As you grow your online presence, it’s inevitable that somewhere among the masses of fans who support your every success, there will be a few “Negative Nancies” waiting to criticize on your every move.
Though you can’t change the hurtful behaviors that others choose to indulge in, what you can do as a business owner is take appropriate steps to be aware of your online reputation. Below, a few suggestions…
Set Up Google Alerts
People use Google Alerts for many reasons: to keep up with a topic they’re interested in, follow a hot news story, monitor competitors, and of course keep track of their personal online reputation. In fact, you can set up a FREE Google Alert in a matter of minutes, so that any time your name or your business’s name is mentioned anywhere on the Web, you will get an email alerting you. To set up a Google Alert, go to: www.Google.com/alerts
Track Your Social Media Mentions
There are many online tools that allow you to keep track of how often you or your business is mentioned via social media. Here we’re talking about Tweets, Facebook shares, blog posts, comments on blog posts, and more.
Two free sites are www.SocialMention.com and www.SamePoint.com — these are search engines that let you scour a wide range of social media, like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook—even bookmarks, audios, and videos—to find out where and how you are mentioned. You can also do a filtered search for negative comments, which can be a little daunting, but is absolutely essential for doing damage control when necessary.
Know Your “Klout” Rating
It’s one thing to know where and how often you’re mentioned, but quite another to know your online “clout” or influence. That’s where your Klout Score comes in, courtesy of www.Klout.com. Your Klout Score is determined by 3 factors:
1. True Reach: How MANY people you influence
2. Amplification: How MUCH you influence them
3. Network Impact: The influence of your NETWORK
In general, if your Klout Score is above 50, you’re doing well. To find out your Klout Score, go to http://Klout.com/corp/kscore
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With Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can quickly get the word out about your business without spending a dime. It might take hours a week, but it’s an ROI that will pay you back if executed properly. (If you need a step-by-step guide on how to use social media profitably, check out my digital course “Social Media Bootcamp” and learn how to use the top 10 free online tools to gain new clients fast.
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© 2012 Ali International, LLC
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