First impressions count. We all know that what we perceive becomes reality…sometimes whether or not that perception is true does not matter.

The business environment can be cruel at times, and people online can be even crueler when they can hide behind pseudonyms, fake accounts and anonymous profiles. We have all heard the term ‘cyber bullying’ by now. A related extension of that behavior is “character assassination” attempts by one person or a group of people directed toward another individual in an effort to destroy and tarnish an online image. Unfortunately, people do try to destroy their competitor’s images or take out a personal grudge by posting negative comments, spreading harmful press releases, posting blogs, leveraging social media and even building optimized websites, for example. The tactics to hurt someone’s image are virtually unlimited.

The bottom line is that attacks on your online reputation is a reality that many business owners, especially those involved in legal disputes, will experience.  While we at Upside support free speech by all means, unethical acts of spreading false information or information meant to specifically harm another person is unacceptable. In response, Upside has built an online reputation management program using search engine optimization strategies for individuals and small business owners who seek to proactively “own their voice” and image online, or to reclaim their image which is in the process of being destroyed.  If anyone has ever questioned the importance of SEO, talk to someone whose name has been marred on page one Google SERPS (search engine results pages) for searches on their name or their business name.

For now, you can find out some answers to some basic questions about online reputation here, or email info@upsidebusiness.com. We look forward to hearing from you.