It is very important today to have concern for how you would be perceived if someone Googled you. Why? Because people ARE googling you. Possible employers, associates, teachers, students, boyfriend’s parents, etc. Your image can effect both your business opportunities and your interpersonal relationships in life.

Managing your online reputation is a critical step in landing a new job. According to a recent survey by business networking organization ExecuNet, 90% of recruiters used a search engine to learn more about candidates and 46% of recruiters had eliminated a candidate based on information they found online. Self-Googling isn’t an act of narcissism; it’s a smart way to determine whether your online personality jives with how you want the world to view you.

I guess that answers the question in the title doesn’t it? Reputation management is protection of your image, not narcissism.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/20/manage-online-reputation-leadership-careers-identity.html

In the world of search engine reputation management it is important to be seen, without being seen negatively. This is true of all public relations and image campaigns. Online, however, there is a more anarchic quality because of the Internet–which is often perceived as being out of your control. However, this article describes very accurately how some people have taken control of their reputations online.

On the other side of the ledger are individuals such as Jon Rognerud and Guy Kawasaki. Jon has a somewhat unusual name obviously (and the “Jon” spelling helps), but he isn’t the only person on the planet with that moniker. Yet he owns the first five pages of Google for his identity. Guy owns at least the first ten pages of Google (being a best-selling author helps) and none of the references are disparaging.

The rest of the article is illuminating too and gives several examples of people who were less, er, successful in managing their online reputation.

http://webbiquity.com/reputation-management/dont-they-know-who-you-are-why-reputation-management-is-crucial/

Honey, I Shrunk The World is a digital media handbook that has been catching the attention of quite a few people in the internet defamation industry. The principle idea is that technology, especially the Internet and Social Media networks, has made the world much smaller in real terms. We no longer send letters to India, waiting months, or telegrams, waiting days, but communicate instantly.

Of critical significance will be ORM or online reputation management, the practice of consistent research and analysis of one’s personal or professional or business or industry reputation, as represented by content across all types of online media, the book reminds. “ORM empowers you to gain insights on what the consumer feels about your product or service and thus helps you formulate measures to improve customer satisfaction.”

There are a lot of tips about online reputation management and some predictions about the future of that industry, too. The tips are spot-on, and the predictions are good ones.

http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/books/article105115.ece

There are many sinkholes when you are a professional in the reputation management strategies industry. These include reviews sites, complaints sites, blog comments, etc. But one of the most important problems in the industry is often overlooked by those who discuss the industry most. Photo tagging. Yes, as in when someone on facebook tags you in a photo. Friends often do it to each other for the crappiest of photos, showing you shirtless, with a strange face, or overly inebriated.

If you’re not ashamed of anything you’ve ever done, than maybe you have nothing to worry about. I would guess that most people cannot say that, however. And it’s funny how cameras are often present at those times that lead to any shame. What may be funny to your college roommate (and perhaps even you still), may not be so appropriate for potential customers and business contacts.

The author goes on to say that you should ask your friends to take it easy on you and explain it can effect your business–because it truly can. Similarly, this information should be read carefully by those seeking employment. Prospective employers are increasingly looking to Google to give them more information about their candidates.

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/11/16/5-less-obvious-online-reputation-management-issues

Now, more than ever, it is important to cultivate a professional and well-regarded image. This is true both for businesses and individuals. More and more we as individuals, and as consumers, have come to rely on the Internet, and search engines particularly, for information on businesses, products, and services. The article pasted below identifies a number of trends in the public relations industry–and he wisely lists search engine reputation management near the top.

while Google Alerts are a useful tool, a more thorough tracking system is required for effective online reputation management. Tools such as BrandsEye track all mentions online and have the ability to check if the content was positive or negative, gauge the overall feel and provide an analysis about the sentiment of a brand online. As PRs increasingly recognise the importance of online reputation management for 2010 and beyond, these kinds of tools become invaluable.

This is a trend that will only continue to grow in 2010 and in the coming years. As the Internet increases in importance, to will search engine reputation management.

http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/424/43743.html