Digital Reputation Mangement

Digital permanency, the idea that anything on the Internet is there to stay and will always be found, is why I think digital reputation management is so important for brands and individuals. Social media has greatly expanded how we learn about the people around us. Social media is used to stalk what our exes are up to, it is used by employers to vet potential new hires, and it is used to get life updates from friends and relatives.

Personal digital reputation management is about creating an online persona that reflects who you are and what you value. For example, I am a people person who has a fear of forgetting things. When you look at my social media accounts, take Instagram for example, you will see that most of my posts revolve around my friends or my significant other and key events or milestones in my life. My online reputation reflects the community seeker and digital archivist that I am. When managing my online reputation, I should avoid things that would act to undermine that sense of community. For example, I have a post on my Instagram taking a dig at my ex-girlfriend by wearing a white lie t-shirt. This post conflicts with the online reputation I have built for myself and is a post I should consider deleting. Personal digital reputation management helps individuals ensure what they do online is consistent with their values and allows them to be in charge of who they are on the Internet. 

When managing your personal digital reputation, here are a few tips to consider:

• Question why are you participating.
• Claim and create accounts relevant to your life.
• Moderate comments – others and your own.
• Take controversial 'hot' takes, complaining, and venting offline.
• Delete old, negative, and irrelevant media.

The business side of digital reputation management works differently. Business digital reputation management is centered around shaping the way the public sees the business and making it match how the business wants to be seen. Take Subaru, for example, whose company mission is to “be a compelling company with a strong market presence built upon our customer-first principle” by delivering "enjoyment and peace of mind" to customers. This is how Subaru wants to be seen so it is going to use digital reputation management to influence the public to share that perception. To do this, Subaru often highlights its charitable endeavors and environmental sustainability promises in commercials and on its social media platforms. On the "Our Company" tab on Subaru's website, the first thing it mentions is the company's "Share the Love events that support numerous charitable organizations" as well as the funding they raise for nonprofits. Subaru wants the public to see them as "more than a car company" to the point that they made it their slogan. Business digital reputation management is all about making a brand or company appeal to the public. I find Subaru's digital reputation management to be successfully employed because the first thing I think of when imagining the brand is the Share the Love event and the company's partnership with the ASPCA. I do not only associate Subaru with being a type of car and that's what the brand wants to happen.

Here are some things that businesses do and use when managing their digital reputation:

• Employ social listening tools.
• Frequently monitor customer engagement and emphasize quality customer service.
• Generate content that is in line with the brand's voice.
• Create a crisis management plan for when things go wrong. 

I believe that personal and business reputation management is so important in this digitized era and market. The footprint that we as individuals leave on the Internet can have a major impact on our personal lives. It can interfere with our employment or hurt our reputation. So often we see celebrities and influencers have their reputation damaged by an offensive post or tweet from several years ago. Personal reputation management can help individuals avoid that fate. On the business side, it is just as important for reaching and resonating with potential consumers. A poor reputation will result in a drop in sales and could even sink the enterprise in its entirety. I believe that reputation is a form of social currency that can work as a double-edged sword if not properly monitored.

Sources:

“Subaru’s Vision/Policy.” Subaru Corporation, www.subaru.co.jp/en/csr/subaru_csr/philosophy.html.

“Our Company: Subaru of America.” Subaru Cars, Sedans, SUVs | Subaru of America, 26 June 2023, www.subaru.com/about/our-company.html.