If you are a CEO, executive, C-level professional or industry influencer, managing your online reputation is very important. Because business associates and your coworkers are likely influenced by what you say, it’s important to have an opinion and set a good example. In the B2B world, this means having a top-notch voice on social media and professional grade videos on YouTube. It may be a good idea to have LinkedIn pulse articles or a blog on your own professional site and to participate in social blogging forums like Medium. Having a strong PR presence byguest blogging and conducting media interviews should also be part of your strategy.

In an age of content marketing, it’s important to not only have a positive reputation online but to also have a voice that lends itself to be a knowledge authority. This is done by having an online legitimate, personal brand that is identifiable, credible and trustworthy.. Being involved in industry discussions on Twitter, creating presentations on slideshare and being involved in conferences, events and LinkedIn groups is a good idea.

Part of being a leader in the digital age is to have a sophisticated & spotless online reputation management strategy. This requires knowing who your competition is online and creating more engaging content in your industry niche that can boost your brand’s reach.

CEOs, C-suite executives and VIPs can be the focus of online articles and speculation on social media as well as be subject to online hacks & information leaks that can damage reputations. For this reason, it’s important to have a specialized SEO (search engine optimization) team at your disposal. Online reputation.expert and search reputation management are two companies that  provide such services. The most credible online branding evangelists will have significant SEO experience, inside industry techniques and a thorough understanding of Google search parameters & algorithms.

When companies go through the peaks & valleys of business turmoil and troubled times CEOs must maintain their composure.. There may be events and occurrences where SEO experts need to be called upon to smooth public relations mishaps, deal with less than favorable reviews and media attention or prevent the all too often social media blunders from going viral. This is not only to protect the personal image of the CEO or C-level executive but also that of the brand or company they represent.

In 2015, we bore witness to several prominent scandals involving multi-national corporations. Branding is as important for the rising company that wants their online reputation management to be as immaculate and strong as possible. This is done by having content like press releases rank higher in Google Search and having other articles, of a neutral or negative impact, rank lower and below the search engine’s radar.

CEOs must not only have a content marketing strategy but have access to Reverse SEO expertise. This requires a proactive acknowledgement by a marketing department and PR team that is willing to admit that they don’t, and can’t, know it all and that sometimes consultants and outside help can make a difference. While most marketing teams have staff that specialize in SEO, Reverse SEO is a sub-specialty that requires additional skills, experience and insight. This makes online reputation management consultancy a niche field better left to the experts.