`The value of a person’s reputation has always been important.  No matter how small a tribe, community or neighborhood a person’s reputation often precedes them. Often the community at large uses that reputation as a first impression.  This hasn’t changed for generations; even with the advent of the internet, reputation still remains as important as ever.

The internet brings with it unique challenges in terms of reputation management.  Everything you do online is just out there and able to be found by just about anyone.  This applies to posts on websites, comments and photos which have been shared with the public.  In many cases, people don’t even realize how much information there is about them online or how it can affect their day to day lives. Services such as these assess a person’s online reputation and then take steps to help and fix it where needed.

This can help improve a person’s life in several different ways since your online reputation affects your life more than you think.

People Talk

Having a lot of information available online can easily make you a topic of conversation for friends as well as among those who don’t know you.  Something you post on a friend’s web area may be seen by their own friends and even friends of friends – people you’ve never even heard of.   This can make you the focus of gossip, even if it isn’t intended.  A photo or comment you post online can be misinterpreted by someone else and then gets passed on and misrepresented.  This can snowball into gossip and the general misrepresentation of your true character.

Professional and Personal Networking

Many people network both professionally and personally online.  Professional websites allow people from similar positions to get in touch, exchange ideas and simply expand their own business network.  At the same time, people often reach out to others on a personal level and it’s not uncommon for many new friendships to begin online.

Regardless of the type of relationship you’re fostering, it’s likely that new people who come into your life will do a quick internet search on you.  It’s become routine for companies and, according to a study by Microsoft Research, 70% of online employment recruiters have turned down applicants simply because of what they were able to find during a routine web search.

Increased Vulnerability

Sharing too much information about your daily schedules, activities, vacation plans and other personal details can make you more vulnerable to criminals.  Public postings about parties and vacation plans can tip off would be burglars about when your home will be empty.  Sharing truly personal information can also be helpful for criminals who trawl the internet looking for targets of identity theft.

It can be easy to forget how public the internet is; a conversation you think you’re having with a friend online can often be seen by the entire world if you haven’t set the right privacy settings.  The internet has improved our lives in many ways, but it also serves as reminder that reputations can still be ruined all too easily.

If you’re concerned about your own online reputation and how it might be affecting your life, be sure to consult with a professional regarding rep management services to see if you need to clean up your online act.

Tina is a freelance writer who writes on different topics such as tech, business and social media. She has published more than 500 articles about various topics, including role of guest blogs and social media role in daily life. Her famous articles includes article on rep management services. She loves to travel and make new friends.

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