Reputation Management

bad-reputation1The LAST impression will leave a LASTING impression. That’s how the saying goes and we all know how true these words can be especially in business. It’s scary to think how simple someone’s long standing reputation can be stained by one bad experience. Countless testimonial systems attached to search engines and directories have forced business owners to take part in an ever-growing struggle to manage their online reputation.
Here are some problems business owners face in New Zealand:

  • Directories list your business without your consent
  • The consumer can post bad feedback and you don’t hear about it
  • Directories don’t always make it simple to defend your case
  • Competitors take advantage of this provision to intentionally cause damage

The main problem with a bad reputation is that search engines are too attracted to testimonial systems, nowdisplaying trusted testimonial sources such as No-cowboys, Finda and Yellow in their search results under your business name. This is a problem many business owners are faced with. How do you keep track and how do you prevent negative PR affecting your day to day business? A Google statistic has shown that over 40% of people searching for a niche are guided by testimonials. In fact, testimonials are so important that Google have announced they will display these in their existing paid advertising.
BAD REPUTATION ON INDEPENDENT WEBSITES
jb_testamonial_example
News websites, blogs, forums and independent pages can cause more trouble than testimonials as their content is considered unique and most relevant around your brand. The disadvantage with having bad PR on such sites is that they are very often biased and don’t give you an opportunity to defend yourself. It takes a lot of effort, and depending on the amount of damage such PR can do, sometimes legal assistance is required. Even more damaging is the fact that such reputation can result in high search results on the internet when someone is looking for you by business name!
Here some examples of how damaging “damaging” can be. Even if it’s a lie, you are at fault until you can prove your innocence
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/business/media/16dominos.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo
How can YHP help you manage your online reputation?
Understanding how search works enables us to optimise search engine results in both directions, UP and DOWN. Where one search result is desirable at #1 another search result could be desirable on page 100. YHP have developed systems that track, record and optimise your brand positioning online. We have spent years in the Black-hat industry fixing unethical SEO and have repaired what some of our clients thought to be an impossible situation. Do you have some bad rep online that has been a thorn in your side? Speak to us about removing it!