| For those who find the need for a little correction of | | | | Then, if you have the time, or if you have dedicated |
| their online image but can't afford to hire a reputation | | | | friends or employees, you can attempt to create your |
| management company to fix the problem, there are a | | | | own micro sites, or mini-websites that link to your |
| few steps that you can take to minimize the effects | | | | website but don't look like direct offshoots. |
| of a negative search engine image. | | | | This can be tricky, though, because if people searching |
| First, you can attempt to contact those who have | | | | for you or your company realize that you have |
| libeled your name and have them remove the | | | | created this page yourself, it can have the opposite |
| content--if it's untrue. Sometimes, people do have a | | | | effect, and your reputation management plan has |
| legitimate reason to post a negative review of you or | | | | gone awry. |
| your company, and there's not much you can do about | | | | Perhaps one of the biggest proactive steps you can |
| it. | | | | take to improve your online image is to actually read |
| Next, try registering for all of the domain names you | | | | those bad reviews. Some of them might be valid, and |
| can think of that are related to you or your company. | | | | you can use their negative feedback to improve your |
| This is an easy process, though it does require some | | | | service. |
| money. Use any domain-registering website such as | | | | For example, if someone raged on his or her blog |
| GoDaddy.com, BuyDomains.com, or and start | | | | about how rude one of your employees were, you |
| searching for all related domain names you can think | | | | might consider holding an extra training meeting in |
| of, and buy up all of the open ones. | | | | which you stress the importance of good, friendly |
| This will usually cost you about $10 but can really help | | | | customer service. In the long run, this is one of the best |
| with your reputation management. | | | | things you can do to improve your company image. |
| You can take two approaches to this: you should start | | | | Sounds simple enough. |
| by buying up all the potentially negative domains that | | | | As a company or individual, you can take these steps |
| an angry customer/former employee could attempt to | | | | on your own to help improve your online reputation and |
| use. Get creative here. If your company is called XY, | | | | also prevent it to some degree from being smeared in |
| buy domains like XYsucks or XYisstupid. Well, be a | | | | the future. However, if these small steps don't seem to |
| little more creative than that, too. This is a proactive | | | | improve your condition, you might look into hiring a |
| approach that could prevent future reputation damage. | | | | reputation management company to really sort things |
| Also, you can start buying positive domain names. | | | | out. |