I\u2019ve written several posts here at The Future Buzz aimed at helping you, a web-savvy professional, navigate to success in your career.\u00a0 Previous posts in this series include:<\/p>\n
Today I wanted to discuss\u00a0 the importance of your digital reputation.\u00a0 Specifically, I want to talk about how you can protect it, how to nurture it and how to avoid missteps which can potentially ruin it.\u00a0\u00a0The truth is, your digital reputation is your real world reputation.<\/strong><\/p>\n Recall law 5 from Robert Greene\u2019s\u00a048 laws of power:<\/p>\n So Much Depends on Reputation \u2013 Guard it with your Life<\/strong> Your reputation as a marketer, blogger, journalist or any variety of digital professional is your greatest asset.\u00a0 Personal PR really matters, especially in an environment where\u00a0titles are altogether meaningless.\u00a0 It\u2019s vital on several levels:<\/p>\n The obvious examples of reputations being ruined are people losing their jobs from inappropriate\/unprofessional photos on their social networking profiles.\u00a0 Sadly, many do not realize those are public spaces.\u00a0 But what\u2019s not so obvious is negativity or attacks on other companies or professionals in a manner which is derogatory and\/or unprofessional.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve written before\u00a0not to be afraid to have opinions or take sides,\u00a0and I stand by that.\u00a0 But, discussing something intelligently and backing up what you\u2019re saying with facts, observations or opinions is a far different animal than being outright negative to someone you disagree with merely because they rub you the wrong way.<\/p>\n People who do this only succeed in:<\/p>\n There\u2019s far too much negativity in the world, and smart businesses and professionals want to keep themselves as far away from negative attitudes and mindsets as possible.\u00a0 This leads us to the paths for your own success in cultivating the right kind of reputation for yourself:<\/p>\n Being a positive force and thoughtfully contributing is the right path<\/strong><\/p>\n Look at thought leaders like\u00a0Chris Brogan\u00a0or\u00a0Seth Godin.\u00a0 One of the reasons for their amazing reputations is the fact that they are an overwhelmingly positive force in a negative world.\u00a0 People crave those who inspire them, and both of these individuals do that with stars.\u00a0 The right kind of leaders are never negative.<\/p>\n Debate and disagreement are fine, but should be conducted professionally and with tact You can debate, you can have opinions, you can align yourself with ideas you believe in.\u00a0 But you can do this without embarking down a slanderous path.\u00a0 There\u2019s a fine line between intelligently pointing out things that are wrong and being unprofessional.\u00a0\u00a0Steven Hodson at WinExtra\u00a0is a master at being snarky, but if you read what he writes, he carefully backs up his points in a way that even if you didn\u2019t agree with him, you\u2019d still respect him.\u00a0 Snark done properly is a style, and not necessarily negative.<\/p>\n Contribute to discussions on your industry in the same manner online as you would in person<\/strong><\/p>\n A simple formula is this:\u00a0 if you wouldn\u2019t say something in person to someone else\u2019s face, don\u2019t say it on the web.\u00a0 We\u2019ve blurred the line between online and offline and many of us who have been online daily for more than a decade see no difference at all.\u00a0 If you say something about someone, especially something negative, count on that person both reading it and reacting.<\/p>\n Any fleeting attention gained from negativity is overshadowed by the destruction of your reputation<\/strong><\/p>\n Being a PR professional, I\u2019m familiar with the phrase all PR is good PR.\u00a0 And I think that is absolutely true for companies or individuals who have strong, unassailable reputations, loyal followings and in the end are on the good side of the force.\u00a0 It\u2019s when you personally draw attention to yourself in the wrong light and for the wrong reasons the attention you gain is not worth the dent in your reputation.<\/p>\n Authority\/trust is different than popularity<\/strong><\/p>\n You can be insanely popular, but have no trust or authority in the world.\u00a0 While you might be able to court attention, it\u2019s worthless if at the end of the day people don\u2019t respect you or view you as an authentic individual.\u00a0 Authority is built slowly over time bit by bit.<\/p>\n Nobody likes an immature expert<\/strong><\/p>\n You could be the best in the world at something \u2013 but if you\u2019re immature, people aren\u2019t going to look forward to working with you, plain and simple.\u00a0 Mature individuals are virtuous in their actions, even when they disagree.<\/p>\n The web doesn\u2019t forget<\/strong><\/p>\n The web is permanent, and anything you say is etched into a digital presence that isn\u2019t easily removed.\u00a0 Upset the wrong person and you could end up with a scar on page one of Google for your name that stays with you for a long time.\u00a0\u00a0More than half of adults Google each other, so this is a real problem you could make for yourself if you don\u2019t think about your actions carefully.\u00a0 This also speaks to the importance of having a large digital footprint and owning\u00a0your personal SEO\u00a0so a spiteful individual could not easily harm your reputation in this regard.<\/p>\n Everyone knows there is snake oil in social media\/digital marketing and PR<\/strong><\/p>\n Both your proven track record and reputation are what allow you to stand out from the hordes of \u201cexperts\u201d in the space.\u00a0 In reality it is a small inner-circle of talented individuals who are proven leaders\u00a0 at web-based marketing, and for the most part they are all friendly with each other.\u00a0 It is telling if an individual is totally unknown to those at the head of the industry, or immediately known as having a negative reputation.<\/p>\n Know that an attack is inevitable<\/strong><\/p>\n Even if you do all the right things, eventually \u2013 for whatever irrational reason \u2013\u00a0 someone will attempt an attack on your digital reputation.\u00a0 Just consider the source first, and carefully weigh whether it\u2019s even worth paying them attention.\u00a0 In many cases, the individual attacking you may just be trying to get you to strike back to use the attention against you.\u00a0 Where it\u2019s an unknown\/untrusted individual provoking you without just cause, taking the high road and ignoring the instigator may be the most prudent move.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n The importance of your digital reputation can\u2019t be stressed enough \u2013 especially during times when companies are assessing their partners and agencies are laying off individuals.\u00a0 We\u2019ve seen examples time and time again of both professionals and companies making\u00a0unfortunate missteps.\u00a0 Being thoughtful in what you publish, a positive force for good, and engaging others tactfully goes a long way in positioning yourself in the right light.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve written several posts here at The Future Buzz aimed at helping you, a web-savvy professional, navigate to success in … <\/p>\n
\nReputation is the cornerstone of power.\u00a0Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once you slip, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides.\u00a0Make your reputation unassailable.\u00a0Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen.\u00a0Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations.\u00a0Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
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