Monitor Your Online Reputation
If you own a business then you’re most likely aware that the web is one large mega phone, with many competing for attention. It is used by those who do good to get their message out but also by those with ill intent, bent on complaining. They openly and loudly complain about businesses or people who they feel have done them an injustice. Some complain just because they’re looking to take their own personal frustrations out on others. Whether you like it or not, doesn’t make the noise go away. You may long for the days when word of mouth was just that but to ignore the powerful positives of the online world out of fear for the potential negative is just bad business. Instead, arm yourself with knowledge and when necessary hire experts to help guide and protect your personal reputation and your business. If you go to Google and type in your company name, hopefully you’ll find your business dominating all the first page results. If so, then you’ve already taken a huge step in protecting your business in the digital world. If not, then you’ve got work to do. Unfortunately, what many business owners fail to realize is that they need to take the same proactive measures with their own personal name! More than ever, people are interested in real relationships and this includes knowing who lives behind the company banner. This personal exposure may come at a price, if you’re not prepared to intelligently defend your personal reputation as well as the reputation of your business. If you don’t own all the Google first page results for your own name, then you’re leaving a gaping hole in your online reputation defense. The good news is that there are many free tools to help monitor and protect your online reputation. Start with these free monitoring services.
Free Online Reputation Monitoring Tools
- Google Alerts: Monitor any mentions of your name or web address on the web
- Hyper Alerts: Monitor posts and comments on your Facebook page(s)
- Twilert: Monitor Twitter tweets about your name
- HootSuite: Manage multiple social profiles via dashboard
Create a Google Alert for your name and your url (http://yourname.com).
Use Google Alerts to track any instances where your name or url appears online.
Check your alerts often – daily recommended – but at least once per week.
You can send your alerts to an email address or to Google Reader.
* To more easily track your alerts, consider creating a dedicated email and use it only for tracking alerts.
Use HyperAlerts to monitor your Facebook Page(s).
* Send your alerts to your dedicated alert email address.
Use Twilert to monitor Twitter for tweets containing your name.
*Send your email alerts to your dedicated alert email address.
Use HootSuite to manage and monitor multiple social media profiles including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and more. Management is hands on through a browser based dashboard.
Don’t leave your name vulnerable. Be proactive and protect your name as well as your business in the deep waters of the digital world. Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll cover some free ways to build a protective barrier around your most valuable asset, your personal name.
