Practice
Reputation management
Reputation management is the broader discipline of shaping what a search for your business name returns, of which review management is one part.
For most local businesses the first page for a brand-name search is the profile, the reviews, and perhaps a directory listing — meaning reviews are the reputation, not a component of it.
The term also covers suppression tactics, some of which are legitimate content work and some of which are the fake-review industry with a respectable name.
In practice
Own the assets that rank for your name — profile, site, one or two directory listings — and keep the review flow current. That covers the realistic threat model.
Common questions
- Is reputation management worth paying for?
- The monitoring and response workflow is worth systematising. Any service promising review removal or suppression through volume should be treated with scepticism.