Have you given much thought to your online reputation?
Chances are you haven’t. However, what you don’t know can hurt you, especially when speaking of your reputation.
Why an Online Reputation is so Important
A good reputation is, of course, important for your personal life, but it is often just as important for your professional life. If you are in any type of position that relies on relationships with other people then you should definitely be concerned about your online reputation.
A good example of the importance of a good online reputation is Carolyn Capalbo, a well-known REALTOR in Virginia. Carolyn Capalbo, despite her successes in the real estate industry, could not escape the fact that she shared the same name with Ashley Dupre’s mother (the infamous call girl who was involved in the sex scandal with Eliot Spitzer).
Carolyn Capalbo was now dealing with clients Googling her, only to find information (and sordid photos, mind you) of the other Carolyn Capalbo. She quickly understood that her reputation was at stake and that, simply because of search engine results, the REALTOR Carolyn Capalbo was being undermined by the other Carolyn Capalbo and the scandal that surrounded her.
What does the Internet say about you?
What are people saying about? What are people not saying about you? If someone Googles your name, what can they expect to find?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you owe it to yourself to discover just how important your online reputation can be. And perhaps the biggest influence when it comes to online reputations is social media networks.
The Key to a Great Online Reputation: Social Networks
Even if we don’t use them, we surely know them: Twitter, MySpace, Facebook and the like. Americans today use them to post thoughts, opinions and questions; they also use them to keep in touch with family and friends and even connect with long-lost friends and family. However, perhaps most importantly, they use them to get the word out about themselves and others.
Perhaps the best way to become engaged in the online community is to become part of it. In other words, if you can’t beat them, join them! If you notice negative comments about you online, or if there’s simply a lack of information about you, then you may want to consider actively engaging in one or more of the Internet’s most popular social networks.
Social networks give you the opportunity to engage others in your business; they allow you to provide useful information; they allow you to refute any negative words written about you or your business; and they draw a considerable amount of attention to your business.
In the end, social networks are here to stay, so it pays to become actively involved so that you, too, can build your online reputation.
