Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Bright Past
The general rule for living in the modern age is anything that happens eventually ends up on the internet. You may not think this is important until you apply for a job or your date Googles you and finds those compromising vacation photos. Perhaps someone you did wrong many years ago decides to ruin your reputation by posting nasty and untrue things about you.
The online world has no mercy when it comes to negativity. You have probably felt your blood pressure rise as negative links connected to your name or business climb through the search results. Aside from the anxiety, the information could cause you to be passed over for jobs or promotions, impacting your earning ability and causing your mental health to decline.
If you have found yourself in this situation, it is time to consider online reputation management (ORM). Doing so can be the difference between presenting a positive public image and having to deal with the consequences of a poor one. Being proactive about managing your reputation will help you cope with negativity when it shows up unexpectedly in search results.
In addition to ORM, you should learn about the value of Google reputation and ranking positions. There is a large difference between the first results page and the second. More specifically, the top portion of the first results page has more power than the lower portion.
The Chikita advertising network conducted a study in 2013 that indicated the top Google result on the first page is the one that matters the most. At that time, the position drew 33 percent of the searches for that result.
If that top result has a link that leads to something negative about you, that is the one people will choose to click. If the URL is visited by a hiring manager, it could mean that you do not get the job. If someone you are dating sees it, that person may choose to end the relationship. It can also mean that someone may not do business with you due to an apparent lack of trustworthiness.
The same research also showed that the 10th result on the first page received only 2.4 percent of search traffic. That means that about 97 percent of people who are Googling your name do not see that result.
If there is a positive result about you, but it is on the top of page two, it will not help your reputation. Only one percent of searchers will ever get that far.
Now that you know the significance of top Google results and how many people click through them, you better understand the need for ORM. It is a worthy investment to make and keep your search results positive. Your work and family lives depend on it.