Grow your business by improving your online reputation. Through an effective use of citations and social media, you can dramatically improve your online reputation and organic search results. Citations are listings on local business directories which account for more than 40% of all Google searches. In addition to leveraging authoritative sites for page one rankings, citations improve organic rankings and Google Places. Social media accounts carry a lot of weight and appear on page one more quickly than new digital assets. Focus on leveraging existing social media accounts and activity to improve your search engine optimization and reputation management.

1. "How to Grow Your Business
by Improving Your Online
Reputation"

2. TODAY’S SPEAKER
Michael Fleischner
Author, SEO Made Simple (3rd Edition)
mfleischner@upwardSEO.com
• Author and speaker on
reputation management and
SEO
• Has appeared on TODAY
Show, ABC World
News, and Bloomberg
Radio
• President and Founder of
Upward SEO
• SCOOP Marketing Forum
“SEO Made Simple (3rd
Edition)”

3. What is Online Reputation
 Online Reputation Management (ORM) means
getting your content and message online to
establish a favorable perception of your company
or brand
 Studies show that 83 percent of all consumers
use the Internet to research businesses prior to
purchasing products and services
 Prospects develop an impression of your brand
based on search results. Consider page 1 of
Google as your business card (search
results, autocomplete, third party websites, social
media sites)
• Websites
• Images
• videos
3Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

4. Why you must manage your online reputation
 If you are not proactively managing
your own business reputation, then it
will be managed by the actions of
others.
 Consider the implications of even one
negative review about your
business, especially if that is all people
find when searching for you.
 Companies with a poor online
reputation have reported: low
conversion rates, increased marketing
costs, and lower profit margins.
4Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

5.  Simply search the web for your
business name and see what
results you get. Also, also search
your name, the names of your
high-profile employees, brand, or
product/service)
 You don’t need to look past the
first page of search engine
results, as 99 percent of your
customers will never get past that
page
An Ounce of Prevention
5Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

6. What it Should Look Like

7.  Many sites allow individuals to share
their experiences with a business via
online reviews and commentary.
 Online review/citation sites like
Foursquare, Yelp, Bing, and Urban
Spoon, among others; even Google
Places provides a dedicated space on
your Places page for customer reviews.
 In addition to the review sites, your
online reputation is also affected by
comments in industry forums, threads
on social media sites, online
articles, blog posts, public record
documents, and more.
How your reputation is formed
7Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

8.  83% of consumers research products
and services before making a purchase*
 See how often people are searching
your brand with the Google Adwords
Keyword Tool
 Would you buy from a company that
has:
• Negative online reviews?
• Negative news or press?
• Limited information available?
• Negative videos or other types of
information?
The Cost of a Bad Reputation or No Reputation?
8Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com
*Internetretailer.com

9. How to manage your online reputation
on the cheap…
 Successful online reputation management
begins with prevention!
• Build your online presence before the
storm (Reputation Marketing)
• Focus on your "Centers of Influence“
socially and locally (more on this later)
• Be congruent with your branding and
messaging
• Give stakeholders a place to vent and
receive help before they ‘take it to the
streets’
• Fill any voids in your Google reputation
• Crowd out negative voices
9Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

10. How to manage your online reputation
 Once online reputation has been compromised, consider a
comprehensive program to improve results:
• Assess the full scope of online reputation concerns
• Review existing results and determine best course of action
(respond to reviews, etc.)
• Review existing company assets and optimize
• Focus on improving ranking of neutral or positive results
• Develop a program to push down negatives
• Monitor online reputation
• Protect against future attacks
 Have a comprehensive plan that addresses online reputation from
different angles (search, social, reviews)
10Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

11. “The traditional approach…"
BORING

12. Use this 4-step process to take control of your
online reputation.
 Evaluate
 Strategize
 Execute & Maintain
 Analyze & Refine
It Begins with a Proven 4-Step Process
(make anyone look good online)
1. Evaluate
2. Strategize
4. Analyze &
Refine
3. Execute &
Maintain
12Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com
GOAL: Control most or all of your page 1 rankings…

13. Begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your unique
ORM status
 Review first 3 pages of Google for your target
search phrase and existing assets
 Grade the first 20 organic listings across multiple
factors including sentiment, authority, and
controlling entity to recognize challenges & identify
goals
 Evaluate for optimization probability and score
accordingly to inform strategy
Step 1: Evaluate
1. Evaluate
2. Strategize
4. Analyze &
Refine
3. Execute &
Maintain
13Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

14. Once current online reputation has been
evaluated, collaborate on an effective ORM strategy
 Customize recommendations based on your specific
situation
 Develop strategy that prioritizes opportunities
leveraging existing assets, social media, and other
positives
 Document, document, document
Step 2: Strategize
1. Evaluate
2. Strategize
4. Analyze &
Refine
3. Execute &
Maintain
14Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

15. Implementing the ORM strategy in the right manner
and pacing is essential for measurable results
 Implement suppression strategies while partnering
with company sponsored initiatives
 Optimize assets on page prior to off-page to
ensure optimal impact (ex: LinkedIn)
 Deploy search engine optimization strategies to
improve rankings of company controlled and
positive/neutral assets, pushing down negative
results
Step 3: Execute & Maintain
1. Evaluate
2. Strategize
4. Analyze &
Refine
3. Execute &
Maintain
15Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

16. Continually monitor and refine your campaign.
 Track positives, negatives, and neutrals on a
monthly basis
 Document work by asset (optimization, link
building, remediation, outreach)
 Meet regularly as a team to discuss wins and losses
Step 4: Analyze & Refine
1. Evaluate
2. Strategize
4. Analyze &
Refine
3. Execute &
Maintain
16Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

17. “Get Social. Get Local.
Improving online search
results in less than 72
hours…"
SHORT CUT…

18. Two Great Places to Start
Place #1 - Social
 Social Media
• Have accounts? Optimize them…
• Need accounts? Get them…
-Facebook -Google +
-Twitter - Pinterest
-LinkedIn -Slideshare
• Consider other high ranking sites based
on your niche (ex:
Aboutme, Crunchbase, etc.)
18Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

19. Individuals…

20. Businesses…

21. Two Great Places to Start
Place #2 - Social
 Focus on Local Optimization
• Accurate Citations
• Listen. Really Listen - monitoring
• Respond Quickly - engagement
21Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com

22. PHOTOS
VIDEOS
SEASONAL PRODUCTS
SPECIAL OFFERS
15 YRS AGO,
ON C E A YEAR
TODAY,
EVERY D AY
Take Advantage of Local
Every business should…

23. Protect Your Business w/Local Optimization
Local citations impact Google Places listing as well as natural
search results. Citations are considered one of the top 3
determinants of rank.

24. LOCAL LISTINGS INFORM BEHAVIOR
From Where To Why
WHO
WHEN
WHAT
WHAT
STAFF BIOS
EVENTS
PRODUCTS
/SERVICES
MENUS
As many as 86% of local searchers take action

25. LOCAL IS QUICK AND EFFECTIVE
STAY IN CONTROL…

26. Two Great Places to Finish
 Social Media
• Have accounts? Optimize them…
• Need accounts? Get them…
-
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+,
Pinterest
• Consider other high ranking sites (ex:
Aboutme, Crunchbase, etc.)
 Focus on Local Optimization
• Get Covered on Local Business Sites –
ask us about our Local Platform!
• Consider your own review engine
• Listen and Respond Quickly -
engagement
26Upward SEO – where reputation matters! 800-975-7324 UpwardSEO.com
Be out in front. Utilize Social and Local to
dominate online and proactively manage you or
your company’s online reputation:

27. For Help With Online Reputation
Management or Local Search
Michael Fleischner
mfleischner@upwardseo.com
Office: 800-975-7324 x700