The prompt response to contemporary trends in the online environment by individuals, organisations, brands and others are increasing daily. It’s definitely because of the several advantages it offers. Brands like Skittles has taken that bold step and the distressed brand Woolworths with its recent re-launch online. The opportunities in the online environment are unending; there is always something new that is beneficial to web users.

Looking at the opportunities it offers organisations, the online world is a lucrative platform for any organisation to promote, advertise and market their products and services using various new media technologies. It enables individual organisations create awareness of their products and services using unique advertising and marketing strategies which ultimately wins the hearts of customers and attracts them to their brands. Also, organisations are able to interact and engage with customers directly through social networks like twitter, facebook and blogs. This enables them meet customers’ needs better through feedback and creates an atmosphere for building a lasting relationship with them. Customers are truly satisfied when given the opportunity to have personal interaction with brands they like; you only get this sort of connection online.

Customers in search of products and services first go online to get information before acting, as we all know shopping online saves money, time and energy. Why would you want to stress yourself when you can be in the comfort of your home and purchase several products from any location in the world? Another advantage is that your purchases are delivered right at your doorstep with a handful of them free.

The online environment creates opportunities for individuals to express, promote and communicate their creativities, ideas and talents all over the world. Recently Lauren Luke got her fame for giving celebrity makeup tips through YouTube; this has landed her a contract with an American makeup company set to start her own makeup line. Not to forget, love seekers now indulge in online dating, it’s cool but be careful. Really, I think the opportunities the online environment creates are awesome.

Most organisations now make use of social networks  as avenues to reach and connect with their various publics in the online environment. The consumer market is highly competitive in nature and to stay ahead of competition it is necessary for organisations to maintain and sustain good reputation online.  

Why does online reputation matter? It boosts confidence among customers who enjoy associating with organisations that have untainted image and reputation. It increases sales of products and services offered by an organisation resulting from patronage of loyal customers. The profits of an organisation rises when sales increases, this in turn makes the organisation stand out among competitors. One good thing about online reputation is that it effect changes on products and services through customer feedbacks channels employed by an organisation.

Organisations manage their online reputation to know what is being said about their products, services, performance, achievements and shortcomings using monitoring tools such as:

·          Trackur

·          Technorati which is a search engine site to know what is being said on the blogosphere about your organisation.

·          Digg to know who has dugg up submitted stories that match your organisation’s name.

·         Google blog search to know who is blogging about your organisation.

·         Google analytics

·         Del.icio.us

·         Google video which has switched to index videos from online hosting sites such as YouTube and Metacafe. It helps to keep track of negative videos that include your organisation’s name and products.

 According to Dale Neef in his book Managing Corporate Reputation And Risks (2003, p.25), “From the Brazilian rain forests to Nigeria, and from the diamond mines of South Africa to the oil fields in Alaska, company activities are mercilessly monitored by an increasingly powerful and effective cadre of activities who quickly relay information worldwide, into collaborative activist networks, to lobbyists, to government agencies, and the press.” This means that it is imperative for organisations to monitor their online environment closely, they should be credible and ethical in their operations, watch out for pranksters that start and spread negative rumours because the slightest mistake on the web can escalate and destroy and organisation’s reputation built over the years.

 Good online reputation guarantees long term sustainability for the organisation while on the other hand, reputation can be destroyed when negative stories arise. Here are Andy Beal’s ten tactics for saving online reputation.