7 Powerful Reputation Management Strategies for 2021

There's no reason to believe that 2021 will bring anything other than more libelous attacks designed to get businesses canceled for some perceived slight. If you want to fight back, here are your reputation management strategies for the year ahead. 

1. Become an Executive Influencer

There’s no better way to control your reputation and narrative than by owning your Google Page 1, and becoming an Executive Influencer is how you do that. Regardless of where you’re at in your career or journey, your experiences and the perspectives you gained from them are something only you can share. 

2. Monitoring Your Online Reputation

Brands need a comprehensive reputation management strategy designed for the modern age. This allows you to both respond quickly to crises and capitalize on positive trends. Have monitoring in place during the good times so you're prepared when a crisis hits. 

3. Resolve Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are a part of doing business, and when they're constructive, they can help you get better. However, sometimes customers are on the warpath and there's nothing you can do to satisfy them. Handling customer complaints when they happen can keep negative reviews at bay, but sometimes legal action is necessary.

4. Suing for Defamation

If there's a legitimate falsehood being spread about your business, you have the right to sue for defamation. The legal requirements vary from state to state, but usually proving defamation requires:

• That the content actually fits the definition of defamation,
• It was done with either malice or negligence, and
• It caused damage to the plaintiff.

5. DMCA Takedown

Sometimes, you'll find content online that violates copyright or steals your intellectual property. In these cases, you can file a DMCA takedown to try and get the website removed. They're common and used often in industries that create material for public consumption. 

6. Removing a Webpage

If a webpage is damaging but copyright laws don't apply, there are other reasons to see if it can be removed. These reasons include:

• Defamation
• Fake news
• Brand abuse
• Executive targeting by competitors
• Abuse of trademarks or copyrights
• Counterfeit products

Usually, webpages can be removed by contacting the host, the ISP, or by evaluating local or host nation laws. If a violation of laws or terms of use applies, there's a possibility the harmful content can be taken down completely. 

7. Repair Your Reputation

When your reputation takes a hit, your response can define the future of your brand. Crises require active management to rebuild lost trust. Communicating the truth when disaster strikes can start your response off on the right foot. A brand is one of the most valuable assets you own, and nobody else is going to do the hard work of defending it. 

To put together a more comprehensive and individualized reputation management and repair program, reach out — we can help. 

Tom Popomaronis is Executive Vice President of Innovation at Massive Alliance, a global service agency providing reputation management, internet monitoring, and data & security threat surveillance. Tom co-founded Massive's Executive Leadership Branding service, which is a pioneering program that empowers executives to become a leading authority in their industry.

Tom is also a leadership columnist at CNBC Make It and Entrepreneur Magazine and has published over 500 articles with Inc. Magazine & Forbes.