The internet has changed over the last few years. Four years ago there were around three million blogs on the internet, now there are well over a hundred million. The number of blogs has doubled every six months. Each one of these blogs acts as a personal forum for the author to publish their opinion on everything and everyone. Other web users can also chime in with their opinions. In addition there are the large social networks such as MySpace and Facebook. Millions of people are not only browsing - but also posting. The website eMarketplace estimates that currently 13% of U.S. web users have their own blogs.
With so many authors - how do you know if anyone is commenting on you?
The internet can have a profound effect on your reputation - both positively and negatively. There is a whole new class of businesses that offer services to establish and protect your online reputation. But there are several things you can do yourself to build, monitor and protect your reputation:
- Google your name periodically to see what your reputation looks like.
- Set up your profiles on such sites as LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, and Xing. Make sure that when someone searches for you, they will find information that you want them to see.
- Use your real name when you post and comment on subjects on which you are knowledgeable. These posts will appear in searches and will help build your reputation.
- Don't post anything that could be embarrassing. Even if you use a pseudonym, it could be uncovered.
Remember that the internet is a very public place. Online content is difficult to remove. A positive online reputation is a great benefit. A negative reputation can be damaging and very hard to repair.
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