According to Tech Bullion, over the past few years, the internet has continued to grow and with it, online reputation management has become one of the top priorities of businesses. Online reputation management is how a company or individual manages and controls its online image. With the growth of the internet, your online reputation will follow you around wherever you go. Today, 90 percent of consumers read online reviews before visiting or considering a business. This means how your business shows up on search results and reviews is very often the first impression people have. A single post can have a large, long-lasting impact on your company and your sales.
In online reputation management there are three forms of online media that directly impact your reputation: earned media, paid media, and social media. Each form of media has its own sphere of influence and offers different forms of reputation building.
Earned media is content reviews and other forms of media that are created by 3rd party sources that are not directly affiliated with the business and that was not paid for. Earned media requires a company to stand out from their competition either due to their innovative ideas, or high-end products that customers and clients believe are worth mentioning to others. Unfortunately, earned media can also be negative if people were not happy with your services.
Paid media is all forms of media that require payment to feature on external websites and networks. Some examples of paid media include advertising on Google or Facebook and sponsored posts on blogs. While some people look down on paid media, it is a very effective method of getting your name out to the general public and can quickly drive business.
Finally, social media involves all content that is created for the purpose of websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Unlike the previous two forms of media, social media requires continual action by engaging in conversations and publishing fresh content for the public to consume.
Managing an online reputation is not a one and done type of thing; it is a continual exercise that will take years to cultivate. However, the benefits of having a positive online reputation cannot be understated.