Introduction

Ever wonder why you are getting no page views???  Why no matter how well you initially designed your website you still never get new customers or prospects to even see it???  If this is the case for you than look no further you are in the right place!

Not all companies have the same struggles or hurdles to overcome.  This is especially true in the online world.  Newer companies are coming up with new ways to market and reach out to customers.  This can leave older and newer companies at a disadvantage if they are not willing to adapt to new standards.  This blog post will break down free easy to use tools that will help you manage your online reputation.

Editor's note: Amanbir Dhade is a MBA student in the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI and currently in ISM 7505: Inbound Information Technology

9 Things an organization needs to look out for with online reviews 

The research firm, Gartner, predicted that between 10 and 15 percent of all social media reviews will be fake.

A study from Harvard Business School estimates that boosting a restaurant's rating on Yelp by one star can increase its revenues by as much as 9 percent. With stakes this high, it is no surprise that businesses are paying big bucks to ensure they earn top spots when it comes to online reviews. It is also giving rise to a little known but widespread business, "REVIEWS FOR HIRE!".

The issue is so serious that corporate giants are feeling the effects. Amazon filed suit in October 2015 against hundreds of people (1,114 people to be exact) for fabricating false and misleading reviews. The corporate giant argues that by providing false statements these individuals have undermined customer trust on Amazon. This latest lawsuit appears to be an extension of Amazon’s actions back in April when they filed suit against a group of website offering fake reviews,

An organization needs to consider the following nine things in regards to online reviews. 

Editor's note: Amanbir Dhade is an MBA student in the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI and has taken ISM 7505: Inbound Information Technology.

What’s in a Name? Your Guide to Online Reputation Management

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” Warren Buffett

In a world where any prospective employer is theoretically a Google search away from discovering your 2012 escapades, it is ever important for us to be fully aware of how we are perceived online.

Many of us think that because we don’t post on any social media forums and keep our photos safely tucked away in our phones, our reputation must be pristine, right?  Wrong.  We live in a pull economy where potential clients, employers and even those in your social network will often scope you out online before connecting with you in person.

Just as corporations and brands need to mold and shape how the public perceives them, individuals increasingly need to consider the picture painted by their social media profile or web presence. A blank canvas will not help you close any deals. Its about more then erasing the negatives, its about painting a picture that will make a great first impression.

Here are 5 things you can do in the next 5 minutes to improve your personal brand online.

Editor’s note: WSU M.B.A. student Kanira Jain wrote the following blog post about the importance of managing indvidual and corporate online images.

In the Internet age, companies face various social media challenges. Primary among them: Online reputation management. As a larger portion of our personal lives are shared online, more and more of us are making startling discoveries about the major downside of over-sharing on social media and the inability to completely control how we are presented on the Internet.

In the U.S., 70 percent of human resource recruiters have rejected a candidate based solely upon information found online.   - Source: Handbook of Social Media Interactive Marketing

Primary examples of lost control range from posted Facebook photos that someone else shared and tagged, without the subject’s permission, to negative comments and reviews about anything at all. At the same time, by not engaging in social media is to risk losing out on any kind of online presence. It’s important to remember that the impact of a person’s digital reputation can be immense and not taking advantage it can mean missed opportunities. Societal and ethical issues in the information age are a common topic for conversation in both personal and professional circles.

Reputation Management for your Company when it Comes to Social

So let’s say you hire someone fresh and new for your organization’s social media content.  You figure that they’re young and understand the ins and outs of the current social media applications that are popular these days.  But it isn’t just that simple anymore.  Brands have to learn what type of content to post to their audience and what kind of information is relevant to their consumers.