You Have to Manage Your Online Reputation to Run a Successful Business

To the outside world, reputation managers seem to be capable of some form of magic. They employ all kinds of secret ninja techniques that make negative content disappear. However, what they do isn't voodoo at all; it's simply thinking outside the box. Here are six creative reputation management methods you can use as well.

1. Domain Name Variations

Buy variations of your domain name, such as yourname.net, .org, .me, .co, and so on. Also, buy misspellings of your domain name. A competitor can get ahold of these domain names and use them to sully your reputation or steal your traffic (visitors that mistake .net for .com, for example).

2. Negative Domain Name Variations

Although it's unlikely that someone would create a website to smear you, it's a good idea to secure the most obvious negative domain names that include your name.

3. Viral Content Your Audience Loves

Create good content that your audience will love. The best content draws emotional responses and goes viral. Give them inspirational quotes, funny pictures or videos, important warnings people need to hear, or valuable content that solves their problems. If someone attacks you, the strength of your content and the loyalty it brings will protect you. Don't produce content that elicits anger or offends people.

4. Paid Search Ads to Positive Pages

In a crisis situation, create landing pages that say good things about your company. Then, take out paid search ads that lead to these pages. Paid search ads bring a large amount of traffic fast. These pages can bump the negative sites out of the search engine results pages.

5. Enlist Your Customers' Help

Ask your customers for testimonials and positive reviews. This is something your business should be doing anyway. If they're happy with your products or services, customers will be glad to leave a message to future customers. This positive feedback helps to offset anything negative posted about you.

6. Enlist Your Affiliates' Help

You can also enlist the help of your affiliates. Provide them with the content they need to promote you. This makes it easier for them to set up sites and get you sales. You can give them incentives by running contests or offering bonuses for clicks and commissions.

Remember that the more valuable information and good-will you put out there, and the more support you have from your fans, the better protected you'll be from attacks against your reputation. People will overlook one negative review if there are plenty of authentic positive ones surrounding it. Stay true to your audience and listen to their feedback so that you can constantly improve your services and give them exactly what they want.

Tonika Outerbridge Image and Style Consultant

Photo is from Pinterest