Ranking in the search results organically is one of the most effective ways to protect your brand and reputation online. At the same time, it’s also one of the most cost-effective ways to build a protective wall around your brand as you won’t need to spend any money on advertising one you’ve achieved a top ranking in Google. The process takes a lot of time and effort, but it’s one that will keep paying dividends for years to come.
When it comes to reputation management and having a great first impression, not many people think of Google as their first line of defence — however, they should!
What is the first thing someone does when they are looking for information on anything? They go to Google of course. At the same time, what is the first thing you do after you search for something on Google?… Usually, you click on the first link and see what the site has to say.
This is why it’s so extremely important to rank at the top of Google for your personal name, brand, business and products or services you might be associated with.
In short, Google is going to provide your first impression to millions of people searching for your name or brand every year. If your site isn’t ranking in that number one position, your reputation is definitely up for grabs!
10 Quick Stats on How Others Are Seeing You Online
As important as Google is for protecting your reputation and good name online, it’s not the only thing you need to think about. Through the “10 Amazing Facts About How Others See You Online” infographic below from SEOBrand.com reputation management, we are going to take a look at what the major influencers are when it comes to first impressions, reputation, and consumer buyer decisions online.
- When it comes to finding the most trusted source of information online, 65% of users trust the results and information provided by Google. (2014 Edelman Trust Barometer)
- Reviews are one of the most effective ways to influence a buying decision. 79% of consumers place an equal amount of weight on online reviews vs. those personally recommended by friends or family. (2013 BrightLocal Consumer Review Survey)
- Before making a purchase online, 85% of consumers will research reviews for individual products, services, restaurants, and hotels — all greatly impacting their ultimate buying decision. (Yelp)
- Applying for a job will never be the same now that nearly 70% of all U.S. recruiters and hiring managers are now using the internet to research potential hires. (CrossTab’s Online Reputation in a Connected World)
- The influence of online reviews is quite staggering. 86% to 90% of customers are going to make a purchase decision based off of online reviews and recommendations they may come across (Dimensional Research)
With all of this industry data now in your hands, now you can see why ranking organically for your personal name, brand and business is more important than ever before!
