Reputation Audit: Understanding What People Say About Your Business Online

Nowadays, most customers do an online search for information about a business before making initial contact.

They look for reviews, discussions, news, expert opinions, and ratings on platforms such as Trustpilot and Google Business Profile. These contribute to building trust in your product or service. Without that initial trust, you may lose a customer without even knowing it.

This is why your online reputation has become a business tool. It can either accelerate your sales or hinder your business development.

What is a reputation audit, and how does it work?

A reputation audit does more than just looking at the first ten results. It's an in-depth analysis of the information space to determine:

• What is being written about you, and in what tone?

• Which sources are shaping public opinions about you?

• How does this influence user decisions?

This will give you an overview of how potential customers perceive your company.

A reputation audit should provide a complete picture of your brand’s online presence, including where it is mentioned, in what context, and the emotional tone used. 

There are many tools that can help with this, such as Brand24, BrandMentions, LOOQME, and Mention.

However, it is equally important to correctly interpret this data. While a single negative comment is not worrying, the constant presence of criticism at the top of search results is a cause for concern.
The reputation audit also analyzes the dynamics of changes:

• whether new mentions appear

• how they affect the overall tone

• whether there is improvement or deterioration compared to the previous period

This helps assess the current state and identify trends that may intensify or stabilize with competent reputation management.

Which sources should be analyzed?

Information from the dark web, private forums, and closed platforms is usually not included in a standard reputation audit. Such sources require special tools, separate requests, and often additional permissions for in-depth monitoring. These sources are examined in sensitive niches, such as fintech, the public sector, and personal brands with high reputational risk.

To provide a complete picture, the audit must consider not only the overall results but also local specifics. Google generates results based on region, language, search history, cookies, and device type. Therefore, two users entering the same query may see different results. 

These factors are neutralized when conducting professional monitoring:

• Incognito mode is used.

• A VPN is used.

• Independent services are used to check search results.

• Geolocation is changed.

How often should audits be conducted?

Reputation monitoring should be done regularly. It is not a one-time task but rather an ongoing part of the work that goes into maintaining a brand's image.

The online environment changes daily with new mentions, reviews, and comments. It is important to notice these in time to maintain control over the tone of conversations about the company.

Monitoring should be conducted daily or several times a week during product launches, PR activities, or reputation threats. Monthly reviews with automatic notifications of new mentions are sufficient during stable periods.

The important thing is that no critical situation goes unnoticed.

Which businesses should closely monitor their reputation?

In certain niches, the customers’ decisions depend directly on trust. These are the businesses that require the most reputation monitoring:

• Medical sector

• Financial and insurance services

• Law firms

• Educational services

Every mention can affect the reputation of a service provider, whether it is a specialist or an institution.

A separate risk area includes hotels, restaurants, marketplaces, delivery services, and online platforms such as Booking.com and Rozetka. Here, customers often base their choice solely on reviews.

How do you know if you need a reputation audit?

At first glance, everything may seem fine with your reputation: there are no complaints or open negativity. However, that doesn't mean there aren't any problems. A reputation audit can be helpful even when there are no obvious issues. Consider the following situations:

1. You haven't Googled your brand in a long time.
   If you don't know what information appears when users enter your company name in a search engine, that's a cause for concern. Even a mention from five years ago may appear first.

2. You notice a decline in trust or sales, but you can't find the reason behind it.
   Sometimes customers disappear when they're getting to know the brand. The reason is the random negative information that still appears in search results.

3. You notice silence surrounding your brand.
   If no one mentions or writes about you, that’s also not ideal. An empty information space is quickly filled by competitors.

4. You are planning to enter a new market or launch a product.
   Before taking this important step, it's worth checking your current reputation. You don't want positive news to get lost among old negative stories.

5. You suspect a reputation attack.
   Have similar negative comments appeared on different platforms? This could be a sign of a planned attack, so it's important to react quickly.

If you have no reputation to begin with, even one negative review can define you — and without action, that negativity will only escalate.

Facing a Reputation Attack? Here’s How to Respond

When a reputation attack is underway, it's important not to act hastily. Reacting without analyzing the situation first could make things worse and give the negative coverage more traction.

The first step is to analyze the situation and gather facts: 

• What exactly happened?

• Where are the negative mentions appearing?

• Who is spreading them?

• What is the audience's reaction?

Next, determine the nature of the crisis. Is it an organic scandal or a planned attack?

Only then should you decide whether to respond, delete the mention, or counter with positivity.

Your online reputation can work for or against you

Imagine if a person wants to learn more about your company. They Google it, and the first thing they see is complaints, negative reviews, and discussions like “I don't recommend it.” Even if your service is currently excellent, the first impression is ruined, and the negative impression lingers.

Online reputation is shaped by more than just reviews. It is also shaped by articles, media mentions, forums, social networks, aggregators, video reviews, and comments under news stories.

All of this information is publicly available. If you don't manage your company's online presence, others will do it for you: competitors, dissatisfied customers, and strangers.

How we conduct audits in the ORM department

It depends. Sometimes, negative comments are hidden on the second page of search results. Other times, there is simply nothing, with no mentions or activity to evaluate. Both scenarios are signs that something needs to change.

The goal is to see not only the symptoms but also the root of the problem. At the same time, we must identify potential areas for growth. After all, a good reputation is not just the absence of negativity; it's also the presence of positive qualities.

Step 1: Conduct a complete analysis of search results.

Most people go to a search engine first when they want to learn more about a company. That is why a reputation audit begins with a thorough analysis of search results for brand queries.

Key aspects to consider:

• Is there any negative content on the first page? If yes, what percentage of the results does it occupy?

• Which sites appear in the top positions? Review platforms? News sites? Forums? Aggregators?

• Are there any white spots or queries where users cannot find official or brand-managed sources?

• How often is the content updated? Does it remain in the search results, or does it gradually disappear?

Next, assess the critical impact the content has on your image. Not all reviews are equal — a single review with a sensational headline on a reputable website can overshadow dozens of other mentions.

However, well-crafted content can push negative comments out of sight and strengthen trust in your brand.

Step 2: Analyze competitors in search results.

When assessing a company's reputation, Netpeak Ukraine specialists don't just consider the partner's brand. To get a complete picture, they analyze how key competitors appear in search results, including those who work in the same region, segment, or price range.

This comparative approach is useful for several reasons:

• It allows us to understand whether the company is lagging behind in terms of the number and quality of mentions.

• It reveals the materials other players have and whether they could be adapted to your own needs.

• It also determines which topics are most interesting to users in the niche and how brands respond to them.

The identified gaps are used to come up with specific recommendations for what to create, strengthen, or rethink.

Reputation involves not only protecting your brand from negativity but also working to gain attention and increase trust.

Step 3: Risk assessment and recommendation preparation

Once a complete picture has been formed, the most critical stage begins: formulating clear and practical recommendations. It is important to accurately identify the vulnerable points of the brand's reputation and what steps are needed to improve it.

Problems are classified according to their level of criticality, and response scenarios are prepared for each one. The task list may look like this:

• Strengthening positive content on specific platforms.

• Updating or replacing outdated mentions.

• Launching new formats, such as PR materials, image articles, and reviews.

We also consider the resources available to the partner, including the platforms that they are already using and ones to implement in the near future.

At the end, you will receive more than just a report; you will get a well-researched basis for developing a reputation growth strategy.

FAQ

1. Can I completely control your online reputation?

   It's impossible to control everything that's said about you online because information can be created and distributed by various users and platforms independently of you. However, you can effectively manage the main sources of influence: Google, social networks, review platforms, and the media. Working promptly with mentions and content goes a long way in forming a positive image and reducing the impact of negativity.

2. How long does it take to improve my online reputation?

   After taking steps to improve your online reputation, the initial results are usually visible after four to six months. Changes are typically seen once search results have updated and new mentions and reviews have been added.

   In complex cases involving reputation attacks, toxic queries, or waves of negativity, consistent work is needed for over a year because reputation management is an ongoing process.

4. Should I respond to every negative review?

   Yes, you should respond to most of them. People often leave criticism because they want to be heard. Even emotional reviews deserve a response because it shows your brand cares about its customers and is willing to resolve issues.

   The exception is blatant trolling or spam. In such cases, it is best not to engage to avoid worsening the conflict.

5.  How do I know if I need a reputation analysis?
   It is worth conducting an audit if you notice negative results in search engine results, a decline in customer trust, or if you feel that your brand is losing ground. This will give you an objective view of your situation and help you strengthen your reputation in a timely manner.

6. Does reputation monitoring affect sales?
   Yes, it directly affects sales because customers mostly study reviews before making a purchase. A timely response to negativity and analysis of mentions increases trust in the brand, which increases conversion directly. Systematic reputation management attracts more repeat customers and referrals, ensuring stable revenue growth.

Conclusions

1. Online reputation is a real factor that influences your business, not an abstract concept.

2. It works to affect sales and customer retention whether or not you control it. Therefore, it is best to play an active role in managing your online reputation.

3. A reputation audit provides a comprehensive view of your brand's online presence, potential risks, and opportunities for growth.