Online Reputation Management and Image Management from
1st Query > Whitepapers > iSEO: Reputation
Management for a New Generation
iSEO: Reputation Management for
a New Generation
Ron Lunan, 2.06.2005
"The three main elements
of public relations are practically as old as society:
informing people, persuading people, or integrating
people with people. Of course, the means and
methods of accomplishing these ends have changed as
society has changed." |
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Society has changed and so has the emergence of personal
content mediums. These mediums include internet web logs,
better knows as blogs, online diaries, and personal web
spaces. The content of these mediums creates an opportunity
for anyone with access to the internet the ability to voice
their opinions and/or experiences with companies, brand,
services, products and members of it's management. Not only
are these mediums easy to consrtuct, but heed is taken and
single voices often speak for an entire consumer base.
Alone, personal web spaces are not viable mass media outlets,
nor are they a threat to businesses in and of themselves.
After all, only media outlets such as the morning newspaper
or evening news have the eyes and ears of millions of Americans,
right? Not any longer. The days are gone when sleepy-eyed
consumers methodically glance over their morning newspapers
with a keen eye on whatever topics piqued their interest
or hard working business people settle down for the evening
news. Thus, enter the search engine.
Paired with the power and persuasion of the personal web
space, search engines have transformed the way consumers,
investors, employees, suppliers, legislators, competitors
and government officials form their opinion of the very
entities they are in the market to do business with. With
immediate and targeted information presented to the searcher
at the click of a mouse button, savvy web users can find
immediate answers to the questions they need in order to
make an informed decision.
"In the US, 60 million
people use search engines every day and search
engines have quickly become the number one way to
access information." |
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According to ComScore Media Metrix, "search is overtaking
email as the most popular online activity." Thus causing
more and more people to glean their perspective of a company,
product or person by the intelligence they gather from the
internet. No longer are company ideals being force fed by
clever ad campaigns or well funded public relations crusades.
Potential customers are now able to collaborate with a set
of their purchasing peers to formulate their own ideas and
opinions about the companies or people they choose to involve
themselves with. According to a recent Forbes
article on this topic, they note "Web logs are
the prized platform of an online lynch mob spouting liberty
but spewing lies, libel and invective. Thier potent allies
in this pursuit inlcude Google and Yahoo!."
A growing number of a company's potential clients or partners
are using the internet to help formulate or support their
buying decisions. The question is often raised, "How
do I counteract possible internet threats to my image or
offering?" The solution lies in an arduous, but manageable
foray into the hybrid world of search engine listings and
public relations strategy known as iSEO.
iSEO, which stands for Image Search Engine Optimization,
is a reputation management strategy which ensures that positive
and pertinent content is appropriately positioned in an
internet search results for topics or keywords that company
deems important. As Theodore N. Vail of AT&T (1879)
wrote in his first Annual Report to shareholders. "If
we don't tell the truth about ourselves, somebody else will."
The key benefits to Image Search Engine Optimization
are:
- Proactive management of your personal or corporate
brand on the Internet;
- The power to shape your online image and affect public
perception;
- Timely, actionable and accurate reporting of your
current online image.
Telling your story before someone lese tells it for you,
including, combating negative Internet press or creating
your online image form scratch, should play a vital role
in any worthwile public relations strategy. Companies and
professionals of all shapes and stature are at risk of internet
attacks. So what is the best policy? iSEO.
For more information on Image Search Engine Optimization
(iSEO), please visit http://www.1stQuery.com/reputation_management.html
or write to: Dean Graziano at dean@1stQuery.com
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