How to Manage Your Online Reputation

Search your company name, executive names, and product names on Google using both regular and incognito mode. Review the first three pages of results for each search. Document every result: positive, negative, and neutral. Check review platforms relevant to your industry — Google Business, Yelp, Trustpilot, Glassdoor, and industry-specific sites. Examine social media mentions across all major platforms. Take screenshots and catalog everything in a spreadsheet noting the source, sentiment, date, and current ranking position. This audit is your baseline for measuring improvement.

Implement monitoring tools that alert you to new mentions in real time. Google Alerts is free and covers web mentions and news. Social listening tools like Mention, Brandwatch, or Sprout Social track social media conversations. Review monitoring services alert you to new reviews across platforms. Set alerts for your company name, product names, executive names, and competitor names. Designate a team member to review alerts daily and escalate issues that require immediate attention. Fast response to reputation threats dramatically reduces their impact.

Claim your business listing on every platform where your brand appears or could appear: Google Business Profile, LinkedIn Company Page, Facebook Business Page, Yelp, Glassdoor, industry directories, and any sector-specific platforms. Complete every profile field with accurate, consistent information. Use the same company description, contact details, and branding across all platforms. Unclaimed profiles can be edited by anyone, spreading inaccurate information. Claimed profiles give you control over your brand presentation and the ability to respond to reviews.

Build a steady stream of positive, accurate content that represents your brand well in search results. This includes publishing articles on your company blog, contributing byline pieces to industry publications, maintaining an active LinkedIn presence with valuable content, creating case studies that showcase results, and producing video content that humanizes your brand. Each piece of content creates a new search result that can displace negative or irrelevant results over time. Focus on quality and consistency rather than volume — search engines reward authoritative, regularly updated content.

Respond to every review — positive and negative. Thank positive reviewers specifically for what they appreciated. For negative reviews, acknowledge the concern, apologize for the experience, take the conversation offline by providing a direct contact, and follow up to resolve the issue. Never argue publicly, make excuses, or question the reviewer's honesty. Your response is not just for the reviewer — it is for every future prospect who reads the exchange. A thoughtful, professional response to a negative review can actually strengthen your reputation more than the negative review harmed it.

If negative results appear on the first page of search results, focus on creating and promoting positive content specifically designed to outrank them. Publish content on high-authority domains: guest articles on industry publications, press releases on major wire services, LinkedIn Pulse articles, and updated company profiles on business directories. Optimize each piece for the same search terms where negative results appear. This approach, known as search result displacement, takes three to six months to show results but creates lasting improvement in your online presence.

Not all negative content can or should be removed. For factually inaccurate content, contact the publisher with a correction request supported by evidence. For defamatory content, consult legal counsel about removal options. For legitimate negative reviews or fair criticism, respond publicly and work to resolve the underlying issue. For outdated information that no longer reflects your company, submit removal requests to search engines or request updates from the publishing site. Prioritize your efforts on the results that appear on page one of Google — content beyond page two rarely impacts perception.

Online reputation management is not a project — it is an ongoing practice. Establish a monthly reputation review: check search results, review monitoring alerts, audit review platforms, and assess social media sentiment. Update your content strategy based on emerging threats or opportunities. Celebrate and amplify positive coverage. Address issues promptly before they escalate. Build reputation management into your standard business operations alongside marketing, customer service, and quality control. The companies with the strongest reputations are those that treat reputation as a continuous investment rather than a crisis response.