It is highly unlikely that you are the only one in the world with your name. This may be true even if you think your name is entirely unique. With an estimated 7.7 billion people in the world, the chances are better than the lottery that you share your name with someone. Online reputation management companies run across this all the time. We know you work hard to keep your reputation well-maintained. To have someone with your name can be quite a detriment to your life. The result can be loss of job/wages, a reluctance to hire you, and even your ability to find a suitable place to live.
Most of the time, sharing the same name with someone is just a coincidence. Other times it can be a thorn in your side. Assuming that your “reputation doppelgänger” has done something terrible, it may start to affect your life. Don’t worry too much; we are going to show you some ways that you can deal with this situation. Some of them may be easy, but some of them may cost you a lot of time and money. We think that either way you approach it will be well worth the effort. After all, there is no comparison to having a sparkling reputation – both on and off the internet.
Reputation Doppelgänger
In most cases, a doppelgänger is someone who shares the same physical attributes with you. In some cultures, they are often referred to as your “evil twin.” Over the course of this blog, we will be referring to your digital double as your “reputation doppelgänger.” We feel it is fitting as they are the one that has done something wrong (evil) and you are paying the price for it as well.
In the eyes of the law, this is referred to as “name collision” or “mistaken identity.” In fact, if you didn’t know, there are over 1,000 people, just in the United States, that have the name, James Bond. Below, you will find some examples of ways that you can be at risk of having this reputation doppelgänger.
- You share a common name.
- You have the same name as a celebrity, politician, or a high-profile person.
- You are named after a relative. (e.g., John Smith, Jr., John Smith, III)
- You are a franchise owner whose company comes under public scrutiny.
The Risks Associated
As most people rarely venture off the first page of Google, what they see on that first page is how they will see you. Therefore, if your reputation doppelgänger has some negative press, you will be lumped in with that person. This is even true if the results are not even about you. It was the first thing they saw; therefore, they start to form opinions about you based on that.
Years ago, we had a client that could not rent an apartment due to the fact they shared the same name as someone else in the state they were living as someone who had committed a felony. We assisted that person in not only securing a place to live but over time, fixed their reputation so this would not happen to them again.
Steps to Taking Your Name Back
As we said at the start, we are going to provide you a multitude of ways to reclaim your name and reputation. Likewise, not all of these will be easy, but in the end, they will be worth it. Below are our suggestions.
Differentiate Your Name
An easy way to clean up a bit of your reputation is changing the way that people look for you on the internet. Think about the ways that people could locate you on the internet. Start by using variations of your name and use that all the time in your correspondences. Once you have decided on the way you want to be searched, make sure to stick with that name.
Here are a few different options that you could choose to differentiate yourself:
- Use a nickname that you had or currently have
- Use your full name if you are going by a nickname (e.g., Robert instead of Bob, Richard instead of Dick)
- Include your middle name or middle initial
- Instead of using your first name, use your middle name
- Change your name altogether (this is more on the drastic side though)
Optimize Your Web Presence
Google tends only to show the most relevant search results. In fact, they welcome change. Make an effort to create and post engaging content of your own. The more you do this, the higher you will rank on Google, and your reputation doppelgänger will be pushed further down the results page. All of your positive content will be seen first, and the negative results of the other you will be buried. This may end up helping as well. Your content will rise up the ranks, and theirs will fall, thereby improving two reputations at the same time. Below are a few ways that you can make this happen.
- Create your own website. This may sound like it is difficult, but several site-building websites can make this happen in a matter of hours. Start by putting your correct personal information on the site. In the long run, this will help you to differentiate you from the other person. Make sure to include any positive news items or awards that you have received.
- Blog as much as you can. The goal here is to blog on a specific cadence. It doesn’t matter as much how often you blog, just that it gets done at regular intervals. For maximum effect, we suggest once a week. The blog should be 1,000 words, minimum, and include your name at least twice in the article. It may sound vain but trust us when we tell you it is necessary.
Monitor Your Results
There is no sense in undertaking this project if you are not going to keep an eye on the results you get from doing it. Take note of the position of all the negative information. Check back on this frequently. Make sure that you are not dwelling on it and checking multiple times a day. Google doesn’t work that fast. Once a week should be good enough. Additionally, make sure that you are not clicking on the negative reviews. Yes, humans have a morbid curiosity to see what is being said, but it will do you more harm than good.
Conclusion
We hope that this will help you in repairing your reputation. It is never fun to have to go through something like this. If you find that you don’t have the time or energy to undertake such a task, then you could always let us do that for you. We specialize in removing negative reviews from the first page of Google. Alternately, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to give us a call and we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.