Reputation is formed by various factors. These factors shift public opinion over time. They are social media posts, news coverage, search engine results, reviews and public comments. This article discusses how these factors influence reputation.
Search Engines
Of all the influencing factors, Google plays a major role. Earlier companies and entrepreneurs relied on individuals to build their reputation. This was done through face – to – face interaction and world of mouth. Today Google is the number one factor that makes or breaks the reputation. It stands between truth and subjective perception. Truth is the depiction of the individual’s character. On the other hand, reputation is based on public perception.
Reputation is important because it is the key differentiator between the person and his competitor. It is deeply controlled by the search engine results. Therefore, one can control reputation by controlling search engine results. The first page of the search engines is the most critical in building reputation. This is because people lose trust if they find anything negative on the page.
Reviews
The star rating and reviews are the next major sources from where people earn belief and trust. For instance, 80% of the global population rely on reviews and star rating while buying a product.
Social Media
Closely watch the social media posts and comments. Walter Morales once said that, “The life of social media is short. But it builds perception in a big way.”
Wikipedia
Wikipedia shows up on the first page of Google Search results. It is the powerhouse of search engine results.
Knowledge panel
The Knowledge panel is the information box that appears on the top of Google search results. This information in the knowledge panel is generated by Google automatically. This is usually the first thing people read while searching for information on Google. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the knowledge panel has positive results while your name or company’s name is searched.