Reputation Management FAQs
The benefit of online reputation management
Reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something. Online reputation is the reputation of a person, company, brand, product or service on the Internet. Essentially, it is the result of what people think or perceive about the person, company, brand, product or service once they see what is being said about it online.
Online reputation management (ORM) is about improving or restoring your personal or company or brand’s reputation. That is, how it is perceived by people who search for you online from existing and potential customers or employees to members of the public, investors and stakeholders.
Online reputation management works to counter, weaken or eliminate negative material found online and promote positive material to improve credibility, trust and help improve your business performance.
Taking control of your online presence enables you to put the best possible image of yourself before the online community. You will control what people see when they search for you, your brand or your business, and help potential customers see you before your competitors. It also protects you, should any unwanted negative content be published online, as it will be much harder for this to rank on the first few pages of Google. Even if you don’t sell online people will Google your company or brand to ‘check it out’.
People Google people. Your image online is now your CV.
When people search for something online – from brands to businesses and individuals – they Google them and click around looking for validation on a company or person. Only half of the clicks searched go to the main website, the others go to the rest of the search results on Pages 1 and 2. So, it’s important to control these valuable clicks by ‘owning’ as many of the search results on Page 1 and 2 as you can.
Online reputation management with Igniyte
It varies depending on the challenges each business or individual faces and their priorities. We tailor our approach to meet the needs of you, your business, priorities and audiences. Typically, we start by auditing your online reputation, taking an all channel and presence approach. We then make recommendations for you based on what is uncovered in the audit and what we know will get you the results you are looking for.
After an audit, most projects will involve some or all of the following:
- Creating social media profiles and optimising them so they rank
- Developing engaging, relevant content and social media strategies and delivering content and social media campaigns for your audience and sector
- Creating positive PR about you, your expertise, business, brand, and digging deep to find interesting stories that we can sell into journalists
- Positive profiling on sites we know will rank
- Challenging content with sites and Google
- Online monitoring for mentions
- Review management strategies and the option of a discounted and managed Trustpilot service
- Reporting and measuring success
- Proactive consultancy
There’s no clear-cut answer, each case and solution is unique, but we can tell you that it won’t happen overnight. The amount of time it takes depends on factors including: how difficult the content is to shift or remove, or how long it will take to get your content to rank in Google. As a guideline, you should see online reputation management projects as a 6 month + timeframe.
It takes time to influence Google rankings.
We usually work to get significant coverage in media that we know will rank so that it occupies a position on Page 1 of Google. This will often involve an ‘exclusive’ with one specific title, such as an online publication/3rd party blog. If there are no obvious PR opportunities, we can create them, for example by conducting surveys on your behalf and releasing the results.
We work across all search engines, but mainly Google.
We work globally and in multiple languages. Our clients span the UK, Europe, US, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Under certain circumstances it is possible to get content removed at source, or get it delisted by Google, typically where the content breaches the sites terms and conditions or Google’s guidelines. In the UK, we can also use the Defamation Act to challenge content.
It would be wrong of us to offer guarantees as there are factors outside our control such as:
- Changes in the search engines algorithms (the way they rank content)
- Fresh content or comments being posted on target listings
- Content having more third party links directed at it
- New content, PR or negative commentary beyond our control
However, we do commit to making progress month to month through hitting KPIs and on ranking the content we create and share online on your behalf. We can also provide case studies detailing our success under non-disclosure agreement as required.
Our core services are provided in house, online reputation management, business reputation, personal reputation, challenging and removing content, reputation audit, review strategy and management, consultancy, SEO, technical, content, PR and social media. Many of our projects involve us working alongside 3rd party agencies too.
Online reputation management pricing
Typically, we charge monthly retainers for online reputation management projects. Prices start from $1,965 per month for Individuals and $2,102 per month for businesses.
Typically, one month in advance.
Most of our clients sign a contract for a specific period, typically an initial 6-12 months, with the contract rolling thereafter.
It takes time to influence Google rankings and build a solid long lasting online reputation. We work with Google algorithms and best practice to build lasting positive online reputations for our clients.
About Igniyte
Improving online reputations has to be done professionally, ethically and correctly to get the best results. Igniyte uses tried, tested and best practice online reputation management tools and tactics.
Individuals, companies, organisations and brands around the world trust us to improve their online reputations. Our clients operate in a wide range of industries from technology and transport to travel and tourism.
We protect our clients’ privacy, but can provide more details on request under non-disclosure agreement.
We work across many sectors, and extensively with:
- Financial services
- Property
- Travel and tourism
- Home improvement
- Telecoms
- Utilities
- Oil and gas
- Transport
- Health and beauty
- Private equity and venture capital
- Education
- Retailers
- Food and drink
Igniyte was formed in 2009.
Our head office is in Leeds (UK), and we operate out of London. We work with clients all over the world.
We have a mix of online reputation management experts, account managers, social media experts, PR and journalists, technical SEO and content writers.
Yes, under non-disclosure agreement.
Getting started with Igniyte
After a Commercial Agreement is signed, we will arrange a meeting or call to get to know you and your priorities and discuss everything we need to develop a work plan.
That work plan sets out everything we will do – month-by-month for the duration of the project.
That depends, and it’s different for everyone. We recommend that you should set aside some time each week for an update/call/ and to review anything that needs your approval for action or publication.
We will need:
- Access to any online sites, social media and listings you own
- Your company’s brand guidelines
- Key contacts within your organisation
- Details of any other agencies we need to liaise with
- Depending on the scope of work involved, there may be other things that will be required/useful and we will agree this with you
We can write most of your online content and PR if you want us to. But, where it’s appropriate, it may better for you to create content, especially if you are already doing so or operate in an industry that is regulated.
You do before it goes live/is sent to the press.
We use a range of online reputation management tools, techniques and best practice to ensure you get results.
Those tools include the Igniyte Online Reputation Index, Google rankings, Brandwatch, Trustpilot, social media, content, PR, and more.
We capture multiple metrics including influencer mentions, followers and sentiment. We analyze conversations, making them easier to understand and helping you to build a proactive online strategy.
Specialist tools enable us to monitor and report on conversations, backlinks, content, shares, social interactions and monitor for keywords and competitors.
We benchmark agreed on KPIs on a monthly basis to track progress over time.
You’ll need to maintain your positive reputation. Things change. People can leave negative comments on review sites. Search engines may find new results to index. Maintaining a positive online presence will keep it strong.
Right to be Forgotten
The original case was brought to the European court in 2010 by Mario Costeja González and was primarily concerned with data protection.
This created a precedent which led to the “Right to be Forgotten” in 2013. Please refer to this link for more information: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/files/factsheets/factsheet_data_protection_en.pdf
Google decides whether links are delisted and this can be we apply to them submitted via Google on an online submission form. It is unfortunately not an automatic right to have links removed and we try to be honest as to whether we think there is a chance of success. Please see this link here:
You can make an application directly with Google online and its free. If you would like to use Igniyte’s paid submission service, then please contact us.
Some clients like us to evaluate whether they have a chance of being successful. We will also help put together the application to give you the best possible chance of success
To apply you need to be resident in the EU and the link appearing in a Google search needs to appear in a search for your name. You will need to provide a copy of your passport or driving licence to prove residency.
Anywhere from 1-4 weeks. Google receives thousands of applications per month.
It’s unlikely that press articles, particularly those in national press, will be removed. This is the case particularly if they are current.
If the link refers to your profession, or you are a company director, Google may maintain that it is in the public interest for the link to remain. Serious crimes, particularly those of a sexual nature or involving child protection, will not be removed.
Igniyte has, on occasion, responded to Google and overturned the original decision. We try not to attempt any challenges which we believe will be unsuccessful.
In some circumstances, there may be an alternative route with Google.