Our online presence plays a significant role in shaping how others perceive us. Whether as individuals or organizations, our digital reputation carries weight in various aspects of life, from personal relationships to professional opportunities. 

According to Statista, 5.35 billion people entered the new year online, which is over 66% of the world's population. Now, considering that between 95 and 100% of internet users utilize search engines to get informed about businesses, imagine the importance of digital reputation for one business's success.

Digital reputation | Definition

Digital reputation refers to the perception or evaluation of an individual, organization, product, or service based on their online presence, actions, and interactions. It encompasses how they are perceived, judged, and evaluated in digital environments such as social media platforms, review sites, online forums, and search engine results. 

"Digital reputation" and "online reputation" are often used interchangeably. While there may be slight nuances in how these terms are interpreted, they generally convey the same concept.

In essence, both terms emphasize the significance of one's image and perception in digital or online contexts and encompass the various factors that contribute to shaping that image. Whether referred to as digital reputation or online reputation, the concept remains consistent: it involves managing and influencing how someone or something is perceived and evaluated in digital environments.

Digital footprint and reputation

Let's introduce a concept related to digital reputation, in terms of online presence and identity, but with different meanings and implications, and learn how yet overlap.

Digital footprint refers to data left behind due to online activities and interactions. It includes all the digital traces left by someone on the internet, such as social media posts, comments, likes, shares, search history, website visits, online purchases, and other online behaviors.

A digital footprint can be intentional (e.g., posting on social media, or creating a blog) and unintentional (e.g., data collected by websites and online services, cookies, tracking pixels).

A digital footprint directly contributes to a digital reputation. Positive or negative actions and behaviors online can shape how others perceive them. Both digital footprint and reputation require management and monitoring to ensure a positive online image. Proactively managing one's digital footprint, such as being mindful of privacy settings, controlling the content shared online, and actively engaging with audiences, can help shape a positive digital reputation and increase visibility.

While digital reputation is built on the perception and evaluation of online presence, digital footprint encompasses the broader trail of data and information left behind by online activities, with both playing crucial roles in shaping one's online identity and image.

Key components of business digital reputation

Let’s focus on business digital reputation. If you haven't figured it out by now, business reputation is a key factor in business growth and success. 

Even 10 years ago, in the Deloitte survey on global reputation, 87% of the executives surveyed rated reputation risk as “more important” or “much more important,” while 88% said they explicitly focused on reputation risk as a key business challenge. So, what business components to focus on?

Online presence

Online presence refers to the digital footprint of a business across online platforms. By establishing and maintaining a website and social media profiles, and monitoring review sites, directories, and industry forums, businesses ensure consistent branding and responsiveness to their leads and clients. This way, a business increases visibility, brand awareness, and accessibility and creates an opportunity to establish its brand as reputable.

These activities depend on the business objectives. In the case of a small local boutique coffee shop, it's enough to maintain an active social media presence and regularly post photos of your specialty drinks, interact with customers, and share updates about events and promotions.

Content

Content refers to the information and materials shared online, including website content, blog posts, articles, videos, images, and social media posts. Businesses should tend to create high-quality, valuable content that educates, entertains, or inspires the target audience. This approach should establish credibility and expertise and position a business as a trusted resource.

Let's take a software company as an example, that publishes informative blog posts, video tutorials, insights, best practices, and updates related to its products and industry trends it enhances reputation not only in the eyes of customers but partners and competitors as well.

Interactions

Interactions refer to the engagement and communication between a business and its online audience, including responses comments, messages, inquiries, and discussions. These business habits foster transparent and respectful communication, actively listening to feedback, addressing concerns, and demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction.

It also affects acquiring loyal partners, and stakeholders, enhancing the overall perception of the business and strengthening its reputation in the marketplace.

Feedback and reviews

Feedback and reviews refer to the clients' ratings and testimonials about their experiences with the business's products or services. Certain industries are more driven by reviews than others. How do you decide where to eat? A highly-rated restaurant on platforms like Yelp and Google Reviews would be your choice.

The best practice for businesses is encouraging customers' feedback and reviews while expecting both positive and negative. Positive reviews enhance credibility, trustworthiness, and reputation and serve as social proof of the business's quality and value proposition. On the other hand, negative feedback provides opportunities for improvement and demonstrates responsiveness to customer concerns.

Search engine results

Search engine results refer to the information and links that appear when someone searches your business online. It is crucial to optimize online content and listings for search engines by using relevant keywords, maintaining consistency across platforms, and actively managing online reputation to ensure positive search results. Positive search engine results influence a favorable first impression, establishing credibility and authority.

Businesses must maintain consistency while monitoring and managing all the components influencing digital reputation, meaning establishing a clear brand strategy to implementing it through visual and verbal communication across all online touchpoints.

Managing digital reputation vs. digital reputation itself

It's essential to distinguish between managing digital reputation and digital reputation itself. While managing digital reputation involves proactive efforts to monitor and influence perception, digital reputation exists independently of active management. Understanding this distinction is crucial in recognizing the significance of digital reputation in shaping online identities and perceptions.

According to TrustPilot, a positive digital reputation is paramount when determining which brand to choose, even above the quality of products and services.

Businesses are strongly advised to engage in managing their digital reputation.