| The World Wide Web is a double-edged sword, if | | | | to minimize the damage negative information may |
| ever there was one. It opens up new markets, allows | | | | have on your business and even improve your |
| for fast and easy market research and customer | | | | company's standing reputation. It is called reputation |
| feedback. It facilitates better customer service and | | | | management. |
| shortened the time it takes to do business. | | | | Reputation management professionals specialize in |
| Unfortunately, the very things that make the Internet so | | | | protecting businesses' online image by controlling, to a |
| wonderful for business can also be very dangerous, | | | | degree, what people read, watch, or listen to. |
| especially to smaller businesses. The rise of blogging | | | | Research shows that the vast majority of Internet |
| and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter has | | | | users only look at the first three pages of search |
| accelerated the speed at which information circulates | | | | results generated by an online search engine. |
| through the world; if that information is damaging to | | | | Therefore, the kind of information that appears in |
| your company's reputation, you could be in big trouble. | | | | those first three pages is largely what determines a |
| For example, suppose a food critic writes an | | | | company's online reputation. |
| unfavorable or downright vicious review of a | | | | Reputation managers use the tools available on the |
| restaurant and posts it on a blog. Other dining-related | | | | Internet to make sure, as far as is possible, that |
| web sites will most likely pick up on the information | | | | negative information doesn't show up on those first |
| within a day at the most (and more likely within a | | | | three pages. Using the same tools that can be so |
| matter of hours). Each web site writes and article or | | | | harmful--blogs, social networks, business profile linking, |
| somehow refers to the review. Viewers all over the | | | | wiki--reputation management teams make sure that |
| place will soon be reading an article and either forming | | | | enough positive, or at least neutral information makes it |
| or reevaluating their opinion of the restaurant. Within | | | | onto the first few pages of search results to |
| the space of a single day, the restaurant is already in | | | | counterbalance the effect of any negative information |
| danger of losing vital clientele. | | | | that may be out there. |
| It is almost impossible to track the spread of | | | | As the business world begins to rely on the Internet |
| information via the Internet. Once damaging information | | | | more and more, it is important that every business |
| is published, it's there to stay. However, there is a way | | | | have a good reputation management strategy. |