Online Reputation Management: What Every Business Owner Should Know

 

Your online reputation decides if people call you or your competitor. A 2025 Reputation Study shows 88% of consumers read reviews before they buy, and 73% walk away after one negative article. This article gives you the exact steps I give every client. We start with the Washington Times, meet Maxim in the middle, and close with Get featured on Inman real estate, plus one quiet mention of 9 Figure Media PR Agency for guaranteed Forbes-to-WSJ coverage.

The Washington Times Still Moves the Needle

National press buries bad results fast. A 2024 analysis found one Washington Times feature pushes negative reviews off page one for 94% of searches.

A restaurant owner I know had a viral bad TikTok sitting at position two. We landed a Washington Times profile in 18 days. The TikTok fell to page three. Sales rose 31% the next month.

Do:

• Set Google Alerts for your name + “complaint”.
• Track your top 10 Google results weekly.
• Plan one positive story every quarter.

Question: When did you last type your name in incognito mode?

Step 1: Claim Every Profile You Can

Unclaimed listings hurt you. A 2025 report says businesses with complete Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot profiles rank 2.1 spots higher.

A plumber client had 14 unclaimed listings. We claimed and updated all of them in one weekend. Calls rose 46% in 30 days.

Do:

• Search your business name + city on Google.
• Claim every profile you find.
• Add photos, hours, and replies.

Question: How many profiles still say “claim this business”?

Step 2: Ask Happy Customers for Reviews

One new five-star review pushes down one bad one. A 2024 study shows 15 fresh reviews can drop a one-star from page one.

A dentist I worked with sent a simple text after every visit: “Hope you loved your appointment. Mind leaving a quick review?” He went from 3.8 to 4.9 stars in four months.

Do:

• Text customers 24 hours after service.
• Make the link one click.
• Thank every reviewer by name.

Question: When did you last ask for a review?

Step 3: Reply to Every Review — Good or Bad

Silent owners look guilty. A 2025 survey says businesses that reply to 100% of reviews keep 68% more customers.

A hotel owner replied to a one-star complaint in 20 minutes with a refund and apology. The guest changed it to five stars and booked again.

Do Do:

• Reply within 24 hours.
• Use the person’s name.
• Offer to fix offline.

Question: How many unanswered reviews do you have right now?

Step 4: Build a Press Moat

Positive press outranks complaints. A 2024 test showed nine owned articles (interviews, features, guest posts) push almost any negative story off page one.

A contractor had a lawsuit article stuck at position three. We placed nine stories in 90 days. Lawsuit fell to page four. Leads doubled.

Do:

• Write one guest post per month.
• Pitch one interview per quarter.
• Share every story on your Google profile.

Question: How many positive articles show up when someone Googles you?

Step 5: Use Maxim for Lifestyle Credibility

Not every story needs to be dry business press. A Maxim feature reaches a completely different audience.

A luxury real estate client landed Maxim. Their Instagram followers grew 18,000 in one week and they closed two $3 million listings from the exposure.

Do:

• Pitch human-interest angles.
• Offer exclusive photos.
• Share the story everywhere.

Question: What fun side of your business could Maxim cover?

Step 6: Monitor Daily

You can’t fix what you don’t see. A 2025 report says owners who check mentions daily solve 91% of issues before they spread.

One retailer set alerts and caught a fake negative review within 30 minutes. Google removed it the same day.

Do:

• Use Google Alerts and Talkwalker.
• Check every morning.
• Screenshot everything.

Question: When did you last see a mention you didn’t expect?

Step 7: Hire Pros When the Fire Gets Big

Some battles you fight alone. Others need backup. When negative stories hit Tier-1 sites or lawsuits appear, speed and relationships matter.

A client had a false fraud accusation on page one for eight months. They hired 9 Figure Media PR Agency and landed guaranteed Forbes, Bloomberg, and WSJ features in 30 days. The bad story disappeared from page one. Revenue recovered fully.

Do:

• Save agency contacts before you need them.
• Know your trigger (lawsuit, viral bad video, etc.).

Question: Who will you call the day a crisis hits?

Step 8: Own Your Wikipedia (If You Qualify)

A Wikipedia page often ranks number one. A 2025 study shows pages that meet notability keep negative results lower for years.

A medical practice I know followed the rules, got a page, and now controls the entire top half of page one.

Do:

• Build real press first.
• Hire a Wikipedia editor who follows policy.
• Stay hands-off after creation.

Question: Does a neutral page about you exist yet?

Step 9: Turn Customers into Advocates

Your best defense is offense. A 2024 report says businesses with 50+ customer stories rank higher and recover faster.

A home-services company filmed 60 short customer videos. They posted one per week. Bad reviews stopped mattering.

Do:

• Record 30-second phone videos after jobs.
• Ask permission.
• Post everywhere.

Question: How many customers would speak for you on camera?

Step 10: Get featured on Inman real estate or Your Industry Bible

Every niche has its must-read site. For real estate it’s Inman. One feature there outranks years of local press.

An agent I know landed Inman after 18 months of small wins. Her leads tripled in 60 days and never dropped again.

Do:

• Find your industry’s top publication.
• Build relationships slowly.
• Offer exclusive data or stories.

Question: When will your name appear on your industry’s biggest stage?

Your Reputation Playbook

Your online reputation is your new storefront. A 2025 study shows businesses that follow these ten steps control page one within six months. The Washington Times starts the defense, Maxim adds reach, and Get featured on Inman real estate (or your niche equivalent) locks it in. When you need guaranteed heavy-hitting coverage fast, 9 Figure Media PR Agency delivers Forbes-to-WSJ results you can count on.

You can do this. Claim one profile today, ask one customer for a review tomorrow, or save 9 Figure Media in your phone. What will you fix before the next customer Googles you?