Enter the Online Reputation Management Dojo
Ever watch Kung Fu? Caine was trained at the Shaolin Temple in Henan province of China. You might have thought this was the last you’d hear about Shaolin Monks, but apparently, they are now demanding apologies from a Japanese “ninja” who claims to have bested the whole lot of them in unarmed combat.

Let’s talk about online reputation management for a minute. The most important rule about protecting your reputation is to carefully examine who you are protecting it from. Only slightly less important, is determining whether any normal person would believe the accusation.

Admittedly, I’m more versed in Mu-shu than Kung Fu. I’ll also preface this by saying that I don’t want to spark a martial arts debate. Having said this, no one who read the ninja’s post (I can’t believe I just typed that) believes that an unarmed man defeated a whole temple full of monks who practice Kung Fu all day.

So, the monks are now ready to do battle. And how do Kung Fu masters do battle in 2007? They hire a lawyer, of course:

"The so-called defeat is purely fabricated, and we demand the Internet user to apologize to the whole nation for the wrongs he or she did," the Beijing News said, citing a notice announced by a lawyer for the Shaolin monks.

I’m sure the desired result was for this group to be taken seriously. Instead, I can’t help but laugh at the shear idea of a bunch of monks sitting behind their lawyer’s table in a crowded courtroom.

So what’s the right way to handle an inaccurate post that affects your online reputation?

1. Contact the Webmaster personally to explain the situation and request an updated post with the proper information. Ultimately, bloggers want lots of readers and a pat on the back for scooping a story. If you cater to their ego by helping them to get the story right, there is a better chance that they will update the post. Pick up a phone and call him/her if you can. Like any disagreement, a friendly conversation goes a long way. Hat-tip, Andy Beal.

2. Comment on the blog post to set the record straight. This should only be attempted if option one does not work. RSS feeds don’t show the actual comments, so it makes more sense to have accurate information within the post. But if your requests are denied and go unanswered, write an accurate version and post in comments. If there are certain portions of a story that are correct, be certain to point them out. For example, with our Kung Fu dilemma, maybe the whole clan was defeated, but instead of the ninja being unarmed, he showed up with some kind of super-weapon. Your version will be more respected if you give credit for providing an accurate portrayal if you are able to see the other side of the argument. Be honest about your identity and give readers an opportunity to contact you if they would like more information.

3. Post a rebuttal on your own blog. Again, this action is appropriate if the first two options are unsuccessful. An honest, fair assessment of the situation with full disclosure on your own blog is better than nothing. Make sure to include your contact information.

4. Don’t lose your head. Filing legal action is rarely the proper first step. The goal is to bury the story, not draw more attention to it. While the post might be temporarily contained to one rogue blogger, bringing in the lawyers is a great way to make a mountain out of a moll hill on a national and even global level. After all, do you think I really pay attention to Japanese ninja blogs on a daily basis?

If none of those options work, you can always “sweep the leg.”

Labels: blogging, online reputation management

Jeremy | permalink | +marktd |