That’s because Google evaluates a website’s quality based on three factors — expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

Sentiment indicates reputation, which indicates trustworthiness. However, if the sentiment is negative, it can damage a reputation.

My belief is that the sentiment around a brand or website is its primary indicator of trustworthiness. This is why sentiment analysis is now part of SEO success.

To help you use sentiment analysis to strengthen your site, here I’ll explain how to do it both manually and with today’s best tools. In this post:

• What is sentiment
• What is sentiment analysis
• Why reviews are important
• Sentiment beyond online reviews
• How to conduct sentiment analysis (manually and with tools)
• How to incorporate sentiment data in SEO
• FAQ: How can I use sentiment analysis to improve my brand’s online reputation and trustworthiness?

What Is Sentiment?

By definition, sentiment is the emotional tone behind someone’s words, whether written or spoken. When it comes to your business, it’s what people are saying and feeling about your company and products.

Discovering your brand’s online sentiment has many benefits. You can use that kind of info to improve customer satisfaction, influence product development, expand brand awareness … the list goes on.

How do you discover your online sentiment? Through sentiment analysis.

What Is Sentiment Analysis?

Sentiment analysis is the process of analyzing text to determine the speaker or writer’s emotional tone.

Basically, it’s figuring out how the writer feels about the subject. This can be done with a few key searches or with sentiment analysis tools.

As humans, we are pretty good at understanding what people say as either positive, negative, or neutral. So, we analyze sentiment naturally.

Computers, on the other hand, have a much harder time with it. Consider these examples:

• “This place is terrific!”
• “This place is a terrific waste of money!”

We can tell the difference easily. But can a machine tell that these two comments have opposite sentiments? Thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, analyzing sentiment is now possible — and I believe Google is using sentiment measurement to detect that trust component.

When Google wants to analyze the sentiment of a brand or website, it mostly looks at online reviews.

Why Reviews Are Important

User reviews affect purchasing decisions. Online reviews signal trust and help increase the buyer’s confidence.

A study by Spiegel Research Center found that “The purchase likelihood for a product with five reviews is 270% greater than the purchase likelihood of a product with no reviews.” Interestingly, the study found that reviews carry twice as much weight for higher-priced products.

So, the bigger the purchase decision, the more people rely on reviews.

If online reviews influence people’s purchasing decisions this much, it’s no wonder search engines want to factor them into their algorithms.

Search engines want satisfied searchers. So, they need to show trustworthy results.

But review sites aren’t the only places to find user sentiment …

Sentiment Beyond Online Reviews

Social sentiment is all over the web. Customers are sharing how they feel about you on social media, in forums, in news articles, and in Wikipedia.

All that sentiment, so little time.

Reading all comments across every social media platform and review site is a lot of work. Even a small business will find that challenging.

Luckily, there are relatively pain-free ways to perform sentiment analysis — both with and without tools.

How to Conduct Sentiment Analysis

Now that we know it’s possible to analyze online sentiment, the question is: how do you mine and analyze online sentiment across multiple sites?

Using a combination of manual searches and sentiment analysis tools, you can get a pretty good understanding of a site’s online reputation and monitor it in real time.

First, I’ll show you how to run a sentiment analysis without tools.

How to Do Sentiment Analysis Manually

Tools are helpful when monitoring real-time reviews and conversations. But even without them, you can get an accurate understanding of a brand’s reputation online. Here’s how.

Step 1: Start with the Better Business Bureau.

The Better Business Bureau’s slogan is “Start with Trust.”

It is one of the most important metrics for a business’s reputation (for businesses within the U.S.).

Pay attention to your BBB rating and address complaints. You’d be surprised at the number of clients that don’t do either.

Step 2: Check independent rating services.

Besides the BBB, millions of people use Yelp, Consumer Reports, Amazon, and Google Shopping. Visit these sites and learn how people feel about you by reading the reviews.

It’s also a good idea to check smaller review sites that focus on your industry niche. BrightLocal has a great list of high-quality niche review sites for your reference. Many people rely on these specialized review sites when it comes to industries such as healthcare and law.

Step 3: Take advantage of your review accounts.

SEOs should make sure websites are making the most of the review sites and social media platforms they already have.

If you’re not doing so already, monitor and encourage Google reviews. Make sure your Google My Business account is current.

Also, turn on Reviews on your Facebook business page. Recommendations that people make on Facebook are integrated into reviews, so it is important to enable this feature and add greater trust.

Your Google reviews and ratings appear prominently in the knowledge panel when anyone searches for your brand. Facebook or other site’s reviews can also show up, so don’t miss out on these trust signals.

Step 4: Use the 100-Point Algorithm.

I am impressed with Brian Patterson’s metric for calculating a brand’s online reputation. Called the “100-Point Algorithm,” it calculates the sentiment score of a particular search results page. Brian is a columnist at Search Engine Land and he shared his equation back in 2015.

It’s a manual way to discover and track sentiment by page, and you can learn how to do it directly from him.

Now that you’ve done the hard work by hand, it’s time to see what the bots can do for you.

6 Tools for Sentiment Analysis

There are many sentiment analysis tools that offer different features and functionalities. Some only mine and analyze, while others also organize and display the data.

When choosing which tool is for you, consider the sources and features so that the tool complements your manual efforts.

Here, I review six sentiment analysis tools for SEOs:

1. Yext
2. Chatmeter
3. BrightLocal
4. Hootsuite Insights
5. Social Mention
6. Sentiment Analyzer

Yext

Yext recently added sentiment analysis to its Reviews monitoring software. A new Sentiment tab shows business owners what reviewers are saying as either positive or negative. It shows data based on keywords (like “place”) and their modifiers (like “great” or “bad”) used in reviews. Each word has a sentiment score assigned to it.

There’s also a way to create a collection of keywords (such as words related to “food”) to help the business understand how people feel by topic.

Chatmeter

Great for multi-location companies, Chatmeter Pulse is a text and sentiment analysis tool that shows sentiment analysis over time. One standout feature of Pulse is that it can recognize mixed sentiment within a single review and break down sentiment by topic.

The sunburst tool helps you understand the average sentiment for each topic and its related attributes with color-coded segments. If you’re working with a multi-site client, the product can compare sentiment by location, too. You can run a free brand audit to learn more.

BrightLocal

The BrightLocal Reputation Manager lets you monitor and manage all your online reviews in one place. Users get to see and manage reviews by source and can use the tool to simplify the way customers write reviews.

Most recently, Reputation Manager added 40 new niche review sites so that customers can now see and review data on more high-quality and relevant review sites. If you’re an agency or working with a multi-site client, the tool’s new Review Inbox feature is also a plus. It brings all reviews together in a single feed or dashboard.

Hootsuite Insights

A real-time social analytics tool, Hootsuite Insights lets you filter sentiment results by location, language, and gender. This tool goes beyond social media sites and mines sentiment from news sites, blogs, forums, and other public sources online (over 100 million) to produce results you can then use to run reports, stay on top of trends, and handle customer complaints before they backfire.

Social Mention

If you’re looking for a free social media analysis tool, Social Mention has a free option that allows up to 100 searches a day and two email alerts. Without the need to sign up or download anything, you can simply search for a brand or hashtag via a search engine to uncover real-time online sentiment. The report includes the number of mentions, users and a sentiment score with detailed analytics and a simple way to stay on top of everything that’s being said about your brand or keyword online.

Sentiment Analyzer

Another free one, Sentiment Analyzer allows you to analyze a snippet of text and produces a sentiment score from –100 to +100. Unlike the other tools listed, it analyzes a body of text as opposed to mentions of a brand or hashtag online.

Use this tool if you want a better way to decipher vague or confusing customer reviews. The example shown on the tool’s homepage is the Declaration of Independence, which, according to the tool, has a sentiment score of 26.8, indicating that the text is “somewhat positive/enthusiastic.”

How to Incorporate Sentiment Data in SEO

Now that I’ve explained HOW to analyze your brand’s sentiment let’s discuss what to do with it.

We use sentiment analysis to enhance our audits. We also use it to track the success of campaigns and spot potential issues.

Some customers have trust issues with a brand or website, and it’s our job as SEOs to discover why.

Analyzing sentiment can identify reputation problems and help a company develop a more customer-centric approach that:

• Addresses customer complaints
• Resolves satisfaction issues
• Rewards happy reviewers
• Reinforces the brand’s reputation and trustworthiness

More than a Feeling: A Trustworthy Site

As SEOs, we know when something’s just not right with a website.

We dig, we dig deeper, and often times we discover that it comes down to how a website or brand interacts with its customers.

Customers are real people with feelings. Feelings matter, and how we handle them does, too.

Make sentiment analysis part of your SEO toolkit, and you’ll lay the foundation for a trustworthy site.

As I mentioned in my first post, we now include sentiment analysis as part of our SEO audits. If you’d like to learn more about how to improve your online presence, request a free quote today.

FAQ: How can I use sentiment analysis to improve my brand’s online reputation and trustworthiness?

Maintaining a positive online reputation is crucial for any brand. Consumers today are not just looking for products or services; they’re seeking trust and reliability. This is where sentiment analysis comes into play.

Understanding Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment analysis, also known as opinion mining, systematically determines the sentiment expressed in online content, whether positive, negative, or neutral. Brands can utilize sentiment analysis to gain valuable insights into customers’ perceptions. By comprehending the emotions behind customer feedback, brands can respond effectively and make informed decisions to enhance their reputation.

Real-Time Monitoring

Sentiment analysis provides instantaneous insights for brands. Brands can monitor comments and mentions across multiple online platforms, including social media, forums, review sites, and other review platforms. By staying informed about what customers say in real-time, brands can swiftly address issues, offer solutions, and express gratitude for the positive feedback.

Enhancing Customer Experience

Sentiment analysis can identify recurring issues or trends in customer feedback. By addressing these pain points, brands can improve their products or services, resulting in a better customer experience. This proactive approach shows that you value your customers’ opinions and helps build trust and loyalty.

Leveraging Positive Sentiment

While addressing negative sentiment is essential, leveraging positive sentiment is equally powerful. When customers express satisfaction or appreciation, acknowledge and share their feedback on your platforms. This showcases your brand’s commitment to excellence and encourages more positive feedback.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Enhancing Your Brand’s Reputation with Sentiment Analysis

1. Define Your Objectives: Clearly outline what you aim to achieve with sentiment analysis, whether improving customer satisfaction, resolving issues, or building trust.
2. Select the Right Tools: Choose sentiment analysis tools that suit your brand’s needs and budget.
3. Identify Relevant Platforms: Determine where your target audience is most active online and focus your sentiment analysis efforts there.
4. Create a Keyword List: Develop a list of keywords and phrases related to your brand, products, or services to monitor sentiment effectively.
5. Set Alerts: Real-time notifications can alert you to any mentions or mentions about your brand that might arise on social media so that any mentions can be addressed quickly and appropriately.
6. Assess and Categorize Sentiment: Evaluate each comment or mention and categorize it as positive, neutral, or negative.
7. Address Negative Sentiment: Respond to negative comments or reviews with empathy and solutions.
8. Acknowledge Positive Sentiment: Show appreciation for positive feedback and consider sharing it on your platforms.
9. Identify Trends: Analyze sentiment data to identify recurring issues or trends that require attention.
10. Improve Products/Services: Use sentiment analysis insights to enhance your offerings and address customer concerns.
11. Monitor Competitors: Extend your sentiment analysis to monitor how your competitors are perceived and identify areas where your brand can excel.
12. Educate Your Team: Ensure your team is trained to interpret sentiment analysis data and respond effectively.
13. Measure Progress: Continuously assess the impact of your sentiment analysis efforts on your brand’s reputation and trustworthiness.
14. Adjust Your Strategy: Adapt your strategy based on the evolving sentiment trends and customer feedback.
15. Engage with Customers: Engage with your audience through social media, forums, and review sites to maintain an open line of communication.
16. Share Success Stories: Share stories of how you’ve addressed customer concerns and improved your offerings.
17. Collect Feedback: Encourage customers to provide feedback directly, helping you gather valuable insights.
18. Consistency is key to success.
19. Assess Return On Investment (ROI): Evaluate the return on your investment for sentiment analysis efforts and verify if they support your brand goals.
20. Adapt and Grow: Continuously adapt your sentiment analysis strategy to evolving consumer preferences and industry trends.

Follow these steps to leverage the power and potential of sentiment analysis to build trust among your audience, improve your brand’s online reputation, and elevate its image.

The post How to Use Sentiment Analysis to Strengthen SEO Trustworthiness appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

We recently had an SEO repair project for a client with a penalized site. It’s a pretty common situation of late in the wake of Google’s core algorithm updates.

Our approach included doing a very deep dive turning over all suspect rocks. We found areas for some improvement, which we passed on to their teams for repair.

Based upon finding so few things wrong with their site, in my opinion, their SEO team was doing their job.

The few improvements we suggested were made. However, the site’s rankings did not bounce back enough in Google searches.

• Exploring factors beyond SEO
• Trust is a big deal to Google
• Radical recommendation 
• FAQ: How can sentiment analysis enhance the effectiveness of SEO repair projects?

Exploring Factors Beyond SEO

Google has repeatedly (and excessively) said there is nothing that webmasters can do about the core algorithm updates:

As with any update, some sites may note drops or gains. There’s nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well. Instead, it’s that changes to our systems are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded….

There’s no “fix” for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content. Over time, it may be that your content may rise relative to other pages.

–Google SearchLiaison on Twitter

In other contexts, I’ve heard Google representatives say this differently — that with a core algorithm hit, there’s nothing “an SEO” can do.

So, I dissected their statements.

Instead of taking it at face value (nothing can be done), I questioned the claim qualifiers. If a webmaster and an SEO can’t “fix” it — is there something someone else could do? What is neither a webmaster issue nor an SEO issue but could still greatly affect SEO?

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

So what is outside of direct SEO that impacts SEO?

Google has defined three basic attributes that it looks for to determine quality websites — expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

One year ago, Google did an update. That was labeled the Medic update, and I believe it was a significant and obvious step focused on TRUST. Basically, it is my opinion that trusted sites that were interlinked with untrusted sites were penalized.

I believe the Panda update was about expertise, Penguin about authority, and Medic about trust. And I think artificial intelligence (AI) has allowed Google to make significant advances in sentiment measurement as a part of that trust component.

We also know that Google looks beyond the page content when evaluating E-E-A-T. Here’s what it says in the Search Quality Evaluator’s Guidelines … (Note that “MC” refers to the main content of a webpage.)

“For … pages that have a beneficial purpose, the amount of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) is very important. Please consider:

• The expertise of the creator of the MC.
• The authoritativeness of the creator of the MC, the MC itself, and the website.
• The trustworthiness of the creator of the MC, the MC itself, and the website.”

 

So when we’re talking about E-E-A-T, the content, the author when applicable, and the site as a whole all matter.

Trust Is a Big Deal to Google

There are other indications that trust is a high priority with Google …

1. Google uses Pinkerton investigators to background check Google Local Services participants for its Google Guaranteed program.
2. You can find a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating for most GLS entries right in the search results. To see an example, search for “plumbers near me” and click the top link to view the Local Services …
3. Google recently rolled out a new screening program called Google Screened. This will be a trust signal for searchers looking for professional services such as lawyers and financial planners. The designation shows up in search results based on Google star ratings and extensive background and license checks.
4. In searches with local intent, the trust factor of user ratings has played into the ranking algorithm for years. Google stated it openly in its features tour of Google Maps back in 2014:

So we dug into trust.

Trust Extends Beyond (Traditional) SEO

Looking beyond the website, we found that the client had some big trust issues.

First off, this online retail site had a rating of “F” with the Better Business Bureau.

Consumers refer to the BBB to gauge how trustworthy a company is. And the BBB is said to provide sentiment data to Google. So this was a bad sign.

Secondly, many customer review sites contained very negative reviews of the company.

We dug deeper to find out why.

The company apparently ignored (certainly did not satisfy) complaints. Commenters had left negative feedback in plain sight. But either it was being ignored, or nobody was even reading the reviews.

In aggregate, it appeared that the sentiment (the voice of their customers) had poisoned the brand’s online reputation.

This destroyed trust and impacted their search engine rankings as much as if they had a penalty. There is no lever to pull that can fix this situation.

Or otherwise stated, “There is nothing webmasters can do about the core algorithm updates.”

Pushing the Boundaries of SEO …

Understand reputation is not historically an SEO job. Brand protection and reputation management live elsewhere within marketing. That is why the client’s SEO team did not see it.

But if Google’s E-E-A-T factors grow in scope, the scope of SEO needs to expand as well.

By the way … when was the last time you checked your firm’s BBB rating?

A Radical Recommendation

Here’s what we did for our client. We produced a sentiment analysis report that documented what we found. It included quotes, charts, and screenshots, along with sentiment measurements.

Our recommendations detailed many specific to-dos. But the general message cut far deeper into the heart of their business than the advice we typically give in SEO consulting — we recommended they become customer-centric.

How to Fix Negative Sentiment

A business with widespread negative sentiment and too many bad reviews needs a radical culture shift.

The only solution is to read all the bad reviews, identify the problems, and then assign staff to their immediate repair.

Answer complaints 10 times better than necessary. Overwhelm people with support.

Managers should personally contact each negative reviewer and do what is appropriate to address their issue. Then they can post responses with their resolution on those review sites. Responding shows that you care and can be trusted to support customer problems.

And by all means, immediately fix any BBB issues. Claim your business listing on BBB.org and start monitoring the reviews. It’s important to respond to bad reviews appropriately, but also be sure to appreciate the happy reviewers.

As a last urgent warning, DO NOT pay customers or reviewers to change their comments. The Federal Trade Commission will charge a massive fine if you do that. People can “update” their own reviews if they want. But offering them any kind of paid incentive is illegal. (Here’s where you can read what the FTC allows for business owners.)

Sentiment Expands SEO

As SEOs, we have to stay on our toes. With algorithm updates and SERP changes happening multiple times daily, we either adapt or die.

Now, we have to expand our role. We have built this into audits and penalty reviews and regularly monitor ratings. How about you?

I’m convinced that sentiment is a trust signal, part of the “T” equation in E-E-A-T.

Google evaluates a site’s online sentiment across the web. When sentiment trends are negative, it can indicate many possible business problems. But we are convinced that it can also impact the site’s rankings in search.

If sentiment can affect a site’s rankings, either up or down, then it spills into the purview of SEO.

For this reason, I believe that sentiment analysis needs to be part of SEO now.

If you’re wondering how to do sentiment analysis for SEO, read my follow-up post on sentiment analysis for SEO.

Want to read more like this? Subscribe to our blog.

For expert assistance with your online presence, request a free quote.

FAQ: How can sentiment analysis enhance the effectiveness of SEO repair projects?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) repair projects have become pivotal for businesses aiming to maintain a strong online presence. These projects involve identifying and rectifying issues that hinder a website’s performance on search engines. While traditional SEO strategies are indispensable, integrating sentiment analysis can take your SEO repair initiatives to new heights.

Understanding Sentiment Analysis and SEO Repair

Sentiment analysis is how public sentiments, opinions, and emotions are communicated through online content. Text data is examined to ascertain if its tone is positive, neutral, or negative; its primary use is for monitoring social media platforms and conducting market research, but with additional applications that go far beyond these areas.

In SEO repair, sentiment analysis offers invaluable insights into user perception. By analyzing user-generated content such as comments, reviews, and forum discussions related to your website, you can identify issues that may adversely affect your site’s reputation and user experience. This proactive approach enables you to address concerns before they escalate and impact your search engine rankings.

Leveraging Sentiment Analysis for SEO Repair Projects

1. Identify Negative Sentiments: Utilize sentiment analysis tools to identify negative sentiments associated with your website. Look for common themes in user feedback, such as complaints about slow loading times, broken links, or poor content quality.
2. Prioritize Issues: Categorize the identified issues based on their impact and frequency. Focus on addressing high-impact issues that users frequently mention.
3. Optimize Content: Improve the quality and relevance of your website’s content based on user feedback. Addressing negative sentiments related to content can significantly enhance user satisfaction.
4. Monitor Progress: Continuously monitor sentiment analysis data to track the effectiveness of your SEO repair efforts. Look for improvements in sentiment scores and user feedback.
5. Iterate and Improve: Use sentiment analysis as an ongoing tool for improvement. Regularly update your SEO repair strategy based on the changing sentiment landscape.

Incorporating sentiment analysis into your SEO repair projects is a strategic move that can lead to substantial benefits. By proactively addressing user concerns and improving the overall sentiment associated with your website, you boost your search engine rankings and enhance user satisfaction and trust. In the dynamic world of digital marketing, staying ahead requires innovative approaches, and sentiment analysis is a powerful tool that should not be overlooked.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Enhancing SEO Repair Projects with Sentiment Analysis

1. Define the scope of your SEO repair project and identify the target audience.
2. Select a reliable sentiment analysis tool or service that suits your project’s needs.
3. Gather user-generated content related to your website, including comments, reviews, and forum discussions.
4. Use the sentiment analysis tool to analyze the collected data and determine the prevailing sentiments (positive, negative, neutral).
5. Create a categorization system to prioritize and address issues based on their impact and frequency.
6. Focus on high-impact issues that are frequently mentioned by users in negative sentiments.
7. Develop an action plan for addressing identified issues, including content optimization, technical fixes, and user experience improvements.
8. Implement the action plan, making necessary changes to your website.
9. Continuously monitor sentiment analysis data to track changes in sentiment scores and user feedback.
10. Assess the effectiveness of your SEO repair efforts based on improvements in sentiment and user satisfaction.
11. Iterate and refine your SEO repair strategy based on the evolving sentiment landscape.
12. Regularly update and adapt your content to maintain positive sentiment.
13. Keep an eye on competitor sentiment and adjust your strategy accordingly.
14. Use sentiment analysis as an ongoing tool for improving user experience and search engine rankings.
15. Measure the impact of sentiment analysis on your SEO repair projects over time.
16. Share your success stories and insights with your team and stakeholders.
17. Stay updated on the latest developments in sentiment analysis technology and SEO best practices.
18. Continuously optimize your SEO repair projects by incorporating feedback and new insights.
19. Maintain a proactive approach to address emerging issues and maintain a positive online reputation.
20. Stay committed to leveraging sentiment analysis as a powerful tool to enhance the effectiveness of your SEO repair projects.

The post Is Sentiment an SEO Trust Signal? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Real People Power for Brands – Mark Traphagen

Mark Traphagen (@MarkTraphagen), senior director of online digital marketing at Stone Temple Consulting, kicks it off. How can personal brands work for business? Businesses need to make real connections, he says, and that’s hard to do if you’re simply a brand. You need to create emotional connections with your consumers.

“How do you take something as dead and inert as a brand and make it alive?” asks Traphagen.

“How do you take something as dead and inert as a brand and make it alive?” – @MarkTraphagen
Click To Tweet

Build community. Moz does this spectacularly. One of their great successes has been building this active, passionate community around their brand. This community is, in turn, more inclined to try out Moz’s products.

The Brand Humanization Ladder

“We’re not all ready to be at every stage, but we can do something to start the climb. Humanize your business to make it more connectable with people,” says Traphagen. Here are the rungs of the ladder:

Cause Supporter

Get involved in things that people really care about. Traphagen shares an example of a pet insurance company creating content about not leaving pets in cars when it’s hot. People care about that, and that made them care about the pet insurance company by proxy.

Engager

Look for real conversations that they can engage in, in real time. Denny’s was on its way out as a brand. On the verge of bankruptcy, they began to listen online to what people were talking about. They learned it wasn’t about food, but about getting together with friends at 3 a.m. Denny’s began to engage in those conversations and made their brand “hipster cool.”

Employee Advocacy

Give your employees the freedom and tools to be involved in social on behalf of your brand. “Advocacy is born form culture, not technology or marketing,” says Jay Baer. You can’t order your employees to do this, but if you create a culture where your employees LOVE your brand, it will come naturally. Encourage it.

Personal Brand Representation

Develop and encourage people to be personal brands. It can have a powerful effect because it is human. We have a desire to belong and to connect. We want that as humans. We want to converse. We want to speak and be understood. Conversations are extremely important. We’re very drawn to humans. It’s called pareidolia. Evolution has trained us to be drawn to other humans. Consider the now defunct Google authorship — Google recognized the value in seeing a real face next to a piece of content.

Your brand will most rapidly and successfully gain the social trust of its audience when it is associated with powerful personal brands (i.e., individuals). As they go out into the world and connect with people, the authority of those people is transferred onto the company itself. Read more from Traphagen on personal branding here: stonet.co/pbrmoz.

Personal Branding: 10 Practical Tips – Mel Carson

Mel Carson (@MelCarson), founder of Delightful Communications, calls brand an experience. An effective brand, he says, is way more than a logo. What is the impression you’re leaving?

He shares a quote from Seth Godin: “A brand is a set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”

Be discoverable. Be shareable. Be memorable.

Build a brand through PR and social. Build relationships to become trusted. Differentiate through emotional connections to become more remarkable and unmistakable. Only 15 percent will be believe a brand, but 90 percent will believe a peer, friend or family member, according to Nielsen. Nurture your loyal fans.

Personal Branding Sweet Spot

The Ten Personal Branding Tips

1. Own your own name.
2. Invest in a professional photo. According to PhotoFeeler.com, the photos that resonate the most with others are close-up, smiling and showing teeth.
3. Make your out-of-office email work harder. Don’t just say you’re out of the office. For personal branding, you should say why you’re out of the office. Offer a Twitter handle, an email signup, etc.
4. Create a social media ratio that is 60 percent business and 40 percent personal.
5. Be thoughtful about your bio on third-party sites.
6. Label your photos with your name (for SEO).
7. Add social channels and messages to emails.
8. Make your business cards stand out.
9. Make LinkedIn a living profile.
10. Be social by design. Link channels and repurpose content.

Personal Branding of the Company: AKA Your LinkedIn Profile Probably Sucks — Matt Craine

Brand strategist Matt Craine (@MattCraine) asks, “what is your brand?” It’s not what you think it is — it’s what they think it is. You don’t own your reputation. You’re at the mercy of what everyone thinks of you.

Eighty-five percent of consumers rely on search engines to find a local business. Seventy-eight percent of consumers consult reviews or ratings before landing on a business. Business reviews are a really big deal. But what does this have to do with you as an individual?

Everyone is a stalker. People are online researching people they’ve met in business. When you’re in business, you are getting stalked. Craine guarantees us we’re all being stalked.

By association, you are part of the company brand. Everything online about an employee reflects on the company. With everything else equal, people buy from people they like.

If you own or represent a business, you and every employee has to clean up their act everywhere:

• LinkedIn
• Google+
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Image search
• Videos

Change your LinkedIn view settings. By default, your profile is not public. Change it to public. (He says that 67 percent of B2B marketers are actively using LinkedIn.)

Buy the domain name for all your employees. It’s $10 for a domain. It’s $20-45 for a good WordPress template. It’s $10 a month for hosting (or less!). If you and your employees dominate the first page, you’re way ahead of the game.

The post Personal Branding & Social Strategy Advice You HAVEN’T Heard, Live from #Pubcon appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens online spills into the real world and affects brands and businesses in a major way. Live from Pubcon Las Vegas 2015, Simon Heseltine (@SimonHeseltine), senior director of audience development at AOL, and Tony Wright (@TonyNWright), CEO and founder of WrightIMC, are giving an example-packed presentation titled “Reputation Management: How to Un-trash Your Brand” on the ins and outs of online reputation management.

Heseltine is up first, and he’s going to share the way people and brands fail at online reputation management, before he turns it over to Wright — who will share how to combat the fails.

Trashing Your Brand – or, Online Reputation Management Fails

Heseltine opens with a quote from journalist Jon Ronson: “In the old days people used to say the Internet is not the real world. I don’t think anybody believes that anymore. Because something that happens to you on the Internet can impact your life in the real world.”

How People Trash Your Brand

People often have no common sense and share completely inappropriate things, like the chef from Chili’s posing shirtless in the restaurant’s kitchen. People like him get fired.

Posting a racist tweet that has nothing to do with your job? You’ll get fired.

Posting “I hate my boss or job” under accounts where you’re using your real name? You’ll get fired.

And even if you’re using a private account, other people can share those inappropriate things you’ve shared.

These are the reasons why, when you apply for a job today, some applications actually ask, “Is there any adverse information about you that we could find on the web?”

Other examples of reputation management fails? Community managers can sometimes get their wires crossed and post what’s meant to be a personal post on their public profile. Sometimes they have egregious typos that align your brand with unsavory things. Take the Associated Press, for example, tweeting that Yogi Bear had died when, in fact, they meant Yogi Berra.

Take Jared Fogle, for intance — when he was arrested, the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter was Subway, even though he’d been let go a long time ago.

How Your Brand Trashes Itself

Brands fail when they don’t pay attention to timing. Hot Topic sent out an email with a subject line reading: “These Dead Animals are Adorbs,” promoting animal skeleton characters on their teen clothing … the day after Cedric the lion was killed by the infamous dentist.

Companies also fail when they ignore the context of a post: “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” This quote from Lao Tzu is not bad at all. But it’s bad when Amtrak tweets this quote.

Answer in a timely manner. VitaminWater changed their flavor. The Internet was upset and posted many, many comments to their Facebook page. It took VitaminWater 24 hours to respond. #Fail

Zales had an important sale on Sept. 11, then had signs saying “Ask us about 9/11.” #Fail

Benefit Cosmetics used the hashtag #MakeaMovieaFatty. There’s no reason for a brand to use a hashtag like that. #Fail

Untrashing Your Brand

Tony Wright is now going to tell us how to untrash your brand. His talk “isn’t about removing negative items or doing proactive reputation management,” he says.

One way not to fix your brand reputation? Injecting illegal code into hacked websites.

Trying to “remove” bad listings from the SERPs? You’re doing it wrong. ORM is truly the management of your reputation, not the controlling of your reputation. Anyone offering a quick fix is lying at best — they may even be conning you. The only way to combat a bad online reputation is to create a better one.

The only way to combat a bad online reputation is to create a better one. –@TonyNWright #ORM
Click To Tweet

• Are you monitoring your online reputation frequently? With an adequate tool?
• Are you telling your side of the story now? (When a crisis hits a blank space, the blank space doesn’t win.)
• Do you have relationships with influencers in your space?
• Do you have a social media policy for employees in place? Do they know what they can and can’t post about your company? Some of the worst things that happen are when a crisis hits a company and then the employees take to social media to defend the company — this can go really mad really quickly.

“Trying to do PR during a crisis is like trying to eat a salad during a heart attack.” — Wright

Trying to do PR during a crisis is like trying to eat a salad during a heart attack. –@TonyNWright
Click To Tweet

The New Tenants of Online Reputation Management

• Always tell your side of the story and make sure it shows up.
• Make sure your side of the story is palatable to your target audience.
• Seed the SERPs — don’t expect to replace them.
• Use proper channels for response to negative items.

Know Your Audience

• Brands can take a stand in what they believe in IF they know their audience will support them.
• Not knowing your audience will multiply the effect of mistakes.
• Investing time and money in knowing your audiences is one of the best things you can do for all your marketing channels.

We Messed Up. Now What?

• Don’t believe your lawyer — they’re only thinking about litigation, rather than your brand reputation. Hire a crisis consultant.
• Don’t admit guilt until you know the whole story.
• Don’t kneejerk. Today’s news cycle moves fast, but most of the time you don’t have to move as fast. The current time of a news cycle is two weeks. Example: When’s the last time you thought about Cedric the lion? People get angry and then they go on to the next thing to be angry about.

Things to Do During a Crisis

• Be transparent.
• Tie your CEO up in a story.
• Start your impact analysis.
• Monitor.
• Consult your lawyer but don’t let him/her dictate the plan.

Remember: The more you put out there, the more you exacerbate a storm. Don’t push it by apologizing if you don’t need to, Wright says.

Large brands typically don’t feel any impact from social media or online crises.

Small consumer brands can be damaged quickly but not permanently.

B2B brands are at risk of permanent damage from online reputation fails.

The post Reputation Management: How to Un-trash Your Brand – #Pubcon Liveblog appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

• Own and publish on your personal .com domain
• Buy additional domain name TLD variations
• FAQ: How can professionals master reputation management strategies to control their online presence effectively? 

Own and Publish on Your Personal .com Domain

1. To rank for your name, create a website with a domain that matches your name. Establishing a personal .com site doesn’t require a substantial investment of time or money. Simply putting up your CV or resume can be sufficient to rank for a unique name on the first page of search results. If you want to enhance your site further, consider adding pages or authoring a blog.

Popular platforms like WordPress and Wix are ideal for users who need coding knowledge. However, avoid using their free domains (e.g., YourName.wordpress.com). Instead, purchase the domain, such as YourName.com, to rank for your specific term.

Buy Additional Domain Name TLD Variations

Additionally, it’s advisable to buy the .net domain of your name to prevent others from competing for it. If you encounter a negative item in the SERP, you can create another site on the .net domain and optimize it for your name.

Develop a Strong Social Media Presence: Popular social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, X.com, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest often appear in the top search results. Create social media accounts using the name you want to be associated with when potential clients search for your product or service.

Many business owners don’t have time to run social media channels, so you may want to consider hiring help. They can assist in creating profiles and including essential contact information. Share relevant content like infographics produced by your firm. Although it may not be as impactful as active engagement, having these profiles can occupy valuable real estate in the SERP.

Remember to claim your name on these platforms to prevent someone else from securing it. Customize the URLs across channels to display your full name instead of user ID numbers.

Optimize Photos for Search: Google displays websites and showcases images in search results. By optimizing your photos, you can increase their visibility and association with your name. Simply follow these steps:

• Use your name in the file name
• Include your name in the image caption.
• Utilize your full name in the image’s ALT attribute.
• Create a title that includes your full name.

By implementing these optimizations on your website, social media channels, and your firm’s website, you increase the likelihood of your images appearing in the SERP.

Create Listings on Legal Directories: Legal directories still hold value in terms of directories that matter. Many people rely on them to vet attorneys and make informed decisions. Lawyers must get listed in reputable directories, including:

• Super Lawyers
• Avvo
• HG Legal Resources
• FindLaw
• Lawyers.com
• Martindale.com
• Justia

Optimizing listings in these directories can improve your online reputation and expand your reach to potential clients.

Optimize Press Releases for Maximum Impact Optimizing press releases can benefit both individual lawyers and law firms. Target specific keywords related to your law firm’s name and practice areas when issuing press releases. Optimizing press releases with individual lawyers’ names can boost their online reputation and contribute to the firm’s overall reputation.

Get Published to Enhance Your Authority Writing blog posts and articles for journals, newspapers, or magazines presents an opportunity to rank for your name. Professionals, especially lawyers, possess extensive knowledge and expertise that can be shared through compelling content. Capitalize on these opportunities to craft relevant and unique articles that may appear on the first page of search results for your name.

Effective reputation management is crucial for professionals whose name serves as their brand. By implementing the strategies outlined above, you can control your online presence, build trust, and ensure that search results reflect your expertise and achievements. Take charge of your reputation and shape the narrative that the world sees.

Remember, the digital age demands a proactive approach to reputation management. Embrace these strategies to safeguard your online reputation and drive success in your professional endeavors.

Shape the narrative, take charge of your online reputation, and dominate your digital presence with our tailored SEO strategies. Contact us. 

FAQ: How can professionals master reputation management strategies to control their online presence effectively?

Where information flows freely and first impressions are often made online, mastering reputation management is crucial for professionals across industries. Controlling your online presence can be the key to career success and business growth. Let’s delve into the strategies that will empower you to navigate the intricate landscape of online reputation management effectively.

1. Understanding Buyer Intent

To master reputation management, it’s essential to grasp the buyer intent behind online searches. Identifying the search terms potential clients or employers use is pivotal. Craft your online narrative around these terms to strategically position yourself. This ensures that the content you want people to see is what they find.

2. Strategic Content Creation

Developing a robust online presence involves creating strategic content that aligns with your professional goals. Regularly publish articles, blog posts, or press releases showcasing your expertise. Leverage the power of storytelling to humanize your brand and connect with your audience on a personal level.

3. Social Media Mastery

Social media is a double-edged sword when it comes to reputation management. Effectively controlling your online presence requires active social media engagement. Curate your profiles to reflect your professional achievements and values. Regularly update your audience with relevant content, demonstrating your industry knowledge and thought leadership.

4. Proactive Online Monitoring

Be proactive in monitoring your online presence. Set up Google Alerts for your name and business to receive real-time notifications of online mentions. Swift responses to negative reviews or comments demonstrate your commitment to resolving issues and maintaining a positive reputation.

5. Building and Maintaining Relationships

Reputation management extends beyond online platforms. Cultivate positive relationships with clients, colleagues, and industry influencers. Positive word-of-mouth remains a potent force in shaping perceptions. Encourage satisfied clients to leave testimonials and reviews, further bolstering your online reputation.

Mastering reputation management is an ongoing process that requires strategic planning and active engagement. By understanding buyer intent, creating strategic content, mastering social media, proactively monitoring your online presence, and building strong relationships, professionals can take control of their narrative in the digital realm.

Step-by-Step Guide: Mastering Reputation Management

1. Identify Buyer Intent: Research and understand the search terms your audience uses to find professionals in your industry.
2. Craft Strategic Content: Develop a content calendar that aligns with your professional goals, showcasing your expertise and achievements.
3. Optimize Social Media Profiles: Ensure your social media profiles reflect your professional brand, with regular updates highlighting your industry knowledge.
4. Set Up Google Alerts: Monitor your online presence with Google Alerts for your name and business, enabling swift responses to any mentions.
5. Cultivate Positive Relationships: Actively engage with clients, colleagues, and industry influencers, encouraging positive word-of-mouth and testimonials.
6. Regularly Assess Your Online Presence: Periodically review your online presence, updating content and addressing any issues promptly.
7. Respond to Feedback: Engage with online reviews and feedback, demonstrating a commitment to resolving issues and maintaining a positive image.
8. Utilize Professional Networks: Leverage professional networks to showcase your expertise, expanding your online reach.
9. Monitor Competitors: Stay aware of your competitors’ online activities to identify potential opportunities and threats to your reputation.
10. Evaluate and Adjust Strategies: Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your reputation management strategies and adjust them based on the evolving digital landscape.
11. Educate Your Team: If applicable, educate your team on the importance of individual and collective online reputations, ensuring a cohesive and positive brand image.
12. Seek Professional Guidance: Consult with reputation management experts for personalized strategies and insights.
13. Diversify Content Formats: Experiment with various content formats, such as videos, podcasts, or infographics, to cater to different audience preferences.
14. Stay Informed About Industry Trends: Keep abreast of industry trends and incorporate relevant topics into your content to showcase your industry knowledge.
15. Regularly Update LinkedIn Profile: Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date with your latest achievements, skills, and endorsements.
16. Encourage Employee Advocacy: If applicable, encourage employees to advocate for the company online, amplifying positive messages about the brand.
17. Participate in Online Communities: Engage in relevant online communities and forums to establish yourself as an industry authority.
18. Utilize Online Tools: Explore reputation management tools and analytics to gain insights into your online performance.
19. Attend Networking Events: Participate in online and offline networking events to expand your professional connections.
20. Seek Legal Advice if Necessary: In cases of defamatory content, seek legal advice to understand your options for mitigating potential damage to your reputation.

This article was updated on December 8, 2023. 

The post Reputation Management Strategies for Lawyers: Controlling Your Online Presence appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” —Warren Buffett

In the age of Google, it might take even less than five minutes to tarnish a reputation. Consider that just one 140-character message directed to a journalist can catalyze the unraveling of a corporation or a celebrity and spark a stain-covered search results page.

Bruce Clay Europe’s director Ale Agostini has written a book in Italian about Your Reputation on Google and Social Media, titled just that. With a third of the world’s total Facebook population residing in Europe (Internet World Stats data from Dec. 2012), this book covers territory that everyone should be aware of as they conduct their business – personal and private – online.

I asked Ale why now was the right time for a book on this topic:

“The difficulty of keeping a good online reputation is well understood in Italy mainly by companies with established brands and by VIP people that are well known. Other than that, it is still a mystery and people only realize the need when the problem occurs. The role of this book is both to spark awareness by bringing evidence to light and to offer solutions to prevent online reputation problems.”

Ale has set the stage for his new book with some words of introduction, which follow. After you read it and are reminded of the complex online environment in which reputation management, monitoring and maintenance is critical for your future, check out his book, available for purchase on Amazon. —Virginia Nussey

In the Age of Free Information, Your Good Name Comes at a Cost

Many people today draw most of their information from search engines and social platforms rather than from spoken conversations and word of mouth; this has given rise to the coining of the verb “To Google”, a term used to refer to the online search for information as a basis for decision making in real life (purchasing a holiday, hiring an employee, short listing a supplier).

Research carried out by Google (ZMOT) showed how on average in 2011 consumers used 10 different sources of information during purchase operations, as opposed to the 5 sources accessed in 2009; in other words the bulk of fresh and immediately available information online has broken down the information asymmetry between the opposing parties, redressing the balance and providing a very broad information platform to anyone capable of acquiring information online on anything that interacts with the real world (companies, products, services and people).

So today, when faced with something they are not too clear about, many people try to bridge the information gap by turning to digital information sources that contain more or less reliable/updated information.

If to this we add the conclusions reached by B.J. Fogg in his research on interaction between man and machine which in a nutshell claims that “the more a user uses a digital instrument with a positive outcome, the more they trust that instrument”, it’s reasonable to presume that the average user who doesn’t know us, when faced with contradictory information, is more likely to believe what they find out about us on Google and Social Media than what we ourselves say or write. 

This striking assumption makes the management of our online and digital reputation at least as important as the offline one we build up within the fabric of our social relations. Search engines (Google, Bing and Yahoo) and the most commonly used Social Media (Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter) determine our image and reputation in the eyes of those who know us less: however, the individual user has very little control over these 2 giants of online communication.

The book Your Reputation on Google and Social Media (original title in Italian La tua reputazione su Google e i Social Media) helps the user to understand how these search engines and Social Media (mainly Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin) work and the best tools and procedures one might adopt to successfully manage our image as it transpires from a search based on name and surname (or vice versa).

The post How to Control Your Online Reputation and Identity – Italian Language Book Available Now appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

There’s the Reddit community whose mob mentality infected this story as it traveled across social media channels.

There’s also the social media marketing industry that has raised its voice against how Applebee’s handled the situation.

Herein I attempt to look at both because, of course, they’re overlapping and related.  Yet because this story is deeply layered and complex, I merely skim the surface. Still, I think it’s enough to add a few things to your business’s guidelines for online discourse if and when your brand ever comes under fire.

To recap what happened with Applebee’s:

• An Applebee’s customer, Alois Bell, rejected the automatic 18% tip for a large party, opting instead to leave a snarky comment with a religious allusion. Update: In an interview with Alois after the controversy broke, she says her group left the 18% tip in cash on the table.
• An Applebee’s employee named Chelsea Welch – not the server of this delightful customer – posted the customer’s note to Reddit’s atheist section.
• Reddit had a grand time making fun of the customer and her religious affiliations. Welch was fired by Applebee’s for breaking rules regarding customer privacy.
• Applebee’s issued an apology for the incident on Facebook. Across social media networks, outrage rang out over Welch’s firing.
• Applebee’s defended their position in a middle-of-the-night Facebook posting and tens of thousands of comments accumulated. Nearly all comments are negative, and many point to a failure in using Facebook and social media for public relations and customer communications.

The Arguments Against Applebee’s

I think Applebee’s is being crucified for reasons beyond the incident that went down in a St. Louis restaurant on January 25.

To start, it’s my feeling that Reddit can get pretty uppity. Any action taken against Welch would have been met with righteous indignation regardless of Applebee’s reasoning. The social media community had elevated itself to a mob and would have attacked any argument — and this attack mentality spread to Facebook and Twitter. At this point it was Applebee’s against the haters across the Web.

These haters looked to any opportunity to call foul on Applebee’s. When the company explained Welch’s firing as the result of her violation of the customer’s privacy, this is how the debate that went down:

Applebee’s: “We don’t post customer’s personal information.”

Angry hoard points to a January 12th Applebee’s Facebook posting of a photograph of customer praise with the customer’s name included: “Look, look! You did so post a customer’s personal info!”

What Applebee’s should have said next: “Let us rephrase. We don’t publish customer’s personal information to tar and feather them in the public eye.”

Based on the facts we have, Applebee’s acted well within appropriate boundaries in letting the employee go and in its initial explanations and apologies about the situation on Facebook.

Some social media marketing industry insiders have argued otherwise, pointing to these actions as a lack of planned crisis communications strategy:

• Posting in the middle of the night
• Needlessly repetitive copy-and-paste responses
• Replying to critics as responses rather than definitive status updates

These are all judgment calls in my mind, with no clear right or wrong without the aid of hindsight.

Of course, regardless of what Applebee’s was being persecuted for, the fact is that they were under attack in social media. So…

Could This Have Been Avoided?

If Applebee’s had a social media crisis response plan, could this nightmare have been avoided? It just so happens that two years ago, Jessica interviewed Applebee’s then-social media director Scott Gulbransen about the company’s social media policy.

When he talked to BCI in 2010, he explained the current state of Applebee’s social media strategy as “evolving” with “a ways to go.” What he described was a corporate social communications department that was trusted by company leadership to interact and engage online.

He explained, “We’re in the process of getting more folks in cross-functional roles trained to respond and participate appropriately in social channels with our guests and employees out the in field.” In that level of development, after a year with Applebee’s odds are good he established crisis response guidelines, or at least equipped his predecessors with the needed ideas and background to act appropriately in a critical situation.

He called the company’s voice “real, authentic and transparent,” and as comfortable making jokes as “pointed remarks.” To that point he said, “[W]hen people Tweet at us or post on our Facebook page comments or content that is pushing the limits, we don’t mind calling them on it.” If a brand isn’t “real” in social media, they aren’t worth listening to. If a brand is stiff and always agreeable, people have no reasons to connect.

The Cost of Being Real

So when I hear people arguing that in this instance Applebee’s demonstrated failure in a high-pressure social media situation, I’m wondering if what they expected Applebee’s do is roll over and take a flogging. That’s not a brand I can relate to. Applebee’s established its corporate voice as one who calls out people who push the limits, and as both a social media marketing professional and a social media user, I respect that.

Now add to that, with the facts we have, I don’t think Applebee’s acted out of turn in terminating employment of a staff member who posted a customer’s personal information for the purpose of mocking on the Internet, and you can see how I find Applebee’s in the right on this one.

Was their room for improvement? Sure. Lessons I’ve taken from this are to create a plan of defense before saying anything. It could cover how to respond to individual comments, or if that should be done at all. And a pre-planned blueprint would probably rule out posting at 3 am, an unsacred hour when late-night trolls are just waiting for something to dig their teeth into.

Other than that, Applebee’s should keep calm and carry on. Although tens of thousands of people hated on Applebee’s online this week, how many of them do you think are Applebee’s diners who will now boycott their normal happy hour spot? …See you tomorrow, Applebee’s.

The post Fresh and Sizzling at Applebee’s: Social Media Reputation Management appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

The post A Business’s Reputation Is More Vulnerable on the Social Web appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

What a way to start of Day 2 of SES San Francisco – with the adorable Andy Beal.  I could just listen to him talk for days with his cute little accent that’s from somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic.  I’m hoping to get some great nuggets of info from him today to help those of you who have Reputation Management needs.

5 keys to Search Engine Reputation Management (SERM):

• Rethinking keywords
  • Normally you think of words you want to rank for, but you now need to think in terms of getting lots of pages to rank for terms that aren’t competitive
  • There may even be some negative things that pop up
• Think about what people will type in when searching brand
  • Ceo’s name
  • Product names
  • Specific brands
  • acronyms
• Spider Friendly
  • The usual stuff with a twist for RM
  • URLs that are focused on brand
• Me myself & Irene
  • Think of yourself/company in the 3^rd person
  • You have to spell it out to Google, make it clear who your company is and what your brand is
  • Companies have a tendency to only mention a company name one time and then speak in the 1^st person from there on out. Stop that.
  • Think ‘keyword density’ and do it for the brand/company keywords as well
• Anchor text
  • The site needs anchor text for brand, product names, CEO names etc to help relevancy
  • Linking with anchor text will help pass authority
• Superbrand to the Rescue
  • If you type in your brand into Google and you aren’t #1, you have a problem
  • Usually when you do a search, you will appear #1 because you’ve shown the search engine that you are the authority on your brand
  • Use this authority to pass on authority to other sites that may be talking about your brand in a positive way in order to create additional, positive listings in the index

Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and dive in.  Do an audit of your search results (typically in Google) and take a look at the first 30 results.  Use a spreadsheet with columns like Rank URL, Page Title, Status (owned/control/influence/3^rd party) and Sentiment (positive/negative/neutral). For status, Owned is defined as sites that you have complete control over, like an additional company site that no one else has influence over.  Control is other sites like Facebook or Twitter and you have some control over the account.  Influence would be content that you don’t have login credentials for or host it but you have a relationship with the vendor.  3^rd party results are those that you have no control over, no relationship with the vendor and it can be a potential danger.

When looking at the Sentiment of the 30 results, apply these thoughts to them.  If the page is a page you wouldn’t mind a potential client seeing because the overall tone of the page is up-beat – then it will probably be tagged as Positive.  The Neutral items are those that don’t really have anything to do with your company or brand and won’t influence clients; they are nothing to worry about.  Negative pages are obviously those that are talking badly about the brand or company.

Invest your time optimizing pages that you fully own, about  80% of your time,. Then invest only 10% of your time on the stuff that you only have control or influence over and a remaining 10% on everything else.

Now we are going to talk about some tactics to expand on the 5 keys mentioned earlier.  Take stock in existing web content.  Optimize content that is ranking, but not well ranking.  Try for the double listing in Google by optimizing pages well enough to have multiple listings in the top 10. Find pages that are just outside of the Top 10 and work on those pages to move them up.  You can do this by using advanced search features in Google, or append &num=100 to the end of your Google URL. If an indented listing appears for your site, try to narrow down what the actual ranking is for that page.  You can do this by going page by page on a normal search or change the number at the end of the &num= (ex: &num=90, &num=80 etc) until the listing disappears.  This will give you an idea of how much work you have ahead of you to get that page moved up in the rankings.

Andy recommends to not wait for a crisis to hit.  Take preventive measures.  Register your .org and .net TLDs, other company branded domains and even sub-domains.  If your company is doing anything for the community then think about developing a site on the .org that talks about how the company is out in the community and helping to give back. This is a positive way to get more exposure. Think of ways you can also develop sites for other domains owned.  Avoid duplicating content, but actually create completely unique sites that focus on a specific topic.

When it comes to sub-domains, they are treated as separate entities by Google, but still leach some of the domain authority from the main domain.  You can use sub domains for things like career listings.  Limit the number of sub-domains you develop because Google has been heard whispering that they will only allow a certain number to count.  You don’t want to send up any red flags to Google, that’s for sure!  Anything you put up on a sub-domain needs to have a legitimate reason to be there and certainly make sure that it is not a duplicate of anything on the main domain.

Aside from domains you own that you can leverage, what other type of content ranks?

•  Wordpress is useful for creating a micro-site or an offsite blog.
  • Needs to have multiple pages
  • Talk about the company in the 3^rd person
  • Link to the home page of main site and vice versa
• Blogger also works well…possibly because it’s a Google product?
  • Can also be used as an offsite blog
• Facebook with profile pages
  • You have to have at least 25 fans so you can change to a custom URL
  • Pull in a RSS feed
  • Put in a few posts and actively manage it if you want to have some engagement
  • Use company name on posts
  • Link to it from corporate site
• LinkedIn
  • Great for personal reputation management
  • You can set a custom URL
  • When you write the profile, write it in the 3^rd person
  • Have multiple employees create profiles
  • Create a corporate profile
• Twitter
  • Great opportunity for engagement with clients
  • Can be used for customer service purposes
  • Name it with brand
  • Link to it from company site
  • Retweet and say thank you when someone talks about the company/brand
  • Uber tip: anytime someone mentions something positive, ‘favorite’ it so that you create a special feed of just the positive things people tweet. This will help people find positive feedback on your company/brand easily.  You can even pull in that specific RSS to be shown on your site.
• Flickr
  • An opportunity to show up in universal search results
  • Create profile with company name
  • Designate URL with company name
  • Upload photos related to the company with labels relevant to picture and company
• WetpaintCentral.com
  • A service that is good for creating a wiki about the company
  • Different from Wikipedia because you have complete control over the wiki
  • You can designate a URL with company name
• AssociatedContent.com and similar sites
  • These are not as useful as before but may still have some benefit
  • Creating an account on these sites and filling the bios with company info can get rankings
• GetSatisfaction.com
  • A site that allows users to ask questions and get help
  • You can just use free profile and it will probably rank
• Ning.com
  • A site you have to pay for the account
  • You can use to build your own social network on it
  • Specify URL
  • You have control over members

That covers all the White Hat ways of actively doing Reputation Management, but now we are going to move into the Grayish areas.

Business Partners

• Reach out to business partners to see if you can create an online relationship.  An example would be asking for a profile page on their site and offer to write the page for them. This can help be a neutral listing that you have some control over.

Sponsorships

• Sponsorships are another way to get some recognition.  If you sponsor an event or group, you can ask for them to give you a profile page.  Create the bio that talks about the company in the 3^rd person and remember to insert in links with anchor text.

Speaker Profiles

• Speaker profiles are also useful if someone in the company speaks at conferences or other types of events.  Having a profile up on the conference or event site can rank if the bio is written well.

Affiliates

• Affiliates are another good source to get content written about you. Reach out to affiliates and ask them if they’d be willing to put up a profile page about the company. If needed, offer to give them a bump in pay.

The true Danger Zone includes actions like:

• Linking to others’ content
• Wikipedia
• Paid Posts
  • Do this before a crisis otherwise it will be used against you
• Paid Search

Although these actions are usually harmless and are perfectly reasonable tactics to use when promoting the site, the danger comes in when the company is already under attack.  If the Reputation Management crisis has already begun and you then try any of the above tactics they can actually trigger all those non-fans to attack the company further for using such tactics.  Their angle will be that the company is just trying to cover up the crisis. Andy suggests doing the tactics before the crisis arises, not after.

Above all else, always be on the alert.  Sign up for some type of alert system that can be an early detection to a problem.  Things like Google Alerts and Trackur are good tools to use.  Also, you always want to look beyond the Top 10 results on a branded search to see what’s showing up.  Monitor those results regularly.  If you see something pop up into the Top 10 that is less than desirable – don’t panic.  Give it a couple of days because it may drop back into the abyss, but monitor more heavily to see if it does move.

If something negative does appear in the index for a branded search, try to resolve the issue.  If things are resolved, you shouldn’t be afraid of going to the publisher/creator of the negative content and ask them to remove it. And lastly, be benevolent. Link out to good content about the company to help pass that Superbrand authority so that more positive things can rank for branded searches – pushing down the negative.

The post Protecting Your Brand Online appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Nonetheless, it’s actually quite mind-blowing that Facebook served as a catalyst for the people of Egypt to join together in a fight for democracy.

We should still move forward with caution, though, even as we marvel and delight in what has happened. Mass connectivity has its advantages and its consequences.

As corporations, we have an obligation to transparency and to not skew messages for our benefit. We’ve seen what happens in the past with mixed messages and the reputation management crisis that ensues. I’m sure we can all remember the crisis communications problem BP had with its spokespeople, Tony Hayward and Carl-Henric Svanberg.

When you think about it, Facebook itself is in the process of crisis communications and controlling its message to curtail being the hero for Egypt.

Present-Day Communications: Who Controls the Message?

Over time, we have learned that with all the new means of communications, people have a hard time deciphering truth from fallacy.

The regulations and standards are waning, the gatekeepers no longer exist. So that puts the responsibility on us – the communicators.

On the same note, while governments used to be able to control the news and communications in their countries, those walls are coming down.

Governments no longer have full control of the message. They can’t control satellite signals; they can’t control communications from the ground as events are happening.

The same goes for corporations; while you can try to control the brand message, with tools like social media, it becomes harder and harder.

But, the goal should not be to try and control what people say about your business. The goal should be to use social media to have a conversation with your audience.

Gone are the days of one-way communication, when mass distribution of messages came flying at you without a chance to respond.

Social media has given us a way to create two-way conversation between companies, governments and the people (even when the government is not an active participant like Egypt).

So, it’s plus 20 points for social media for being used in a very productive, positive way.

Social Media and the Future: Is It All Good?

Let’s keep in mind that just as there are people who will always want to use social media for good, bad people will eventually get good at social media to push their own agendas.

We should all stop and ponder this for a moment. Would you put it past a government or corporation to use social media to affect or control the masses?

Social media is an added channel to inundate the masses with information about your brand, so as businesses, we have a responsibility to communicate carefully.

On a side note, Glenn Beck recently decided to boycott Google because of the power it has and its perceived involvement in the Egypt revolution. I agree with the author’s suggestive conclusion in the post that Beck’s opinion is less of a boycott and more of a scheme to get people to write about it online and therefore, rank well in Google News.

Yes, a search engine like Google has tremendous influence on the masses. But, Google’s motto has always been “Do no evil,” because it attempts to understand the impact it has on the world and its responsibility to it.

We’ve seen what happens when technology falls into the wrong hands — hackers get into sites and leave messages of propaganda behind; hate groups manage to find a webmaster to dispel atrocious messages across the Web and coordinate events.

Many of us in the industry are either part of or contributed to the social media phenomena that lead to the liberation of so many people in Egypt (peacefully, I might add).

So, our own professional knowledge of social media’s impact obliges us to begin thinking of solutions to the problem of what will happen when social media falls into the wrong hands, before it begins.

Social media as a new form of communication is something we’re all trying to understand on a deeper level and what it means to the way we receive and distribute information worldwide.

As businesses, it’s our duty to communicate carefully, to listen when we’re being talked to and to use social media as a way to connect with our audience, not control it.

About the Author

Chris Hart is director of eastern region operations for Bruce Clay, Inc. You can contact him via twitter @Chris_Hart.

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