Skip To Content
    This post has not been vetted or endorsed by BuzzFeed's editorial staff. BuzzFeed Community is a place where anyone can create a post or quiz. Try making your own!

    Protecting Your Small Business’s Online Reputation

    The online reputation of businesses can be brought down in an instant. However, keep a few things in mind and you can use it to great effect.

    Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know by now that everyone is at the mercy of the Internet. From earthshaking issues such as Ferguson to so-called urgent issues such as the petition to deport Justin Beiber, you are just one lapse in judgment away from having the whole world up in arms against you.

    The same goes for your small business. While in the past, the reputations of businesses were slowly built and largely immune to sudden drops in popular sentiment, the Internet has changed all that. As Lauren Simonds wrote in Time Business, "Today, the Internet acts like a lens that magnifies every blemish, perceived insult and mistake – and then broadcasts it with a bullhorn." But fear not, that very same Internet also makes it quick and easy to manage your online reputation.

    Look for Your Existing Presence Online

    Your business will pop up at many different places online whether you want it to or not. It gets listed on Google Maps, Yelp, Foursquare, and yours truly, Retellity, to name a few, without you knowing. Such sites often let anyone leave a review. Even if your business has somehow avoided getting listed so far, anyone can blog, tweet, or write a post on any social media site warning the whole world to stay away from you.

    Of course, they should not be given a reason to complain in the first place, which is usually handled at the offline side of your business. If they do, however, make sure to respond in a timely, professional manner to explain your side or at least apologize and offer recompense – never argue. This also shows everyone who happens by that you care for your customers.

    Actively Build Your Online Presence.

    As Brian Grundon wrote in the bMighty2 blog, "Create a strong online presence on any and every site you can!" This not only lets you provide a venue for customers to have their issues resolved, but those who liked your product or service will voluntarily leave good reviews, follow you for any announcements, and even share your pages and content with their contacts. This is also the best way to interact with current and potential customers, which has been proven time and again to significantly boost business.

    Blogging is also an important tool for your online reputation, as it again gives you the chance to publicly address any issues. Moreover, providing quality useful and related content will have you recognized as a leader in your field.

    However, as "BryanG" also points out, if you don't know what you're doing, this will also show through in your actions online, making things worse. So "if you don't have the time to do it, don't know how, or just aren't getting the job done, hire someone to handle it for you."