When searching for answers and information, most people today turn to the internet, and specifically to Google. Whatever they type into the search box, they often consider the top few results the most relevant. This means that if a Google search fails to turn up a relevant business, turns up irrelevant information about a business or perhaps even turns up negative information about a relevant business on the first page, the user is unlikely to consider that business for their specific needs. Google ranking is therefore very important to a business’ online reputation.

Understanding the Relationship Between Google Ranking an Online Reputation

In order to understand the relationship between a business’ Google ranking and their online reputation, one needs to first diagnose these two points. It is important sign out of one’s own Google account, since Google will actually personalize searches and alter results based upon what they know about the individual from their account. Then one should run a Google search on their business name, along with any variation or misspelling of their business name they can think of. Review the results, and consider what they mean as they are essentially an accurate gauge of one’s online reputation. Stick to the first page–after all ninety-three percent of searchers never go past this page. There are several categories you may find that your search results fall into:

• Negative results. Whether the negative results are old, inflated or entirely fictitious, these are definitely the most harmful to online reputations and need to be aggressively addressed and resolved.

• Irrelevant results. These results may be about the business, but they don’t work to effectively boost their online reputation and are often outdated or irrelevant.

• Mistaken results. This occurs when someone else has the same or a similar name, and their results end up preventing users from actually finding out about the intended business. One may as well determine they have no online reputation at all.

• Positive, relevant results. These are the best kind of search results, as they are full of positive, informative and relevant information about the business and work to boost its online reputation.

Once a business understands where they stand in Google rankings, they can better understand what work they will need to do to boost or stabilize these rankings and therefore their online reputation.