How to Build a Reputation Online in 2023
Your reputation is one of the most important assets you have. It’s how people see you, it’s what they think of when they think about your business, and it can make or break deals with clients, either bringing you opportunities or silently keeping them away from you.
So why do so many entrepreneurs focus on their products and services but ignore their online presence? In this article, Natalie Norcross, CEO and founder of A Design Partnership agency, discusses how to build a great reputation online in 2023 by leveraging social media marketing, content creation, online interviews, and appearing in popular publications.
What kind of reputation do you want to build?
The first step to building a reputation online is to ask yourself the question, what kind of reputation do you want to build? The second step is deciding why you want to build that reputation. Do you have a goal in mind? If so, what's your plan for achieving it?
Different types of reputations can be built depending on your goals and circumstances. It might help you if we think about these reputations as being categories:
Personal: A personal reputation is one that identifies who you are and helps people understand who they could work with or associate with. Your personal brand should reflect who your core audience will find interesting and appealing. Trying to appeal to everyone is the slowest way to grow a reputation.
Professional: A professional reputation is one that identifies what kinds of skills or expertise you have, so people know how good at something they'll get if they hire or work with you. This may include certifications or licenses in relevant fields; however, having those things doesn't necessarily mean that others will see them as meaningful signals about how good at something someone would be (e.g., having an MBA).
How are you building your reputation?
You need to build your reputation, or you will be left behind. The easiest way is by building a personal brand. This can be done in two ways: through social media or through blogging. Social media is by far the most popular way of branding yourself and comes with many advantages, such as having a low-cost marketing platform and the ability to reach an audience worldwide (and not just those who live near you). However, if you don't have the time or skills necessary for social media marketing, then blogging may be better suited for your needs.
If you're a business owner who wants to improve their online presence then they should consider creating a business blog where they post articles related to their industry every day so that potential customers know what they offer before ever stepping foot inside their store/office/warehouse etc.. If someone looks at this site before going into the physical location they'll already have some idea about what they'll find there because of all the content posted on this site beforehand!
Build in-person relationships.
"The most effective way to build a reputation online is to be the same person online as you are in real life," says Dave Evans, author of the book Instagram Marketing: An Hour a Day. "It's important that you're presentable, polite and friendly when you meet someone for the first time."
You can make an impression with your social media posts, but it will be much more meaningful if you've met someone face-to-face as well. When meeting someone new, Evans suggests asking open-ended questions such as: "What do you like about your job?" or "How did you get into this line of work?" These types of questions tend to lead to longer conversations because they force the other person to explain why they do what they do — which is often much more interesting than just listing their job responsibilities or explaining their day-to-day activities at work.
Evans also recommends being genuine when connecting with others in person. Don't just ask them what they think about your business idea; instead try asking how they feel about entrepreneurship in general and how it has affected their life. This type of question allows people an opportunity to open up about themselves and share their experiences—which makes them want to talk with you again down the road!
Use social media marketing to get eyes on your products and services.
As the world becomes increasingly connected, it’s easier than ever to reach customers and clients on social media. You can use hashtags to find people who are interested in your field, create content that will be shared on social media, or interact with influencers within your industry. Social media is also a great place for customer service—you might be able to answer questions that customers would otherwise need to call you about or email you about, saving them time and money!
Publish online content that positions you as an expert in your field.
Publish online content that positions you as an expert in your field.
This is one of the most straightforward ways to build a reputation online today because it can be done from anywhere and at any time. You don’t need to worry about the physical logistics of getting your work in front of people, either—you just need a good idea and some writing skills. There are many different types of content you can publish, including:
Blog posts
Articles
Books (e-books and print books)
Videos (YouTube videos)
Podcasts
Be a guest on a podcast where you discuss relevant matters in your niche.
Podcasts are still a great way to build your credibility with your audience. If you’re not familiar with podcasts, don't worry—I'll explain what they are and how you can use them to build your reputation online.
A podcast is a series of audio files that users can subscribe to and listen to at their convenience. Podcasts are typically released on specific dates (usually once per week), but there are also daily podcasts that release new episodes each day. Some examples of popular podcasts include: Serial (which investigated the murder of Hae Min Lee), The Joe Rogan Experience (a show hosted by comedian Joe Rogan) and The Tim Ferriss Show (which features interviews with successful people).
When looking for podcast opportunities, think about whether or not the topic is relevant to your niche, who else has already been interviewed on this podcast before and if they have anything interesting/relevant/helpful advice they could share with listeners like yourself? You should also look into how much time it takes recording an episode; some take just a few hours while others take several days!
Get quoted in popular publications.
As a business owner, you've no doubt heard that you need to "get your name out there." This is true in every field of endeavor, but especially in online marketing where it's more difficult than ever to create new content that can be shared and commented on by other people.
The best way to do this is by getting quoted in popular publications. If you're looking for something easy and obvious, start by finding a relevant industry publication—one that covers news related to your area of expertise or one which specializes in covering important topics within the niche market you serve. Then pick one topic from their recent articles where your opinion might be helpful or interesting enough for them to quote you on (here are some tips). Once you've chosen an article/topic, find someone at the publication who writes about similar things as often as possible (the author of said article).
Now comes the fun part: emailing him or her directly about how great their work is! Tell them why specifically this article resonated with you personally—and if there's anything missing from it—and ask if he/she'd consider including some quotes from yourself in future articles related directly back around those same subjects covered above (of course include links!).
Being personable when you communicate online is a great way to build your reputation and brand. Content creation is another good way to build your reputation. Being an industry leader is another way for you to build your online reputation. Finally, being quoted in popular publications can help you establish yourself as the expert on a given topic and give further credibility to any of the other ways in which you choose to present yourself online
With these tips, you’ll be on your way to building an online reputation in no time. Just remember that it takes time and effort—no one will build your reputation for you. If you want people to see who you are and what you do, then make sure they can find out easily by following the steps we covered above!
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