Online Reputation Management For Dummies

Responding in a Rude, Angry, or Impatient Way

In April 2012, Ben Polis, (now former) CEO of the Australian utility monitoring company called Energy Watch, had a bad habit of making social media status updates about whatever was on his mind. His diatribes are too offensive to share here, but one of his tamer outbursts was, “Some days if you gave me a gun I would open fire and shoot half the muppets in my office . . . followed by a few shots at their offspring.”

Even after media commentators called him out on his racist, sexist, drug-using, violent, rash, and offensive behavior, he responded flippantly with comments like, “I can’t be racist, my cleaner is Asian, and I once dated a half-Aboriginal woman.” Somebody fetch me a Pepto, won’t you?

Being outrageous is a great way to get quick attention, but it is most certainly a disastrous way to maintain a strong and positive online reputation. Put a lid on inflammatory remarks, no matter what mood you’re in or what time of day it is.

Once online, always online! If people are willing to dig for it, they can find everything you ever post online.

Keep your words tender and sweet. You may have to eat them someday!