging with existing customers and, at the same time targeting new customers.

Establish Your Company Name As a Thought Leader

Beef up your company blog by becoming an industry authority in your niche market. You can then post on your social media channels to showcase your expertise and drive more traffic to your website. This will help boost your digital reputation.

Keep It Fresh: Generate Content Often

Publish content regularly to help retain customers and generate new business. This isn’t a one and one tactic. It’s a long-term strategy that will help with building your business and your online reputation with positive search results.

Ensure that when employees post information — whether on social media sites, your website, or on any other digital platform — that they don’t include or reveal sensitive data about customers.

Utilizing an ORM Social Media Reputation Management Firm

You may find you don’t have the resources to keep up with your social media reputation, including monitoring what is being said about your company and brand. An Online Reputation Management (ORM) company provides services that will help manage your company’s reputation on a social media platform, your website, review sites, blogs, etc.

An ORM can audit your social media content to ensure your brand is presented in the best light — that positive content is what comes up in search results.

An ORM can also help you with the impact from the fallout of a negative incident that’s damaging to your business.

Contact ReputationSciences Today

Whether you are a business owner or an individual, you know that building and maintaining a good social media reputation is a complex and challenging process. That process has to be comprehensive. With social media reputation management across platforms, you gain a visible digital footprint that can help you stand out from the competition.

A reliable partner is just what you need to get started. Contact us or call ReputationSciences at (844) 458-6735 to learn about managing your business reputation with a free consultation.

The post How Can You Improve Social Media Reputation Management? appeared first on Reputation Sciences.

Today, an individual’s and business’s online reputation is integral to personal and brand success. It takes years to build trust and credibility and to establish yourself as a thought leader, innovator, pioneer, and visionary and your company brand as providing quality products and services and a firm on which people can rely. It also requires ongoing online reputation management, which only an experienced firm can provide.

Online reputation management (ORM) intimately understands how search engines work, how information is compiled and ranked in search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing, the utmost importance of creating and posting positive content, the impact of negative reviews on review sites and social media platforms have on an individual’s and company’s online reputation; and, most importantly, how to leverage your online presence for optimum reputational results.

ORM Strategies: An Online Reputation Management (ORM) Begins with an Online Reputation Audit

The first step in business is to determine your online reputation. Do you have an online presence — if you don’t have ongoing content about your business online, others will.

What comes up when someone searches your name or your company’s name? Are there positive reviews? Is your business online portrayed the way you want it to be?

Is there negative feedback on Google, Angi, and other review sites? Are you seeing negative customer reviews?

What types of comments are on your social media channels? And, if there are negative comments, are you or your staff providing timely reactions to turn negativity into a positive review? Or are any negative comments going unaddressed, allowing customers and prospects to form opinions?

Have any events, incidents, or unexpected crises that could turn public opinion against you or the company if articles come up about the event/crisis in the search engines? It just takes one miscalculation or misstep to damage a company’s reputation.

Once your company’s online reputation is revealed via an audit, strategies, and techniques will be developed and created to either boost and enhance your reputation or change it for the better if there are any issues.

What’s Next? Start creating positive online content.

Create Content for Your Brand Online on Website, Social Media

You and your business do many great things, so sharing what you do online is important. This means developing and implementing an online reputation management strategy to create and post positive content.

How does an online reputation management company do this?

Start with your website: Tell your brand story.

Does your site’s home page tell your story? How well is your About Us page written? Does it reflect your core business, values, brand credibility, and brand image? If not, it’s time to work on this and beef up the content.

Does your website contain online reviews that reflect customer satisfaction? Customer testimonials are great as long as they are authentic. They help bring your products and services to life. People want to do business with a company that others laud, and it’s a great way to attract new potential customers.

Does your site appear on page one for branded terms—which is where you want to be? This requires keyword research, which can be accomplished with on-page optimization and blog content.

Speaking of blogs, what’s happening with the blog section of your website? Search engines love content, which again helps you rank on page one. The blog has to include relevant content. Plus, it’s important not to have any duplicate content.

Blogs are a great way to enhance your brand’s reputation. An online reputation management firm can help you create blog topics, interview staff to gain insight, and ghost-write articles that elevate the company brand reputation — as well as your own.

A deep dive into your social media accounts

You have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts. They need to be monitored and maintained with posts and shares to help with search engine optimization (SEO) and organic growth.

You want to encourage your customers to go on your social media channels and share their experiences. For example, if you have a restaurant, you want people to post photos and positive online reviews and tag your establishment. If you own a clothing store, you want customers to wear your clothes, post pictures, and tag your retail shop. If you’re a physician, perhaps a dermatologist, what better way to say a good word about your services than on social media!!

However, social media accounts need to be managed so that negative reviews can be addressed immediately. An ORM strategy will include social media management and monitoring and help with customer engagement.

An ORM Agency Gets Positive Content Published

An online reputation management firm will also employ a strategy to garner free publicity. As mentioned, search engines love content. One way to get content online is to write and submit articles to publications on topics of interest to their readership and in your wheelhouse. An online reputation management firm will determine which topics fit your expertise and will help boost your brand reputation.

From there, the online reputation management firm will create a schedule of articles based on the topics they’ve researched. There are guidelines for each publication with which an ORM is familiar. Articles ranging from 600 to 1,000 words, depending on the publication requirements, will be written and reviewed by you. These are not self-promoting articles but convey your expertise in a particular area.

As the online reputation management firm builds up your library of articles published regularly, your brand online will gain traction. When someone types in your name or a specific topic, like “how to build a great team,” your article in CEO World or Entrepreneur magazine, for example, will appear in searches.

This is a great way to build credibility.

More ORM Strategies: Write and Send Out Press Releases

When you have a new product, send a press release to the publications in your industry, whether B2B or B2C. If you hired new talent, write and distribute press releases. This valuable content helps with your online reputation management and Google search engine results and rankings. The more you publish positive content, the more successful your brand’s online reputation will be.

An ORM will write and distribute the press releases.

Encourage Customers to Post Reviews

Get more reviews on your website and your Google Local Business Profile and Angi (if applicable). The more reviews you get, the better for your search engine strategies and, ultimately, your company’s reputation. Personal recommendations go a very long way in getting new customers.

Turn Those Negative Reviews Around

Unfortunately, not all customers provide positive feedback. Online reputation management services also include assisting companies with negative reviews.

First, when writing great content, the negative comments will disappear from page one of the search engines. At the same time, it’s essential to address the negative reviews and comments to resolve customer issues. An ORM strategy can help you turn negative feedback from someone into a person who becomes an advocate for your company.

Your company’s reputation is based not only on everything great about it, your staff, and your products and services but also on how you deal with a potentially delicate or bad situation.

Online reviews are essential. Before making a purchase, most people will read online reviews about a brand to help them decide.

How you deal with bad reviews speaks to your credibility and transparency. An online reputation management strategy that helps you manage negative comments, press, reviews, etc., is critical to your brand’s reputation.

Recap: Online Reputation Management ORM Strategies

Your online reputation is critical to your company’s success. You want to ensure a positive public perception and create brand credibility. This takes reputation management. Here’s a recap of the strategies an online reputation management firm can provide you with for improved search results and an enhanced and positive reputation.

• An online reputation audit that includes analyzing brand mentions and developing key strategies.
• A review of your website and blog content to enhance your brand story and optimize existing content for search results, and to post fresh content on the Internet regularly (remember, search engine optimization is vital in getting your company ranked at the top of search engines)
• Social media management and monitoring for negative mentions
• Creation of articles on relevant topics to be published in industry and business magazines
• Press release (PR) development and distribution to assist with the success of your online business, promote new products and services, new staff, community service, etc.
• Managing and dealing with a negative customer review or harmful content, an ORM helps neutralize negative content by developing positive content that appears in search results.

The ORM process begins with a free consultation to determine a company’s online reputation needs and how to proceed best. Brand perception is critical for all companies and must be managed regularly to ensure continued success in the market.

Contact ReputationSciences Today

Building and maintaining a good reputation is complex and challenging, whether for a business or an individual. The process has to be comprehensive, including not just your website but a variety of outlets (such as review sites) that tend to rank highly across industry searches. But that doesn’t make it impossible.

A reliable partner is just what you need to get started. Contact us or call ReputationSciences at (844) 458-6735 to learn about managing your business reputation with a free consultation.

The post ORM Strategies to Help with Reputation Management appeared first on Reputation Sciences.