Heal and control your online reputation
Shakespeare, in Act 2 of his play Othello from around 1603, said it best: Reputation, reputation, reputation. It is the original personal brand and one of the defining realities of our lives. For Solopreneur consultants and other freelancers, reputation governs the quantity and quality of projects that are made available to us, and therefore reputation affects our income and the kind of life we can live. An unparalleled reputation is worth cultivating and vigorously guarding in more ways than one.
In the Internet age that is especially true, both in the personal and professional sectors. Errors and mischaracterizations made in digital formats are extremely difficult to avoid, ignore, deny, or correct. One’s online reputation is the best flypaper. Take steps to make sure anything attached to your name is okay.
Photos
Along with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest are the places where images of you, yourself, and others are most likely to be posted. When the cameras are around—meaning whenever someone has a cell phone, which is roughly 24/7—make sure your behavior represents you and your brand well.
There’s nothing wrong with being photographed in an obviously casual gathering. Just make sure you (or others) aren’t in the middle of activities that could be misconstrued and reflect negatively on you in the future. If you regularly appear in photos that you know or suspect will be posted on social networking sites, counter with a photo of your own that shows you at work, paid, or volunteering. Balance your books, so to speak, and show that there’s more to you than partying non-stop.
Fascinated
Create and regularly post original content that makes you look smart, professional, and successful. On your LinkedIn account, announce when you’ll be attending a symposium, speaking on a panel, teaching a course or workshop, and definitely passing on the good news if you’ve recently earned a professional certification or advanced degree.
If you presented a webinar, request a replay and turn it into a podcast for your website and YouTube. If you write a newsletter or blog, link to your website and LinkedIn. If you’re on Twitter or Instagram, produce high-quality feed streams and images that convey the skills and values you want to be known for.
Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook can also feature glimpses into your personal life and it could all be for the best, as long as you’re strategic about what’s revealed. Your volunteer work is always a safe bet. It would be great to train for a marathon or even a fun, casual volleyball or softball league. Your parents’ wedding anniversary party would be another good personal aspect to include in your online narrative. Note that narrative is the operative word. Create the story you want to be told, in a way that makes you look wonderful.
Seek
About every three months, search for your name and business name on engines like Bing, Google, and Yahoo and see what shows up in the top 50 listings. Are you happy with what you see? Test keywords related to your business along with your city and check your professional reach in a deeper way.
If you find that your business has been reviewed negatively and inaccurately, please contact the review site and request that the offending post be removed. If customers have offered criticism that can be constructive, address the matter. Apologize and offer your side of the story. Make amends if possible. By doing so, you will increase your credibility and reputation for customer service.
It has been reported that 70% of US job recruiters have rejected potential candidates when something about them that was considered unpleasant appeared on social media. Solopreneurs must assume that potential customers will do the same. Maintaining and monitoring your online reputation has never been more important.
Thank you for reading,
Kim
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