Google Alters Reputation Management Landscape

June 12, 2012 - PRLog -- Recent changes to Google’s search algorithms have been the talk of the blogosphere and internet over the past few weeks. One of the recent changes made was to the Google Places business listings and review service. May 30th Google switched over 80 Million business listings from Google Places to their newly created Google + Local platform. This change may be a good thing for the Reputation Management industry, since the previous Google Places system was prone to a lot of abuse in the form of fake reviews. On the other hand some reputation management firms may have relied on the Google Places flaws to seed their clients Google Places accounts with fabricated 5 star reviews.

In addition to the changes of Google Places pages to Google + pages, the company has also adopted the Zagat review system for listings, dropping the ‘Star rating’ used until May 30th. Zagat was a restaurant review site acquired by Google that uses a 30 point scoring system that provides more precise and explanatory ratings. Because reviews can now only be left by people who have Google+ accounts, this also provides more transparency to the service and avoids the potential abuse that the past review system has received.

The recent changes and updates to Google’s algorithm and review system are forcing Reputation Management and SEO companies, including firm like ReputationArmor.com to evolve and adapt. The changes to Google have sent many Reputation and SEO companies in to a panic; however a few Reputation Management firms like Reputation Armor see it as “Business As Usual”. ReputationAmor.com, one of the first online reputation management firms to go online, says Google is always making changes behind the scenes and publically, it is not unusual for Google to make dozens of algorithmic changes each year. It is how you adapt to these changes that set you apart as a company and a Reputation management professional.

On another note, Reputation Armor says that not all companies like ours will actually make the necessary changes in order to effectively help their clients using new cutting edge techniques. Many reputation management firms use a cookie cutter approach to online reputation management and simply use a predetermined cocktail of content sites and social media account creation to attempt to bury bad links and content for clients.

Reputation Armor explains that each reputation management client’s needs are unique and should not be based off of a template solution. These solutions simply do not work long term and produce temporary if any relief for reputation management clients. Reputation Armor continues by saying that Reputation Management is not all about “Tricking Google” and creating tons of artificial links and sites. This method is old school and does not work well anymore. The new era of Reputation Management is much more complex and involves using many methods and tactics. You must think more upscale and quality these days or Google will simply label your content as Spam or penalize your content and sites.

The bottom line is Google will change and your company must change with it. Your online Reputation counts on you or your Reputation Management company being up to date on all search engine optimization techniques and more importantly up to date on what Google is doing and why.  

To learn more about Reputation Armor and their approach to online reputation management visit them online at http://www.ReputationArmor.com