MediaVision Blog : Search Engine Marketing

Online reputation management can be a very hazardous job in its own right. A lot of companies are happy to hand over the reins to outsider management agencies in order to solve their reputation blunders. These days they’re spoilt for choice because there are many ‘qualified’ professionals who claim they can fix all your problems in a jiffy. Cheap, speedy services are easy to offer, but are they that easy to deliver on? When companies find themselves in a rather uncomfortable position with the public, they tend to want to take the quickest and least damaging route out of the limelight. Little do they know that this route could be more damaging than they can afford.

There are many agencies out there offering reputation services that really are not up to scratch. They often hire unskilled agencies from overseas who may write a whole lot of rubbish about your company and send your reputation further down the drain. Or they may build spammy links on your site that will cause it to become mistrusted by the search engines. Some companies don’t realise the importance of link-building and don’t go to the trouble of hiring qualified SEO specialists in order to do the job correctly. SEO’s also possess the skills to remove a harmful online article from the search engines, or at least move it off the first four or five pages by doing what they do best, shifting the relevancy around.

Damaging content is likely to be another feature in a dodgy agency’s ‘solution to your problem’. The press releases/offsite copy that they post on your behalf can come across as if you really have something to hide. Even worse, when someone else is caught writing content for you, and they are then found guilty of forgery, it can place your online reputation in an even poorer situation.

Then there are the guys that offer you the world and deliver peanuts. They will happily take your money and neglect to explain what they will do for you and your organisation. They keep their processes a secret, and are even hesitant to let you know what companies they have worked with in the past. These are the guys you should watch out for, without much of a reputation of their own, how do you expect them to make anything of yours?

There are many unfortunate situations that can leave your reputation in a position requiring some serious damage repair. This may be worsened if you outsource the repair process to unqualified agencies who don’t know your brand, or its personality. The extent of the repair is obviously dependant on the extent of the damage, and sometimes it can be more beneficial to keep it in-house, even if it means it is going to take a little longer.

There are many risks online that can be experienced when outsourcing reputation management, a fact that is backed up by many articles across the web. Ensure you have the right guys on your side when a crisis hits. It’s up to you if you’re going to manage it on your own or risk your reputation again by enlisting outside agencies. If you’re going to deal with it on your own, make sure that you have enough resources to deal with it effectively. If you’re going to outsource your reputation management it’s important to check the credentials of the company concerned, and ensure that you are satisfied that you are placing your brand in safe hands.