What it covers
Watching reviews and mentions, responding to feedback, earning more genuine reviews, keeping business listings accurate, and making sure your own website and profiles rank well when people search your name.
Handling negative content
Reply calmly and fix the problem when a complaint is fair. Report reviews that break platform rules, like fake or off-topic ones. You usually can't remove honest criticism, but strong responses and newer positive reviews put it in context.
Stay within the rules
The FTC's rule on consumer reviews, in effect since 2024, bans fake reviews and suppressing negative ones. Review platforms also ban paying for reviews. Shortcuts can bring penalties and do more damage than the bad review.
Why Online Reputation Management matters
Most people check reviews and search results before they call or buy. A strong reputation turns that research into trust, while a few unanswered complaints can quietly push customers to competitors.
Taking back the branded search results
A family restaurant's name search showed an old complaint thread near the top. It refreshed its Google Business Profile, answered reviews every week and earned local press for a charity event. Over time, its own pages and positive coverage filled the first results.
Common mistakes
Arguing with reviewers
Defensive replies look worse than the original complaint. Stay calm, thank them and offer to fix it offline.
Buying or faking reviews
It breaks platform rules and federal law, and fake reviews are often detected and removed.
Only reacting to crises
Reputation is built steadily. Monitor and respond every week, not only when something goes wrong.
Where we work on this