ReputationChanger.com Engineers Reputation Management Solutions for Small Business Owners

Online, June 13, 2012 (Newswire.com) - For a small business owner, online reputation is everything. The way a small business' brand is portrayed on the Web is more than just a business card or a marketing front-it is the very source of the company's prestige and its credibility, or its lack thereof. More and more small business owners are realizing this, and software developers like Microsoft are following suit; Microsoft has announced the launch of a new product, called Brandify, which will help small business owners monitor what people are saying about them on the Web, while also recommending actions for reputation repair. The software has won the attention of many reputation management professionals-but according to the pros at ReputationChanger.com, the Brandify software itself may not be enough.

Cliff Stein, who serves as the General Manager for Reputation Changer, says the Brandify software package is at least a step in the right direction. "It is great to see companies of all sizes getting serious about online reputation management," Stein observes. "The Internet has made it so that a consumer can immediately gain information about any company out there-and if the only things clients find about your small business are complaints or bad reviews, you're in trouble. For small business owners, online reputation is everything."

In a statement to the press, Stein goes on to praise the Brandify program for helping small business owners take the important first step toward reputation defense-monitoring. "The first phase in any reputation management campaign is to simply see what is out there," Stein says. "Brandify allows small business owners to see how their brand is portrayed on Google and Bing, but also on social networks. That kind of information is simply invaluable."

Stein ultimately says that Brandify may not be enough for some companies, however. "If a company has been all but sunk by bad reviews or BBB complaints, a program like this just doesn't provide the firepower they need," he says. "That's when the real work of a full-scale reputation management campaign becomes imperative."

Stein notes that his company, ReputationChanger.com, offers brand enhancement campaigns for companies of all sizes, and within all industries. "We do a lot of work for hotels, dental practices, law firms, and home-based start-up companies," he enthuses. "We have also worked with big firms, and Fortune 500 brands. Reputation management is something that all kinds of businesses ought to take seriously."

For example, Reputation Changer offers services expressly aimed at companies plagued by bad reviews. "If you run a small business and you're just starting to make a name for yourself, one bad review on a site like Yelp can prove ruinous," Stein offers. "It is vital to suppress those negative reviews as quickly as possible, which is something we do at Reputation Changer."

It is not just about bad reviews, however. Stein says that defamatory or unwanted Google listings can come from a variety of sources. They are often planted by rival companies, or by disgruntled ex-employees. "The source of the negative listing is irrelevant, and so is its level of truthfulness," Stein says. "If that's what people are seeing on Google, your business is in trouble, period."

ReputatonChanger.com offers its clients a way to combat these negative listings, however. "Our mission is to give our clients, including small business owners, control of their own online reputation," Stein concludes. "Whether the problem is negative reviews or defamatory postings, Reputation Changer can help. We can establish our client's brand as a brand that is reputable and desirable among consumers."

ABOUT:

Founded in 2009 by a team of online marketing and sales professionals, Reputation Changer is one of the premier providers of online reputation management. The company works 24/7 to provide comprehensive reputation management strategies to its clients, which have included politicians, public figures, Fortune 500 companies, and more. Reputation Changer owns several media outlets, and is known for its innovation in positive SEO techniques, social media implementation, and other strategies. The company is also unique for the custom, individualized process it takes for every client and every campaign.